The therapeutic issues addressed in the garden room are very important to survivors’ overall healing and their reconnection with a peaceful and fulfilling life. Recovery and healing from severe trauma and sexual abuse involves much more than just processing the bad memories. As the traumas are being resolved, there is a great amount of positive, new learning that must take place in order to continue to move past the original trauma-based behaviors and dysfunctional family dynamics.

In the garden, new and healthy behaviors are encouraged. Some of the areas include:

Ways to find comfort, nurturing, and soothing
Developing friendships and meaningful relationships
Creating deeper connections with yourself and others
Expressing empathy, compassion, and caring for self and others
Improving medical health and getting appropriate medical treatment
Building a deeper and more meaningful spiritual belief system

Healing is not complete until people have addressed the emotional, intellectual, physical, and spiritual effects of the trauma. All the negative effects of the trauma must be replaced and/or directed in a positive manner. It is very important that survivors learn to feel good about themselves, their bodies, and their relationships.