Plant-Based Mindfulness Training for Therapists

Course overview

This clinical training introduces therapeutic horticulture and plant-based mindfulness as structured interventions that can support nervous system regulation within psychotherapy sessions. The training draws on research in therapeutic horticulture and nature-based interventions, as well as evidence-based principles from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and trauma-informed care. Participants will learn how sensory engagement with living plants can be used to facilitate grounding, attention redirection, and present-moment awareness with clients. Through guided demonstration and applied instruction, clinicians will learn practical methods for integrating plant-based mindfulness activities into clinical work while maintaining treatment fidelity and appropriate scope-of-practice boundaries. Participants will review several brief therapeutic horticulture interventions that can be incorporated into clinical sessions with clients experiencing anxiety, emotional dysregulation, trauma-related symptoms, and attentional challenges. Ethical considerations, safety factors, and documentation practices for plant-based interventions will also be discussed. Instruction is primarily delivered through didactic lecture and applied clinical instruction. Participants will observe and briefly engage in structured plant-based mindfulness exercises designed to demonstrate how these interventions can be implemented in clinical practice. All materials are provided. Participants who complete the training will receive a certificate documenting 2 continuing education contact hours.