Meet me in the dirt: a gardener's odyssey of healing and being healed

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Content MEET ME IN THE DIRT
A GARDENER’S ODYSSEY OF HEALING AND BEING HEALED
by
Xinyi Ren
A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ANNENBERG SCHOOL FOR COMMUNICATION AND
JOURNALISM
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS
(SPECIALIZED JOURNALISM)
May 2025
Copyright 2025 Xinyi Ren

ii
Acknowledgments
My deepest gratitude goes to my main character, Barbara Lawson. Her frankness and
sincerity brought this work from dream to life. She reminded me, during those moments of
despair, that trust and kindness still exist in reality. I am also grateful for her bright, bell-like
laughter and for the bottled water she always handed me during filming. I feel so grateful to have met Karen Haney from the UCLA Extension Program, who
introduced me to the field of Horticultural Therapy. She even helped me organize and understand
numerous fundamental theories from her class. I also appreciate the heirloom tomatoes and
zucchini she grew and shared with me -- each of them was pretty and delicious!
I pay my respects to all the stories that took root but failed to blossom: Glory Lutheran
Church, Wayfarers Chapel, and Native Plants Hunter. They taught me the vulnerability of
promises and connections between journalists and interviewees. Cultivated from previous
disappointments, the knowledge of religion, mental health, nature, and my anthropology class
have worked together to nurture this work. I owe my deepest thanks to my family, especially my grandfather -- Kongjian Ren (任孔
建) -- for still being with me and still loving me. While I was working on this project a thousand
miles away, he fearlessly got over an attack from a lethal illness. Even this time, he is spoiling
me by extending my time to learn how to say goodbye in a proper way.

iii
I give my heartfelt thanks to Dear Prof. Barbara Pierce. She has witnessed my growth in
learning how to tell meaningful stories. Over the past year, she has helped me build my courage
and sharpen my instincts for good topics. I’ll always remember the moments of worry and joy
we shared along the way. Although I wasn’t formally in her class, Prof. Miki Turner has been the one I’ve always
looked up to. Her work, Women of Annenberg, encouraged me at a time when I was questioning
the value of my own. Thanks for taking the time to read my long paper and for her generous
words -- they truly meant a lot to me. And finally, although Dan said it’s fine not to say anything nice to him, I can’t skip him. I’m grateful not only for his sharp feedback and for patiently answering my questions over the
years, but also for trusting me -- almost all the time -- and for teaching me what it means to be
professional and dependable.

iv
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments...........................................................................................................................ii
List of Figures................................................................................................................................. v
Abstract.......................................................................................................................................... vi
Preface ..........................................................................................................................................viii
Chapter One: Reflection ..................................................................................................................1
Beyond the Line of Sight: Who are those “Gardeners”? .....................................................1
Bridging Life and Death: The Mystery of the Garden ........................................................ 6
Behind the Camera: How I Wove Laughter and Tears....................................................... 9
Chapter Two: Documentary Script................................................................................................12
Documentary Script...........................................................................................................12
References..................................................................................................................................... 43

v
List of Figures
Figure 1 Professional Organizations Associated with Allied Health and Their
Founding Years (2021)....................................................................................................vi
Figure 2 Hugo Simberg, The Garden of Death (1896), Ateneum Art Museum..............................7

vi
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the role of nature-based interventions
in enhancing mental well-being. According to a study of the current state of horticultural therapy
professions in 2020, the West region contributed the largest registered number of American
Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA) memberships. However, compared with other fields
associated with allied health, such as art therapy, music therapy, recreational therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, the number of horticultural therapists is relatively
limited in the US. A study in 2021 showed that the number of registered members in AHTA was
only a quarter of that of recreational therapists, even though its professional organization is
eleven years older. The lack of studies on practitioners of nature-based therapeutic methods is
also significant1
.
Figure 1 Professional Organizations Associated with Allied Health and Their Founding Years (2021)
1 Derrick R. Stowell et al., Current State of the Horticultural Therapy Profession in the United States, HortTechnology 31, no. 4
(2021): 330

vii
This short documentary centers on Barbara Lawson, a therapeutic horticulture
practitioner in California, exploring her personal journey of coping with bereavement while
helping others. Through semi-structured interviews, the work captures her nuanced emotional
experiences of the character, offering an intimate narrative that highlights the dual healing
processes facilitated by nature. In addition to showing how creative therapeutic horticulture can
be, the work aims to shed light on the reciprocal relationship between therapeutic practice and
personal emotional recovery within the natural environment.

viii
Preface
Those butterflies never stay put for a minute... They remind us to keep moving. -- Barbara Lawson
I first encountered Barbara Lawson in a Los Angeles Times feature story. She was buried
in the Plants section, which I happened to be reading in the middle of the night. The reporter, Kailyn Brown, made a poetic and romantic chronicle of how this lady carved out her career path
to make her own business, Meet Me in the Dirt, as a way to start healing after the trauma of her
mother’s death. I was struck by the huge photo of Lawson standing behind her counter. She was
looking straight into the camera and laughing with remarkable confidence. In the article, Lawson shared a story of her mother and the butterflies she kept. Several
caterpillars she had raised in her garden emerged as butterflies on the birthday of her late mother. As an international student from East Asia, I was immediately drawn into the emotional
resonance of this moment. In a well-known Chinese legend, Butterfly Lovers, a pair of lovers
turned into butterflies after death. I was so moved by her story that my eyes brimmed with tears
as I read line by line. It was not a dramatic or politically charged story -- it was gentle, delicate, and sincere. But sometimes, the warmth and lightness of a story can soothe the wrinkles of our
inner worlds.

ix
Since 2020, I’ve devoted myself to the study of documentary media art. To me, the
documentary form is the magic that integrates time, place, color, sound, and personality. It is also
the shortest distance I could ever make to bring characters to an audience. However, this form of
media also challenges characters to be emotionally open, even though a big black camera lens is
pointed at their faces, especially when recounting personal trauma, hardship, or conflict. Lawson exceeded every expectation. To my surprise, she is an avid journal writer with
three thick notebooks lined up on her bookshelf -- each filled with thoughtful reflections in
elegant cursive. She could just laugh, cry, and talk about an insight just sparked from her mind as
if the camera weren’t even there. At times, trying to trim or edit her eloquence made me feel less
like a student from journalism school and more like a clumsy bystander. But it would be a true
loss if her vibrance were demonstrated only in other types of media formats versus documentary, which allows for bringing picture and sound together over time. While Lawson helped me grow
as a documentary filmmaker, I, in turn, made a part of her life soar on the screen. After several failed attempts at other documentary projects, I became insecure but
insistent during the filming process. I was up against a closing time window. I kept thinking -- if
I can just capture one more line of dialogue, my work might be able to transcend to a whole new
level. Even in the post-production stage, I often found myself regretting the shots I didn’t get.

x
Lawson and her butterflies taught me something. Dwelling in the past is a choice -- but it
shouldn’t stop you from keeping moving. Now it’s time to fly.

1
Chapter One: Reflection
Beyond the Line of Sight: Who are those “Gardeners”?
The practice of nature-based therapeutic methods in the U.S. can be traced back to the
late 1700s, when one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, Dr. Benjamin Rush, discovered the curative effect of field labor for mental illness in 1798. Another revolutionary
attempt was made by Friends Hospital in 1817
2
. This private psychiatric institution broadened
the concept of human-plant interaction. By transforming the farm field into a park-like garden
with aesthetic characteristics, the nature-based therapeutic method entered a new humanistic era, allowing patients to receive treatments in the garden without the burden of physical labor. Associated with the enlightenment of humanitarianism, nature-based healing practices have a
long history in the United States of exploring all kinds of potential approaches for clinics and
well-being. Since 2009, the number of certified therapist memberships in the American Horticultural
Therapy Association (AHTA) has experienced a significant decline. The population of registered
members dropped from over 800 to 486 within 11 years. The professional image of the
practitioners is regarded as one of the top challenges. Ten behaviors that build on each other are
considered mandatory skills for registered horticultural therapists to practice their
2 Christine L. Capra, Rebecca L. Haller, and Karen L. Kennedy, “Development of the Profession of Horticultural Therapy,” In Horticulture as Therapy: Principles and Practice (Boca Raton: RC Press, 2019), 5

2
interdisciplinary knowledge from professional horticultural therapeutic training
3
. Others are
commonly considered volunteers or allied health care professionals. Also, the membership fee
discourages some from pursuing the credential. The cost to obtain a certified title ranges from
$65 to $400 annually
4
. According to the definition published by the first and only national organization -- American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA) -- Therapeutic Horticulture and
Horticultural Therapy are two different terms describing the healing power of nature
5
. Horticultural Therapy (HT)
Horticultural therapy is the participation in horticultural activities facilitated by a
registered horticultural therapist to achieve specific goals within an established treatment, rehabilitation, or vocational plan. Horticultural therapy is an active process which occurs
in the context of an established treatment plan where the process itself is considered the
therapeutic activity rather than the end product. Therapeutic Horticulture (TH)
Therapeutic horticulture is the participation in horticultural activities facilitated by a
registered horticultural therapist or other professionals with training in the use of
horticulture as a therapeutic modality to support program goals. Therapeutic horticulture
is the process through which participants enhance their well-being through active or
passive involvement in plant and plant-related activities.
3 Rebecca L. Haller and K. Rene Malone, “Development of the Profession -- Assets and Issues,” In The Profession and Practice of Horticultural Therapy (Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2019), 83
4 Membership Categories and Dues, American Horticultural Therapy Association, https://ahta.memberclicks.net/membership
5 Definitions and Positions, American Horticultural Therapy Association, https://www.ahta.org/ahta-definitions-and-positions

3
After more than 50 years of cultivation, the nature-based therapy field is facing a fruitful
period. According to the annual conference of AHTA, the University of Florida launched the
Therapeutic Horticulture Activities Database (THAD) in October 2024, which contains more
than a hundred items developed or adopted by Horticultural Therapy professionals and fit the
standard of AHTA6
. The database enables practitioners to get step-by-step handbooks of
activities they prepare to deliver based on activity types, goals, and target clients. When
examining these activities, however, I initially underestimated their inherent potential by
categorizing them as playful entertainments for kids due to their enjoyable and all-age
orientation. Such a hasty disenchantment alerts me to the existence of an elephant in the room. I
hope to reveal the profound power embedded in the act of “playing with the soil.”
I do not support the Hollywoodization of any academic field, but Horticultural Therapy
(HT)/Therapeutic Horticulture (TH) might have embraced an overly reclusive role in the public
discourse. A personal blog post in 2012 summarizes two fiction films that are identified as
having the theme of nature-based therapy: Green Fingers (2001) and Grow Your Own (2007)
7
. This Beautiful Fantastic (2016)
8 and The Secret Garden (1993 or 2020)
9 also have plots about
6 University of Florida, Therapeutic Horticulture Activities Database, Last Modified Feb 13, 2025, https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/therapeutic-horticulture-activities-database/
7 Horticultural Therapy Films, Last Modified on October 27, 2012, https://thehorticulturaltherapist.wordpress.com/
8 This Beautiful Fantastic (2016), IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4560008/
9 The Secret Garden (1993), IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108071/

4
gardening and healing. It is worth noting that all four films focus on the interaction between
participants and the garden, as well as the personal growth of characters. However, despite
spanning more than a decade, none of the films portray a horticultural therapist or any figure
playing the guiding role in those therapeutic practices. Other audiovisual materials with public
access exhibit a strong instructional or webinar-style orientation. In early April 2024, I conducted the first interview with Barbara Lawson, the main
character of this story, in Redondo Beach, California. With a bachelor’s degree in psychology
and certification as a grief counselor from the American Institute of Health Care Professionals
10
, her confidence in her professional field is both evident and nationally recognized -- even in the
absence of formal certification from AHTA. Moreover, the deeply personal and idealistic
motivations behind her journey of healing others makes her story uniquely compelling. The aforementioned quantitative research on the current state of HT practitioners across
the United States identified several key challenges in this field, such as the lack of insurance for
reimbursement and funding problems. Moreover, since HT/TH is not yet recognized as a
healthcare profession, practitioners are not able to formally document their methodologies
through cases. But that doesn’t discourage Lawson. Grounded in her own experience, she firmly
believes that this form of therapy can support individuals in navigating grief and loss. Her
10 Barbara Lawson, LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-lawson-527b6839/details/education/

5
courage, empathy, and ability to grow through her trauma encourage me to bring her story -- and
the work of horticulture practitioners -- into the spotlight.

6
Bridging Life and Death: The Mystery of the Garden
Other than the perspectives of psychology or HT/TH, the concept of the garden also has a
notable tradition of being juxtaposed with symbols of death and life in art and literature
11
, which
may provide a beneficial place to include different stages of grief intervention. According to a
post on Harvard Health Publishing, grief is not a linear journey from a starting point to a
destination, but a cyclical process involving five different stages
12
. The notion of forgetting the
grief and “getting over” the grief is unrealistic; in fact, individuals often find themselves
repeatedly revisiting sorrow and sadness within the cycle and even live with it for several years
13
. Meanwhile, the garden creates a complex environment where flourishing and withering
coexist and overlap within the same time and space dimension. This characteristic aligns with
Samuel Scheffler’s idea of life and death
14
. According to Scheffler, the deceased will not enter a
completely separate world; instead, they coexist with the living in the same world but within
different times and spaces. Therefore, by encouraging individuals to reflect on the meaning of
11 Avril Tynan, “Growing Grief: Cultivating Life After Death in the Garden,” Thanatos 11(2022): 18, https://doi.org/10.57124/thanatos.125289
12 Harvard Health Publishing, 5 stages of grief: Coping with the loss of a loved one, https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and- mood/5-stages-of-grief-coping-with-the-loss-of-a-loved-one
13 George Bonanno, “Grief and Emotion: A Social-Functional Perspective,” Handbook of Bereavement Research: Consequences, Coping and Care (2001): 494, https://doi.org/10.1037/10436-021
14 Scheffler, S. The Afterlife (2013).

7
death within the context of life, the garden may offer a hopeful and functional space for
navigating the grief cycle.
Figure 2 Hugo Simberg, The Garden of Death (1896), Ateneum Art Museum
Simberg believed the Garden of Death to be a place where souls can grow and mature before entering Heaven. A case study in 2019 discussed the bereavement intervention for people who lost their
kids from suicide demonstrates an enlightening example of this idea
15
. The mother, Valerie, insisted on planting three flowers in a row during her therapeutic gardening session. From her
perspective, the flower planted in the middle of the row symbolized her deceased son, while the
other two flowers stood for her husband and herself to support the flower representing her son. In
15 Tynan, A. Growing Grief: Cultivating Life After Death in the Garden (2015).

8
the story of “Meet Me in the Dirt,” the key to Lawson’s recovery is also the symbolism from the
garden. Regarding the monarch butterfly that emerged in her garden on her mother’s birthday as
her deceased mother’s symbol, Lawson also gained the courage and inspiration from the
butterfly to look forward to the next chapter of life. Whether through symbolic representations or
philosophical interpretations, the garden -- as a unique space teeming with life -- demonstrates
undeniable potential for grief intervention. As the novelist May Sarton writes in her memoir Plant Dreaming Deep, upon hearing the
first thud of a falling apple -- a sign that all the blossoms had passed: “To the flowers we never
have to say goodbye forever. We grow older every year, but not the garden; it is reborn every
spring
16
.”
16 May Sarton, “A Flower-Arranging Summer,” Plant Dreaming Deep: A Journal (2014): 95

9
Behind the Camera: How I Wove Laughter and Tears
During the production process, except for the pop-up soil meditation activity Lawson
provided in the parking lot of Faithful Central Bible Church in Inglewood, California, all the
filming was planned collaboratively by me and Lawson. How we handled the shot of Lawson’s
home is a nice example. Lawson’s husband did not grant me permission to film in their place, so
we found a block next to her place with a similar appearance to shoot the sequence re-enacting
her daily commute to work. Also, I guided her to step in and out of the camera frame with the
cue: “Three, two, one, go ahead.” Lawson always teased me, that even by replacing “action” with “go ahead,” she could never get rid of my “manipulation.” Compared to my former work
over the past two years, my role as a filmmaker has faced a significant shift from being a “fly on
the wall” to a “director issuing commands.” This standardized experience challenged my
previous understanding of documentary as a source of authority and deepened my awareness of
the idea that all media texts are re-presentations of reality. Every laugh and tear was filtered and
constructed by my own perspective. Through the camera’s viewfinder, I trimmed time and space, shaping them into the story I chose to tell. I believe that documentary filmmaking is a form of magic associated with storytelling
over time. And time, as one of its critical factors, has taught me a lesson: having more time to

10
film doesn’t necessarily lead to better results. Even with an abundance of time, it’s still possible
to come away with nothing. A month after completing the filming stage with Lawson, the idea of
gathering voices from participants in healing activities jumped into my mind. I reached out to
Tanae Eskridge, the event planner of the pop-up event held in the church, who readily agreed. However, as the date we scheduled drew closer, she stopped responding to my calls. The most
valuable lesson I learned from documentary production is to appreciate the material I already
have. No matter how generous the production timeline is, the documentary always has a way of “surprising” me with unexpected twists. It’s not uncommon for therapeutic horticulture practitioners to be driven to their
profession by personal tragedies. Throughout the production process, I often imagined how the
inclusion of another individual with experiences similar to Lawson’s could enrich this work, making its narrative more compelling and multifaceted. While my intention was to tell a story
with delicate personal emotions, I must admit that some sequences in the work are monotonous, such as Lawson doing her daily routines -- watering and pruning. This project might have benefited from additional characters with other examples. At
the AHTA 2024 Annual Conference held on October 19, 2024, in North Carolina, registered
horticultural therapist, Betty Guise, shared how horticultural practices helped her manage the
grief of losing her husband and inspired her to pursue a social work career to aid others in coping

11
with loss through gardening practices
17
. Although I unfortunately was unable to include her in
this documentary, her story affirms that the horticultural therapy practice does provide reciprocal
benefits to both practitioners and participants. Every journalist has their own unique style, and I take pride in my ability to create a
conversational environment where my interviewees can always feel safe enough to lower their
guard and reveal their vulnerabilities. During filming, Lawson often cried in front of the camera. She would open her eyes wide, take deep breaths, and try to let her tears dry before they fell. This work is filled with genuine emotions -- whether in moments of sorrowful remembrance, joyful celebration, or the warmth of a simple embrace. I believe that these precious human emotions are the essence of making this project a
meaningful work, not only for me, but also for everyone who was involved in the production
process.
17 AHTA 2024 Collective Effervescence Concurrent Session, https://ahta.memberclicks.net/2024-annual-conference-concurrent- sessions-4

12
Chapter Two: Documentary Script
Documentary Script
NAT SOUND
[Clip0068_4.6 Retreat footage] 01:49:38:06
People walking by the glass front door of Meet
Me in the Dirt -- a retreat garden in a mall. NAT SOUND
Barbara Lawson
Founder of Meet Me in the Dirt
[Clip0047_3.22 Retreat footage] 09:42:30:02
Barbara Lawson comes from behind the counter, carrying a planter she found there. VO Barbara Lawson
Founder and CEO of Meet Me in the Dirt
[Clip0019_3.22 Retreat footage] 09:24:36:08
Lawson talks about her mother.
[Clip0048_3.22 Retreat footage] 09:43:15:18
Lawson replants a green ivy into a stronger and
larger planter. Lawson’s OC -- she is recalling how the day
My mother was my best friend. The immediate
nature of her loss...it just threw me into a tailspin. I
didn’t really know what to do, and I did not do
anything for a little while. I just want to stay in my
bed and I want to just hide away from the world. I
remember going to her house after it happened that
I can still hear the ice-cream truck outside. I can
hear kids on their bikes playing outside. It was so
weird because I was sitting and thinking, “Don’t
they know today my mother died.”

13
when she lost her mother was, with tears in her
eyes. VO Lawson
[Clip0048_3.22 Retreat footage]
09:44:40:27
Lawson fills the soil into the new planter.
[Clip0019_3.22 Retreat footage]
09:13:51:00
Lawson’s on-camera, talks about how her garden
saved her from the grief.
When I’m in the garden, those things sort of fade
away because I am paying attention to what's
happening around THEM. I'm actually paying
attention to the leaves, noticing the different colors, noticing the texture, noticing dragonflies and
hummingbirds. It's like nothing else is there, just
me and the dirt. It reminds me to go back to the
beginning of it all to break everything down to get
to the root of what’s really going on. And I was
able to reconnect with my mother, reconnect, and
make sense of all these different changes that were
occurring in my life. So in the garden, I'm able to
“meet me in the dirt." NAT SOUND
[Clip0050_3.22 Retreat footage]
09:47:35:03
After the replanting process, a plastic monarch
butterfly is placed on the ivy’s leaves. CG -- The title name “Meet Me in the Dirt”

14
NAT SOUND
[Clip0013_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:05:27:03
Road sign of “Redondo Bch Bl” NAT SOUND
[Clip0008_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:04:15:09
Lawson goes towards her car
NAT SOUND
[Clip0009_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:04:33:13
Lawson gets inside her car and fastens the
seatbelt. NAT SOUND
[Clip0010_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:04:48:20
Lawson drives away from her place. NAT SOUND
[Clip0006_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:03:23:19
The street scene from the inside perspective of
Lawson’s car.

15
SOT Lawson
[Clip0005._4.6 Retreat footage]
00:02:39:16
Barbara talks about her daily work as a grief
counselor in “Meet Me in the Dirt” while driving.
It's not really work. It's really a “play," quite
honestly, but it's what has been called work for me. And so I drive here down. I typically pray in the
car. I don't really turn music on much. I'm praying... or I'm talking out ideas that I have. About the time I
get to work. I get out of the car. And it's showtime. NAT SOUND
[Clip0019_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:07:27:09
Lawson drives near to the mall --South Bay
Galleria. VO Lawson
[Clip 0026_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:09:41:12
Lawson talks about why she founded this retreat
garden.
[Clip0022_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:07:27:09
Barbara leaves the parking structure and heads
toward the mall entrance.
My mother, Nita, is why this place even exists, why
this business, this service offering, this dream even
exists. Because I lost her.

16
VO Lawson
[Clip0026_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:10:00:10
Barbara unlocks the door and gets inside
[Clip0037_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:04:03:01
Barbara talks about why she founded this place.
When I was 24, she was 55, and honestly had lived
a life full of trials and challenges. And so, living
like that -- being exposed to those different traumas
and things like that -- it just creates an experience
where she was not able to have people around her, to have a place where she could have a refuge, to
rest away from all of her issues. SOT Lawson
Clip0037_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:38:52:29
Lawson’s OC -- she talks about the potential
future if her mom can have a rest place; she might
be there today.
If she would have had a place to just be and have
her experiences heard and witnessed, she may still
be here today.
SOT Lawson
[Clip0036_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:37:02:23
Lawson fondles the frame of her mom’s printed
This is my mommy, the reason why this place even
exists.

17
and framed picture. CG Text Card:
Nita Wright, Lawson’s mother. She died from congestive heart failure at night in
her dream.
[Clip0021_4.6 Retreat footage]
Lawson talks about how her mother helped with
rebuilding her confidence after being bullied by
other kids.
[Reformed_IMG_5880.psd]
[Clip0067_3.22 Retreat footage]
01:48:28:04
Sculpture of a mother carrying her baby.
I remember my mother sitting me down at her
vanity and telling me what she thought was
beautiful about me. The very things that other
people ridiculed, my mom was able to show me in
her own words: how beautiful I was and how my
ideas were good.
NAT SOUND
[Clip0057_3.22 Retreat footage]
09:49:44:03
A corner of the retreat with a swing, reads “GROW.”

18
NAT SOUND
[Clip0059_3.22 Retreat footage]
09:50:12:15
A running water device above a sign reads “SOMETIMES I WET MY PLANTS” VO Lawson
[Clip0019_3.22 Retreat footage]
09:20:27:16
Soundbite -- Lawson talks about her job to heal
people
[Clip0031_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:24:17:06
Lawson carries a watering can to water her
growing plants.
[Clip0033_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:33:03:11
Lawson waters another plant.
On a typical day, I help people be able to manage
life. I am helping people be able to manage life. And so sometimes that's either on zoom. If they're
not local, people will have their sessions on zoom. If they're local, I invite them to come into the
retreat. And it's literally, I'm being a gardener even
inside of here.
VO Lawson
[Clip0019_3.22 Retreat footage]
09:14:46:10
I invite people into that experience because I know
it seems a little weird, like how sticking your hands
in the dirt changes anything. It is the physical act of

19
Soundbite: Lawson encourages participants to
stick their hands in the dirt and enjoy the feelings.
[Clip0038_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:39:23:11
POV of plants being watered by Lawson’s
watering can.
it, but it is how you're made to calm down, how
you’re made to breathe slower, how you’re made to
get out of your mind and more into your heart to
deal with your emotions while you are in the dirt.
VO Lawson
[Clip0032_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:32:16:18
Lawson waters a spider plant on the table.
It makes sense that soil not only through touching it
and smelling, it would absolutely bring in that
serotonin and help us be able to shift perspective. It
helps us calm down. SOT Lawson
[Clip0031_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:25:44:04
Lawson picks brown leaves from her plants.
Crunchy leaves!
VO Lawson
[Clip0019_3.22 Retreat footage]
09:21:10:26
Soundbite: Lawson talks about passersby's
reactions and how this work matters to her.
Some people come in here -- they buy plants. Some
people come in because they're just walking by and
they're like, “Wow! What is this place?” And it’s
really just service.

20
[Clip0038_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:40:54:00
POV -- The plant’s leaves being cut by her
scissors
SOT Lawson
[Clip0038_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:41:40:14
Lawson cuts the brown leaves.
It’s like a haircut.
SOT Lawson
[Clip0031_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:28:10:25
Lawson shows the flower of a flamingo lily.
See, pretty!
VO Lawson
[Clip0019_3.22 Retreat footage]
09:21:22:16
Soundbite -- Lawson discusses the significance of
caring for these plants
I am not only serving these little babies in here so
that they can -- these little baby plants are my little
babies -- but they are here to encourage the people
as they come in. So I take care of them so that they
can take care of the people when they come. NAT SOUND
[Clip0044_3.22 Retreat footage]
09:41:55:00
The sign reads “Meet Me in the Dirt.” SOT Lawson All the babies!

21
[Clip0032_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:32:46:19
Lawson finishes and pets a spider plant. Text Card
In 2021, Lawson turned a second-hand bus into a
plant nursery: Oasis. She drove around, trying to heal people. Text Card
In 2022, the indoor retreat “Meet Me in the Dirt” officially opened. NAT SOUND
[IMG_2066_7.26 Karen H]
00:00:00:00
The street view outside Haney’s therapeutic
garden. NAT SOUND
[IMG_2070_7.26 Karen H]
00:00:00:16
The sign at Haney’s Garden reads: “Long Beach
Organic.” (Close-up)
VO Karen Haney
Registered Horticultiral Therapist
[Clip0012_7.26 Karen H]
The first time that I heard about what Barbara was
doing was in my first “Foundations of Horticultural
Therapy” class. One of the assignments we have

22
03:55:39:02
Soundbite: Haney talks about how she first knew
about Lawson’s project.
[Clip0013_7.26 Karen H]
04:07:15:16
Karen Haney, the expert in therapeutic
horticulture, walks into her garden “Long Beach
Organic.” Haney turns the key to open the gate. She pushes
it open and enters the garden.
[Clip0014_7.26 Karen H]
04:07:54:01
Haney strolls along the pathway paved in the
garden.
students do is we have...or I have students talk
about: they research horticultural therapy and
therapeutic horticulture around the world.
VO Haney
[Clip0016_7.26 Karen H]
04;08;29;13
Haney weeds grass in her garden.
And one of my earliest students -- she had seen
Barbara’s -- what do we call it -- plant mobile or
van -- where she was having these opportunities for
people to engage with plants. My student shared an
article about what Barbara was doing. In the
context of therapeutic horticulture and increasing

23
opportunities for people to positively engage with
plants in ways that can affect how they feel
emotionally and increase positive social
interactions. SOT Haney On-camera Interview
[Clip0012_7.26 Karen H]
03:57:26:09
Haney discusses how she starts to learn about
Lawson’s practices.
All these things are ways that Barbara’s program
seems to be really touching people...very deeply. And I think it's really positive and really exciting.
NAT SOUND
[Clip0035_7.26 Karen H]
04:17:41:11
The sensory garden contains all the elements that
Haney applies for teaching and healing practices. VO Haney
[Clip0003_7.26 Karen H]
03:05:54:18
Soundbite
[Clip0003_7.26 Karen H]
03:05:35:03
Welcome to the “Sensory Garden.”

24
Haney enters the sensory garden. VO Haney
[Clip0003_7.26 Karen H]
03:06:14:27
Soundbite
[Clip0008_7.26 Karen H]
03:21:43:02
Haney rubs the seeds of milkweed and feels the
texture with her fingers.
When I come into this sensory garden space, I am
thinking about all the ways that we can engage our
senses in the garden space.
VO Haney
[Clip0003_7.26 Karen H]
03:07:04:00
Soundbite
[Clip0008_7.26 Karen H]
03:23:59:06
Haney picks a piece of Peru Oregano and feels
the smell of it with her eyes closed.
I'm always thinking about how we can engage
people to enjoy the plants and have this people- plants connection and interaction.
VO Haney
Continue sequence from above
[Clip0008_7.26 Karen H]
The interaction with the plant actually affects our
nervous system. The smell from a plant or the
visual experience of seeing the plant -- that
experience that goes to our nervous system can help

25
03:22:42:17
Haney admires the sunflower. She pets the
sunflower head and feels the texture of the leaves. She also finds a squirrel on the sunflower.
lower our blood pressure and can help to lower our
experience of stress, as shown by decreased cortisol
levels and other biological or physiological
markers. VO Haney
[Clip0012_7.26 Karen H]]
03:45:43:29
Soundbite
Continue sequence from above
There have been other studies that have been done, especially coming out of south Korea and China
studies about interacting with the soil. There may
be interactions with microorganisms in the soil that
helped to boost some of our nerve transmitters so
that the chemicals that make us happy, right? Like
serotonin. Physiologically, we feel better. And then
when we feel better physiologically, we can feel
better emotionally. SOT Haney On-camera
[Clip0007_7.26 Karen H]
03:21:14:12
Haney stands by the sunflower and talks about
how it helps deal with adversity.
But the squirrel is the bad guy that nibbles on the
sunflower seeds, but we can share, we can learn to
share in adversity. We can use those experiences to
explore how we deal with disappointments and
adversity. NAT SOUND
[Clip0005_7.26 Karen H]

26
03:18:45:07
The squirrel sneaks into the sunflower grove and
jumps above Haney’s head. Text Card
Faithful Central Bible Church invited Lawson to
help their struggling members of the
congregation. Text Card
“Some of them just lost their beloved ones,” the
Director Tanae Eskridge said. NAT
[Clip0021_4.22 Oasis]
02:00:56:09
Establishing shot. The street sign reads “Florence,” marking the location. NAT SOUND
[Clip0019_4.22 Oasis]
01:59:22:20
One street away from Lawson’s Oasis truck, which is parked in the parking lot of the event
place. NAT SOUND
[Clip0022_4.22 Oasis]

27
02:01:16:24
The location sign reads “Faithful Central Bible
Church -- The Living Room.” NAT SOUND
[Clip0003_4.22 Oasis]
01:50:25:15
Lawson sets a yellow tablecloth on the table
beside Oasis truck. VO Lawson
[Clip0046_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:50:55:12
Soundbite
[Clip0005_4.22 Oasis]
01:50:57:14
Barbara places name cards of participants on the
table.
It was late 2020, and I had COVID, honestly. I was
on the Facebook Marketplace looking at all these
antiques that people are giving away for dirt cheap, and I saw a hauling truck.
NAT SOUND
[Clip0025_4.22 Oasis]
02:03:22:27
The sign on the truck reads “Meet Me in the
Dirt.” SOT Lawson On-camera
[Clip0046_4.6 Retreat footage]
It was old and busted, but something about it was
unique. And I don't know -- it wouldn't leave my

28
00:51:28:16
Lawson talks about how she was inspired from
the Facebook Marketplace during the COVID
time.
mind. So, I showed it to my husband and I was like: “Look at this!” And he's like: “what would you do
with that?” I was like -- instinctively I said: “I don't
know, something would meet me in the dirt.” I
don't know why that flew out of my mouth. VO Barbara Lawson
[Clip0008_4.22 Oasis]
01:53:33:08
Barbara boards the Oasis
[Clip0010_4.22 Oasis]
01:53:54:09
Barbara arranges plants to prepare for the
upcoming meditation activity
Within a month, I had found the oasis. She was in
Texas, and I'm from Texas, so I was like: “That’s a
sign!” Without the full picture, I bought her on December
26. She was like a Christmas gift to myself. It is such a beautiful refuge. It is the first or the
second introduction to “Meet Me in the Dirt” that
people experience. SOT Lawson talks to her plants. Continue the sequence above. Say “Grow!” NAT SOUND
[Clip0014_4.22 Oasis]
01:57:30:17
Lawson arranges plants and walks to the back of
the truck.

29
VO Lawson
[Clip0046_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:58:04:01
Soundbite
[Clip0013_4.22 Oasis]
01:57:12:17
Barbara decorates the back of the Oasis
In April of 2021, the world was about to open up
again. We were in the open air. People would bring
their masks, they would bring their chairs, and they
would sit outside and enjoy.
VO Lawson
[Clip0046_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:58:26:17
Soundbite
[Clip0015_4.22 Oasis]
01:57:45:02
The sign inside the bus -- “Oasis” and “GROW”
But I would be driving around, just noticing how
different the world was, understanding that fully I
could bring joy and peace whenever I would touch
down and decorate the Oasis.
NAT SOUND
[Clip0049_4.6 Retreat footage]
01:08:09:10
The photo of Barbara with the Oasis. NAT SOUND
[Clip0017_4.22 Oasis]
01:58:11:21

30
Lawson walks outside the Oasis. (Long Shot)
NAT SOUND
[Clip0018_4.22 Oasis]
01:58:25:12
Axial jump cut -- Big long shot of the Oasis and
Lawson. SOT Tanae Eskridge
Youth Program Director of faith Central Bible
Church
[Clip0026_4.22 Oasis]
02:03:29:12
Participants get ready for the soil meditation
experience.
Alright, everyone in the mentorship, good morning!
SOT Lawson
[Clip0029_4.22 Oasis]
02:04:55:14
Lawson explains her requirements to the kids in
the mentorship.
Talk in a little bit later, but in the beginning, we
won’t be talking at all. I’ll guide you through the
meditation. VO Lawson
[Clip0041-vocals]
00:00:12:17
Lawson leads the meditation, gives the instruction
of body movements.
With your hands hanging to your side, your arms
hanging down, allow that color to wash down your
arms towards your elbows, beautiful warmth and
color, coming towards your elbows.

31
[Clip0029_4.22 Oasis]
02:04:55:14
Mentees' mothers gather soil toward themselves. SOT Lawson
[Clip0041_4.22 Oasis]
02:14:17:09
Lawson shows how to do the “body scan” during
the meditation.
When you have done that, now I want you to put
your hands right back in the soil. Your fingers
should be tingling now. Because you have had your
arms to your side. Your fingers are absolutely
tingling. VO Lawson
[Clip0041-vocals]
00:00:47:19
Soundbite
[Clip0042_4.22 Oasis]
02:14:49:21
A mentee’s mother grabs the soil, feels the
texture within it.
You are doing great; you are doing great.
VO Lawson
[Clip0042-vocals]
00:00:25:05
With your eyes closed, I want you to feel within the
soil. As you're moving on between your fingers, you should be able to define different textures

32
Soundbite
[Clip0047_4.22 Oasis]
02:18:33:25
Another mother feels the soil with her hands
intently.
inside the soil.
VO Lawson
[Clip0047-vocals]
00:00:00:00
Soundbite
Continue sequences above.
You are smelling and touching with your hand. You're inviting yourself into the healing experience
naturally. Right?
VO Lawson
[Clip0047-vocals]
00:00:17:24
Soundbite
[Clip0055_4.22 Oasis]
02:22:50:01
Lawson leads kids and their mothers to get into
the “Oasis” and find the plant that represents
themselves.
And so we are taking our time right now. Into the
Oasis, find your new plant baby, they are
representing yourself, and then you are gonna exit
out from the back.

33
SOT -- Conversations between Lawson and
participants
[Clip0058_4.22 Oasis]
02:24:08:20
Lawson, the mentor of the church, and a mother
are discussing tips for raising a prayer plant.
- We’re gonna work it out this time, okay? Some of
your cousins passed and went on to the plant
heaven. But we, me and you, are gonna work it out
today. - Barbara, you’re going to give her some tips on
how to keep her prayer plant, right?
- Humidity. They must have humidity. - I’ll put her in the bathroom. - Okay, we are good, so let’s run onto this next…
SOT Lawson
[Clip0060_4.22 Oasis]
02:28:05:03
Lawson raises a question of “Any specific
reasons why they chose their plants?” The mentor
from the church answers the question.
- Did anybody have a specific reason why they
picked one up? The idea they want to share? OK, Ms. Tanae?
- I heard you call it the prayer plant. And it needs to
be in the moisture. And I do most of my time I got
in the bathroom. So I love the idea of having
someone always praying for me in the place that I
get most emotional, most negative, and most
vulnerable, so... (It is) the praying without ceasing!
SOT Lawson
[Clip0064_4.22 Oasis]
This baby is an IVY, I-V-Y. It’s not poisoned I promise.

34
02:30:20:09
Lawson introduces her plant -- ivy. NAT SOUND
[Clip0065_4.22 Oasis]
02:30:51:00
Mothers fill their planters with the soil on their
table. VO Lawson
[Clip0066-vocals]
00:00:19:07
Soundbite. Lawson is inspiring mindful thoughts
while participants are moving their plants into
larger planters.
[Clip0066_4.22 Oasis]
02:31:38:18
Mothers squeeze the potted planter to move the
plant and soil out.
As you are turning it in your hands, I want you to
start squeezing a little bit. This represents the way that life will do you. This
represents those things happening that are out of
our control. You are in that spot and safe. You are
in your life and your home. Your school is safe, but
there will be things that are happening outside -- in
your life, that will cause you to be disrupted. Things will shift the way you normally do things in
life. There you go. And allow the soil just spilt. That’s from the old place, and remember, you have
brand new soil. All of those newies will come in
this new pot -- this new opportunity to grow. SOT Lawson
[Clip0067-vocals]
Remember, when you put yourself in the space and
you had to add in soil all around you to steady you,

35
00:03:10:18
Soundbite
[Clip0067_4.22 Oasis]
02:37:19:00
Lawson leads people to click the planter on the
table to remove air bubbles from the soil.
the thing that can happen when you get to a new
place in life is that you can be unsteady still, you
can be afraid of what's coming. The way to steady
yourself and to fight those fears is to get the air
bubbles out. And so, be gentle, but tap your planter
on the table. This means just standing on business
like this. NAT SOUND
[Clip0067_4.22 Oasis]
02:38:06:01
Mothers click their planters on the table. VO Lawson
[Clip0067-vocals]
00:04:15:22
Soundbite. Lawson leads participants to write
their journals of this event.
[Clip0069_4.22 Oasis]
02:39:30:03
Mothers write their journals during the mindful
experience.
I chose myself. Nobody gave you a plant. You
would choose yourself. I chose myself. I tried
something new. And then you can say: “No more
fear.”

36
[Clip70_4.22 Oasis]
02:39:55:04
A page of a journal. (Close up)
VO Lawson
[Clip0071_vocals]
Soundbite
[Clip0071_4.22 Oasis]
02:41:58:16
Mothers looking at their plants in the new
planters
While you are putting your fertilizer into your
plant, I want you to turn your planter around and
while be looking at yourself that are in the new
place. Could you ever go back to that old place
now? That small pot? Do you want to? No. Why
don’t you wanna go back to that small place?
Bigger things ahead! That’s right, baby! Bigger
things ahead! And because you are there. You
know what’s possible, right?
NAT SOUND
[Clip0049_4.22 Oasis]
02:20:07:12
The mentor hugs her crying mentee. NAT SOUND
[Clip0087_4.22 Oasis]
02:58:23:13
A basket of plastic monarch butterflies hangs on
the door of “Oasis.” (Close up)

37
NAT SOUND
[Clip0075_4.22 Oasis]
02:45:35:14
Lawson’s employee gives away plastic butterflies
to participants to place in their plants' branches. NAT SOUND
[Clip0078_4.22 Oasis]
02:46:59:28
Close up -- planters with butterflies
SOT Kids and mothers finish and cheer. [Clip0082_4.22 Oasis]
02:49:19:21
Victory!
NAT SOUND
[Clip0094_4.22 Oasis]
03:01:08:05
Lawson gets back into the “Oasis” after finishing
everything, closes the door, gets ready to drive
back. NAT SOUND
[Clip0097_4.22 Oasis]
03:02:15:11
The Oasis drives away. NAT SOUND

38
[Clip0080_4.22 Oasis]
02:49:08:21
The finished plant, butterfly, and journal remain
on the table. NAT SOUND
[Clip0033_7.26 Karen H]
04:16:59:27
A monarch butterfly in Haney’s garden. NAT SOUND
[IMG_2065_7.26 Karen H]
00:00:00:00
Another monarch butterfly in Haney’s garden. VO Lawson
[Clip0059_4.6 Retreat footage]
01:45:04:16
The plastic monarch butterfly in Lawson’s “Meet
Me in the Dirt.”
The butterfly...the butterfly is always here.
VO Lawson
[Clip0043_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:45:29:12
Soundbite
[Clip0044_3.22 Retreat footage]
I always give monarch butterflies to people because
when I built my healing garden, the very last day
really let me know that my heart had been healed, and that I had reconnected not only with myself, but
with my mother -- the butterflies that I had begun to
raise the very first two eclosion on my mother's

39
00:49:01:17
Barbara puts a bag of butterflies out and places
one on the plant.
birthday.
VO Lawson
Continue sequence from above. SOT Lawson On-camera
[Clip0043_3.22 Retreat footage]
00:46:06:26
Lawson talks about the meaning that the monarch
butterfly represents for her.
I need no other reason to know that my faith was
being restored, my heart had been healed, and I was
actually being heard at that specific moment that I
needed it. And so this butterfly, I give to all the
people who come for “Meet Me in the Dirt
experiences” because this butterfly represents the
full journey of a thing, the full experience of a
person's life. And so, this butterfly is just the
evolved version of the egg, of the caterpillar, of the
chrysalis, and then the butterfly. There would be no
butterfly without all those different lives. VO Haney
[Clip0012_7.26 Karen H]
04:05:10:24
Soundbite
Continue the sequence above. SOT Haney On-camera
And so we can use plants to impact people. It
doesn't matter their ability to access a green space
in an urban environment. Being inside with hands in the dirt, touching plant
roots, and exploring the senses with plants -- it can
be as impactful and sometimes more impactful
because people are more comfortable.

40
[Clip0012_7.26 Karen H]
04:05:20:15
NAT SOUND
[Clip0050_3.22 Retreat footage]
09:47:35:03
Title recall -- the plastic monarch butterfly is
placed on the ivy’s leaves. VO Lawson
[Clip0046_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:56:58:20
Soundbite.
[Clip0052_4.6 Retreat footage]
01:20:55:06
Lawson carries a load of notebooks and places
them on the desk, looking for the one that makes
her decide to create this retreat garden.
[Clip0062_4.6 Retreatt footage]
01:46:43:02
Lawson reads her journal and recalls her sweet
past days.
And now I am flying!
And this isn't even the end, which is so beautiful
and so true. Butterflies -- they will land for a
minute, and then they leave. We will continue to
evolve just like the caterpillars evolve. I, and “Meet
Me in the Dirt” will evolve and become a fuller
version of itself.

41
VO Lawson
[Clip0019_3.22 Retreat footage]
09:13:25:13
Soundbite
[Clip0056_3.22 Retreat footage]
01:43:12:00
Lawson reads her journal in notebooks, recalling
her memories. (Rack Focus Shot)
[Clip0054_4.6 Retreat footage]
01:42:44:04
A plastic monarch butterfly is placed in the
setting of the retreat garden.
[Clip0060_3.22 Retreat footage]
01:45:17:25
Another plastic monarch butterfly is stuck on the
wall.
Again, from grief -- the loss of my mother, and my
father, and two brothers, I have experienced a lot of
loss in life. It's not just about the loss of life, but it’s
just transition. My children were getting older. I
was changing as a woman. It was just a lot of
change and the ability to evolve.
VO Lawson
[Clip0043_4.6 Retreat footage]
This, butterfly will always change. They will
always leave. They don't stay put very long.

42
00:46:47:12
Soundbite.
[Clip0079_4.22 Oasis]
02:48:13:04
Butterflies are placed in the planter during the
Oasis meditation event.
[Clip0080_4.22 Oasis]
Another butterfly is also placed in the planter
during the outdoor meditation. VO Lawson
[Clip0043_4.6 Retreat footage]
00:46:53:14
Soundbite. [Clip0041_3.22 Retreat footage]
00:44:48:20
Lawson stands by her mother’s old picture and
her current picture. (Rack Focus Shot)
And they remind us to keep moving
Text Card:
In honor of those experiencing the grief of loss.

43
References
American Horticultural Therapy Assoication (AHTA). (2020). Retrieved from
https://www.ahta.org/ahta-definitions-and-positions and https://ahta.memberclicks.net/about
Davis, S. (1998). Development of Profession of Horticultural Therapy. Horticulture as Therapy:
Principles and Practice, 3-20. Harvard Health Publishing. (2023). 5 stages of grief: Coping with the loss of a loved one. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/5-stages-of-grief- coping-with-the-loss-of-a-loved-one
Kaplan, R. & Kaplan, S. (1989)TheExperience ofNature: A Psychological Perspective. Cambridge
University Press. Machado, M. M. & Swank, J. M. (2019) Therapeutic gardening: A counseling approach for
bereavement from suicide. Deah Studies, 43(10), 629-633. Nurlila, R. U. & Fua, J. L. (2022). Horticultural Therapy Reduces Stress in Elderly Grieving in the
Muna Islands, Indonesia. Indonesian Journal of Health Scriences Research and Development
(IJHSRD), 4(1), 21-25. Sarton, M. (2014). Plant Dreaming Deep: A Journal. New York: Open Road Integrated Media, Inc. Scheffler, S. (2013). “The Afterlife.” The Tanner Lectures on Human Values, 32, 131-181. Salt Lake
City: University of Utah Press. Stowell, D. R., Fly, J. M., Klingeman, W. E., Beyl, C. A., Wozencroft, A. J., Airhart, D. L., &
Snodgrass, P. J. (2021). Current State of the Horticultural Therapy Profession in the United
States. HortTechnology, 31(4), 330-338. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH04792-21
Tynan, A. (2022). Growing Grief: Cultivating Life After Death in the Garden. THANATOS, 11, 17-34. https://doi.org/10.57124/thanatos.125289

44
Ulrich, R. S. (2023). Stress reduction theory. 100 key concepts in environmental psychology, 143-146. Routledge. Wilson, E. O. (1984). Biophilia. Harvard University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvk12s6h

Asset Metadata

Creator Ren, Xinyi (author)

Core Title Meet me in the dirt: a gardener's odyssey of healing and being healed

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

School Annenberg School for Communication

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Specialized Journalism

Degree Conferral Date 2025-05

Publication Date 05/19/2025

Publisher University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag bereavement,depression,Grief,Grief Interventions,OAI-PMH Harvest,short documentary,therapeutic horticulture

Format theses (aat)

Language English

Advisor Birman, Daniel (committee chair), Turner, Myra (committee member), Pierce, Barbara (committee member)

Creator Email xinyir@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-oUC11399KHNB

Unique identifier UC11399KHNB

Legacy Identifier etd-Ren-33859-47615

Document Type Thesis

Format theses (aat)

Rights Ren, Xinyi

Internet Media Type application/pdf

Type texts

Source 202505w04-usctheses (batch), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection), University of Southern California (contributing entity)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the author, as the original true and official version of the work, but does not grant the reader permission to use the work if the desired use is covered by copyright. It is the author, as rights holder, who must provide use permission if such use is covered by copyright.

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA

Repository Email uscdl@usc.edu

Abstract (if available)

Abstract In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the role of nature-based interventions in enhancing mental well-being. According to a study of the current state of horticultural therapy professions in 2020, the West region contributed the largest registered number of American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA) memberships. However, compared with other fields associated with allied health, such as art therapy, music therapy, recreational therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, the number of horticultural therapists is relatively limited in the US. A study in 2021 showed that the number of registered members in AHTA was only a quarter of that of recreational therapists, even though its professional organization is eleven years older. The lack of studies on practitioners of nature-based therapeutic methods is also significant.

This short documentary centers on Barbara Lawson, a therapeutic horticulture practitioner in California, exploring her personal journey of coping with bereavement while helping others. Through semi-structured interviews, the work captures her nuanced emotional experiences of the character, offering an intimate narrative that highlights the dual healing processes facilitated by nature. In addition to showing how creative therapeutic horticulture can be, the work aims to shed light on the reciprocal relationship between therapeutic practice and personal emotional recovery within the natural environment.