Therapeutic Horticulture Certificate Pathway
A flexible, practice-informed learning pathway for health and allied professionals and anyone interested in learning how to design, facilitate, or integrate therapeutic horticulture programs or activities into community, clinical, or care settings.
The Root in Nature Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Certificate Pathway is designed to support a wide range of learners—whether you are just beginning your relationship with therapeutic horticulture or looking to deepen and formalize your practice. The pathway is modular and progressive, allowing you to build knowledge and skills over time while continuing to work, study, or volunteer in your existing role. Each course is grounded in evidence-informed practice and real-world application, supporting thoughtful, ethical integration of plants and nature into care and community settings.
All learners begin with the Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture course, which provides the shared foundation required for advanced learning. From there, you may continue into Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Facilitation Skills and/or Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Program Development & Management Skills. These two advanced courses can be taken in either order, or you may choose to complete just one and stop at that certificate—depending on your goals, role, and scope of practice.
Emilee Weaver, Director of Learning & Community Engagement
How the Certificate Pathway Works
The Root in Nature Certificate Pathway is structured to be clear, flexible, and practical. Each course builds on the last, while still allowing you to choose the order and depth of training that best fits your role, goals, and context.
Step 1: Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture
Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture is a self-paced online course designed for professionals and aspiring practitioners who want to enter the field or integrate nature-based approaches into their existing work. It provides the shared foundation for the Root in Nature Certificate Pathway, grounding learners in what therapeutic horticulture is, how it is applied, and the settings and populations it serves.
Through evidence-informed, practice-based instruction, you’ll explore the theoretical foundations, ethical guidelines, and professional values that support safe and inclusive TH practice. The course introduces facilitation considerations and foundational horticultural knowledge, including how tools and techniques can be adapted to support diverse physical, emotional, and cognitive needs.
Completion of Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture is required before moving into either advanced certificate.
Outcome: Completion Certificate & Digital Badge
Step 2: Advanced Certificates (Choose One or Both)
After completing the Introduction course, you may continue into one or both advanced certificates. These courses can be taken in either order, depending on your background, responsibilities, and learning goals.
Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Facilitation Skills Course
Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Facilitation Skills is designed for practitioners who are ready to strengthen the hands-on, human-centered aspects of therapeutic horticulture practice. The course focuses on facilitating both indoor and outdoor plant- and nature-based programming, with an emphasis on aligning horticultural activities and session plans with participant needs, abilities, goals, and desired outcomes.
You’ll build practical facilitation skills related to activity planning, materials sourcing, documentation, and professional practice, alongside strategies for tool adaptation, tracking, and safety management. Grounded in real-world application, the course supports confident, ethical facilitation across community and clinical settings—equipping you to deliver intentional, well-structured therapeutic horticulture sessions with clarity and care.
Outcome: Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Facilitation Certificate
Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Program Development & Management Skills Course
This course supports practitioners who are ready to design, manage, grow, and sustain therapeutic horticulture programs across diverse settings. Building on the Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture, the focus shifts to the strategic and operational dimensions of TH practice, including program goal setting, service agreements, budgeting, funding strategies, and grant writing.
Therapeutic environment and garden design are central to the course. You’ll explore core design principles for indoor and outdoor spaces and learn how to adapt them for different populations and care contexts. Through real-world case examples, you’ll examine how thoughtful, purpose-aligned design supports participant outcomes while strengthening long-term program viability. Program sustainability, risk management, evaluation, and income generation are woven throughout, equipping you with practical tools to ethically position, manage, and refine therapeutic horticulture programs over time.
Outcome: Therapeutic Horticulture Program Development & Management Certificate
Step 3: Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Certificate
Learners who complete both advanced certificates earn the Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Certificate. This recognizes comprehensive training across foundational knowledge, facilitation skills, and program development and management.
You may choose to complete:
- One advanced certificate and stop there, or
- Both advanced certificates to earn the full certificate
There is no required timeline—progress at a pace that fits your professional and personal commitments.
| Stage | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture Course (ITH) | Completion Certificate & Digital Badge |
| ITH + Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Facilitation Skills | Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Facilitation Certificate |
| ITH + Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Program Development Skills | Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Program Development & Management Certificate |
| ITH + Both Advanced Courses | Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Certificate |
Who This Pathway Is For
This certificate pathway is designed for a wide range of learners who want to use therapeutic horticulture in intentional, informed ways. It is well suited for:
- Allied health and helping professionals, such as recreational and occupational therapists, social workers, nurses, educators, and community health workers
- Professionals working in long-term care, healthcare, community or holistic health, education, social services, non-profit settings, or horticulture
- Therapeutic horticulture practitioners or horticultural therapists seeking to deepen facilitation skills, expand program development knowledge, or strengthen professional credentials
- Students in fields such as rehabilitation, human services, horticulture, education, or public health who want to strengthen their skills while earning a certificate that could give them a competitive edge in the job market
- Individuals exploring professional or volunteer roles in therapeutic horticulture
No single background is required. Whether you are layering therapeutic horticulture into an existing role or exploring how it fits into a future path, this pathway is designed to meet you where you are and support your next steps.
Not Sure Where to Start?
Every practitioner’s journey into therapeutic horticulture is different. Some are ready to integrate TH into an existing role, while others are still building a program or exploring where TH fits into their future work. All certificate pathways begin with the Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture course. What comes next depends on your goals, context, and responsibilities.
Below are two common learning paths. If one resonates, you can explore it further — and if you see yourself in parts of both, that’s completely normal.
Path 1: Integrating TH into an Existing Setting
Path 2: Building a Program from the Ground Up
Recommended sequence:
Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture → Advanced TH Program Development & Management Skills → Advanced TH Facilitation Skills
This path may be a good fit if you:
- Are still seeking a site, funding, or organizational support for a TH program
- Want to understand and/or feel more confident in how to design, justify, and sustain a program before stepping into facilitation
- Are exploring entrepreneurial, consulting, advocacy, or community-based TH roles
Why this order works:
You’ll begin with learning foundational TH principles, then focus on how to build a credible, values-aligned program, then develop the facilitation skills needed to bring it to life in practice.
Still unsure?
Many learners recognize themselves in parts of both paths. That’s expected — and it doesn’t limit your options. You can complete one advanced certificate and pause, or return later to continue your training when it makes sense for you. If it would be helpful to talk it through, you’re welcome to book a short call with Emilee Weaver, Director of Learning & Community Engagement, to explore what path might best support your goals.
FAQs
Do I have to complete the full certificate pathway?
No. The pathway is intentionally flexible. Some learners complete only the Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture course, while others continue into one advanced certificate and stop there. Completing both advanced certificates is optional and leads to the full Advanced Therapeutic Horticulture Certificate.
Are there prerequisites for the advanced courses?
Yes. The Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture course must be completed before enrolling in either advanced course. After completing the Introduction course, you may take Advanced TH Facilitation Skills and Advanced TH Program Development & Management Skills in either order, or choose to complete just one.
After the Introduction course, which advanced course should I take next?
Use this simple guide:
If you’re integrating TH into a role or setting you’re already working in: take Advanced TH Facilitation Skills next, then Advanced TH Program Development & Management Skills if/when you need it.
If you’re building a TH program (site/funding/structure/justification) and want the “program piece” first: take Advanced TH Program Development & Management Skills next, then Advanced TH Facilitation Skills.
It’s normal to see yourself in parts of both. If you’d like help choosing, you can schedule a call with Emilee Weaver (Director of Learning & Community Engagement) to talk it through.
How long does the certificate pathway take to complete?
Some learners move through the pathway steadily over the course of one year, while others take breaks between courses or return later to continue their training. The full, three-course TH Certificate can be completed within one calendar year if desired, but there is no fixed timeline. The courses are designed to flexibly fit alongside professional and personal commitments.
The Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture course can be taken at any time of year. Advanced courses are facilitated by an instructor and therefore offered at specific times throughout the year, which is the primary factor that may influence when learners begin or complete the full certificate.
Will this qualify me as a Therapeutic Horticulture Practitioner or Horticultural Therapist?
This pathway does not confer a protected professional title or licensure in horticultural therapy. Instead, it provides structured, evidence-informed training that prepares learners to thoughtfully and ethically integrate therapeutic horticulture into existing professional, caregiving, community, or volunteer roles.
Completion of the pathway demonstrates that you have acquired and retained the foundational knowledge and skills needed to practice therapeutic horticulture in applied settings. While you will not hold an externally conferred or regulated Therapeutic Horticulture Practitioner credential, the certificate reflects meaningful preparation and competency in TH-informed practice.
Professional titles and scopes of practice vary by region, discipline, and governing bodies, and learners are encouraged to align their use of therapeutic horticulture with the standards and requirements relevant to their field.
Is this pathway applicable and transferable outside North America?
Yes. Root in Nature’s courses are taken by learners around the world. While examples may draw from North American contexts in many cases, the principles, facilitation strategies, and program development frameworks are broadly applicable across settings and regions.
What the Certificate Represents
The Root in Nature Therapeutic Horticulture Certificate Pathway represents structured, evidence-informed training in the thoughtful use of plants and nature to support health and wellbeing. It reflects a practitioner’s commitment to ethical practice, inclusive facilitation, and ongoing professional learning within the field of therapeutic horticulture.
Completion of progressive coursework in therapeutic horticulture facilitation and/or program development and management, informed by current practice and field-based expertise
Verification by Root in Nature’s instructional team—experienced therapeutic horticulture educators and practitioners—that the learner has completed the required coursework and demonstrated understanding of the course content
Readiness to integrate therapeutic horticulture into professional practice, caregiving, community programming, or volunteer roles, in ways that are appropriate to one’s setting and scope
Alignment with professional values that prioritize safety, accessibility, reflection, and participant-centered care
Support & Community in GrowTH Network
Learning therapeutic horticulture doesn’t end when a course is complete. As part of the Root in Nature learning ecosystem, participants in the Certificate Pathway are supported through access to the GrowTH Network—a professional community designed to help practitioners apply what they’ve learned, reflect on practice, and stay connected to the evolving field.
Through the GrowTH Network, you’ll find practical resources such as a growing activity database, research and readings, and tools to support facilitation and program development. You’ll also have opportunities to connect with peers through facilitated calls, private messaging, and community forums, learning alongside practitioners working in a wide range of settings and regions.
Whether you’re just beginning to integrate therapeutic horticulture or expanding your role over time, the GrowTH Network offers a supportive space for ongoing learning, shared problem-solving, and professional connection.