Garden therapy at Clubhouse for the Common Good: Cultivating calm and community
There’s something special about gardening. From planting seeds to watching them grow, and even right up to the joy of harvesting, gardening offers more than just fresh produce. It provides a sense of therapy and calm that can significantly impact people’s lives.
At the Clubhouse for the Common Good in Southfield, lunchtime is a community affair where all hands are on deck. The Unit Coordinator, Molisia Young, leads a group of members in daily culinary activities, offering opportunities to chop vegetables, cook, and grill meat. But the story goes deeper than cooking.
Much of the food used in their meals is grown right outside the center in their new vegetable garden. This garden is a central part of the mission at Clubhouse for the Common Good, a day center run by Gesher Human Services. The center provides evidence-based programming for community members living with serious mental health disorders.
Members have been cultivating the garden as a therapeutic outlet.