I have been working very hard with Jayan Landry, the CEO and Executive Director of the Trauma Intervention Program of the Merrimack Valley, to come up with an appropriate place in Methuen to create a Healing Garden. Jayan has provided the visioning for such a garden, and I mentioned its potential in my state of the city address. We have identified what we all think would be a great site, the Henry P. Schruender Memorial Park in east Methuen. We are prepared to move forward with this site, and Jayan has not only created the vision but done some extensive fundraising in support of this vision. She was good enough to write the below piece for my blog. Congrats to Jayan and the T.I.P. program, and thanks to City Council Chair Deb Quinn, who has been a big supporter. Read the Tribune story here.

The Trauma Intervention Program of Merrimack Valley, Inc. (TIP) is a group of 28 specially trained citizen volunteers who are called by police officers, fire fighters and hospital personnel to provide emotional and practical support to child and adult victims of traumatic events in the first few hours following a tragedy. After 16 years of providing support to over 16,000 citizens we have been inspired to create a community healing garden by former TIP volunteer Brenda Waller. Brenda, lost her ten year battle with breast cancer in Nov. 2006 and since then for the past two years, our team spearheaded by Brenda’s daughter, TIP volunteer, Lindsay Waller and Dennis Larocque who has helped us raise $20,000 during fundraising walks in Brenda’s honor for our TIP healing garden.

The belief that plants and gardens are beneficial for patients in healthcare environments is more than one thousand years old, and appears prominently in Asian and Western cultures (Ulrich and Parsons, 1992).

Several studies of nonpatient groups (such as university students) as well as patients have consistently shown that simply looking at environments dominated by greenery, flowers, or water — as compared to built scenes lacking nature (rooms, buildings, towns) — is significantly more effective in promoting recovery or restoration
from stress. (See Ulrich, 1999, for a survey of studies.) There is considerable evidence that restorative effects of nature scenes are manifested within only three to five minutes as a combination of psychological/emotional
and physiological changes.

“The therapeutic value of a quiet, meditative environment for individuals affected by a trauma or illness is widely recognized,” says Bruce Chabner, MD, clinical director of the Cancer Center at MGH. Among many health related benefits, recent studies show patients who view nature require less pain medication than those viewing concrete.
Hospitals in New England are catching up with the West Coast by incorporating Healing Gardens. The Ulfelder Healing Garden at MGH was the prototype for our design. Our ideal garden location will be outside, have a water source such as a flowing river, and will be filled with trees, birds and be in a quiet location. Our design team will work with nature to offer healing to all citizens in our community.

TIP volunteer Karen Fountain-Lantelme, a certified healthcare landscape design states: “There has been much study and research that show the many benefits of healing gardens which reduce stress and blood pressure while offering social connectedness through bonding and stewardship. Elevated moods, decreasing muscle tension, improved cardiac activity and overall improvement in one’s emotional and physical well-being are but a few of the many benefits of a therapeutic landscape.

The opportunity to create a TIP healing garden in honor of Brenda Waller will offer the community a valuable resource and an important complement to the excellent on scene TIP service our team provides.

TIP is a non profit Massachusetts 501c3 based in Methuen. To donate to the healing garden or for more information, visit the TIP website at www.traumaintervention.org. Or contact us at TIP, 167 East Street, Methuen, MA 01844, 978.975.8471. Fax 978.975.4321.

Jayan Marie Landry MS, APRN, Doctoral Candidate
CEO/Executive Director/ CoFounder Trauma Intervention Program of Merrimack Valley, Inc.
Trauma Intervention Program of Merrimack Valley Provides Support for Adults and Children
Source: http://www.traumainterventi…
Trauma Intervention Program of Merrimack provides emergency emotional first aid to traumatized children and adults. Books for children cope with grief, hope, recovery after a suicides, or inappropriate sexual touching are available