Brookhaven Retreat, a private residential treatment facility exclusively for women with emotional and mental health challenges, and/or substance abuse issues will host an in-house Earth Day event.
Brookhaven Retreat will celebrate Earth Day, 2015 with an in-house event on April 22, focusing on both physical and mental sustenance derived from our planet. The event will include a re-dedication of the community garden to provide nourishment to the body and the mind. Clients will plan, prepare, and plant a mix of hearty vegetables including tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and beans. Separate areas will be provided for herbs with on-site chefs using the harvest to reduce/offset the onsite carbon footprint while creating the exceptional cuisine our clients have come to expect.
Personal gardening is associated with mental clarity and feelings of reward as the ability to grow life-sustaining food strengthens feelings of self-sufficiency. In the clinical setting, gardening is also known as horticulture therapy and has been proven to relieve stress and to reduce reliance on medication and self-harming behaviors. Horticulture therapy is used at Brookhaven Retreat to cope with anxiety and depression.
Earth Day events occur world wide to demonstrate support for environmental protection and to provide the opportunity to engage socially with others in productive conversations about personal environment concerns.
