The following reflection was written by a survivor participating in nature-based healing through the GreenHouse17 farm program.
Shortly after intake to the emergency shelter, survivors of domestic abuse may meet with advocates to develop safety plans for themselves and their children. All services are voluntary, but survivors may choose to participate in support groups, engage in the farm stipend program, receive housing assistance, etc.
GreenHouse17 accepts and provides service referrals with legal, medical, social, governmental, educational, substance use, and mental health organizations. The survivor in this story received supportive services, including trauma-informed, nature-based healing on the GreenHouse17 farm.
In the survivor’s own words: “The garden gave me a wonderful experience in peace. It was a beautiful place. I was thinking of when I was in Florida on the ocean searching for seashells. I got the same type of feeling doing that as when I was working in the garden. I feel like I’m learning more about who I am and learning about how to be comfortable in my own skin. I am a very different person than I used to be. Like the old flowers die and you plant new seeds and watch them bloom. The sunshine shines down on them, and the vegetables and flowers grow and glow. It brings structure into my life as well, which is really needed to improve me as a person. I wasn’t raised with structure in my life and the garden experience is the best thing I will remember about this year so far.”
With the help of GreenHouse17 and the farm program, survivors can heal and find peace in ways they never thought possible. To learn more about the amazing work our non-profit partners do, visit our webpage: https://www.uwbg.org/nonprofit-partners
