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Plant Talk

Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Recognizing Excellence in Horticultural Therapy

Posted in Adult Education on March 26 2013, by Ann Rafalko

MWTherapyThe New York Botanical Garden would like to congratulate one of our very own Horticultural Therapy instructors, Matthew J. Wichrowski, M.S.W., H.T.R., for being the recipient of the prestigious 2013 American Horticultural Society (AHS) distinguished Great American Gardeners Award for Horticultural Therapy.

In addition to serving as Senior Horticultural Therapist at the Enid A. Haupt Glass Garden at the Rusk Institute, part of NYU Langone Medical Center, Mr. Wichrowski has brought his expertise to our Horticultural Therapy Certificate students since 1996 as one of our valued instructors.

Mr. Wichrowski’s courses for this year include the basic Introduction to Horticultural Therapy on plant-people relationships and how they can be utilized to reach cognitive, physical, psychological, and social goals for a variety of populations. He will also be leading an advanced course on Horticultural Therapy for Physical Rehabilitation, which will present students with case studies and train them in the etiology, diagnosis, and psychosocial effects involved in the treatment process.

Enid A. Haupt Glass Garden at the Rusk Institute
Enid A. Haupt Glass Garden at the Rusk Institute

The Horticultural Therapy Certificate Program includes a day-long site visit at the Glass Garden at The Rusk Institute, led by Mr. Wichrowski himself, where his research centers around the effects of nature and nature-based activities on human health and wellness. Now his long career is celebrated in this honor from AHS, which is bestowed on alternate years.

To learn more about his work, please read Mr. Wichrowski’s blog posts for Psychology Today, “Healing Green,” and of course anyone who would like to learn about the fascinating discipline of Horticultural Therapy from one of the field’s leading researchers is welcome to pursue our Certificate Program.