“Perhaps something of beauty can grow:” experiences of care farming for grief

Kara Thieleman, Joanne Cacciatore, Richard Gorman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Care farming has been used to alleviate distress and increase wellbeing in various populations. This study provides an overview of how bereaved adults (N = 115) experienced a grief-specific care farm through a content analysis of open-ended survey questions. The care farm’s nature spaces and interactions with animals emerged as important components of the experience, interacting with grief-related activities and experiences. Together, the spaces and species of the care farm provided a supportive context for integrating grief, processing emotions, and receiving compassionate support. Some participants also experienced changes in how they viewed their grief and improvements in interpersonal relationships.

Original languageEnglish (US)
JournalDeath Studies
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
  • Clinical Psychology

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