ABOUT THIS SERIES
Voices from the Community shape our work and inform how we serve our mission. The insights shared by researchers, clinicians, community leaders, and people with lived experience across the world of SCI are worth sharing. This quarterly addition to our communications makes space to connect those perspectives and share what is inspiring our work.
What is one thing your organization has done to make it easier for people with SCI to access or engage with the outdoors?
“Trellis Horticultural Therapy Alliance constructed a bigger and better therapeutic teaching garden that is wheelchair accessible, known as the Ability Garden at Legacy Park in Decatur, GA. The Ability Garden provides a connection to gardening and nature for overall wellness through purposeful engagement, life-long learning, and critical social connection to combat isolation. Through renovation of our indoor program space, we now have a fully wheelchair-accessible kitchen and are now embarking on healthy cooking initiative centered on fresh garden-grown food. Trellis believes equal access to nature and the outdoors is essential to health and wellness for everyone.”
— Rachel C.
Trellis Horticultural Therapy Alliance
Why do you think it is important to bring outdoor programming into rehabilitation, before someone is back home and in their community?
“Because the story we tell about access to nature in those early days is hugely important.
Rehabilitation can be a time of uncertainty, grief, and reimagining what life looks like. Too often, theoutdoors is unintentionally framed as something that may no longer be possible. When we bring outdoor programming into that space, we are offering a different narrative – one that says you still belong here and there are ways forward, even if they look different than before.
Introducing birding and time outside during rehabilitation helps create a bridge to rebuilding a relationship with the natural world that has many different ways to practice. It also provides tools, confidence, and a sense of possibility that can carry into life beyond rehab. And perhaps most importantly, it offers moments of connection, joy, and curiosity during a time when those things can feel far away.”
— Cat F.
Birdability
Is there a moment from your program that captures why this work is important for the SCI community?
“Many of our program participants are reconfiguring their entire lives. We invited a trained chef and mixologist, Brendan Town, who has a SCI, to be a guest leader for one of our Gather & Grow sessions of adults with SCI. Brendon demonstrated creating a hearty vegetable soup and sharing many adaptive tips and tricks. Brendan asked the group how many people cook regularly for themselves. Only 2 out of 8 people raised their hands. Trellis wants to empower this community by showing them the never-ending learning experiences centered around gardening and fresh food. To quote one of our participants ‘after my injury, I thought my life was over. Trellis has shown me a new community where people understand my everyday challenges, keep me motivated to leave the house and where I can learn something new about the natural world every time I show up!'”
— Rachel C.
Trellis Horticultural Therapy Alliance