Ecosystem for Mental Health
1. Opening (5–10 min)
Welcome group with energy and curiosity. "Today, we’re going to step into the role of gardeners, but instead of flowers or veggies, we’re growing mental health gardens."
Light activity: have clients close their eyes and imagine their personal garden.
Prompts:
What’s growing there? Wildflowers, sturdy trees, maybe even cacti?
Is the garden thriving or overgrown? Dry or flooded?
Are there any creatures living in it, helpful bees or pesky weeds?
Invite group members to share a quick description of their imagined garden to shift creative tone.
Transition: "Just like real ecosystems, our mental health depends on a balance of elements. Let’s explore what helps us grow and what might be choking our roots."
2. Psychoeducation & Ecosystem Exploration (10–15 min)
Break down ecosystem (nutritional food, daily experiences, values)
Soil = our foundation (childhood, core beliefs)
Sunlight = hope, meaning, motivation
Water = support systems, nourishment
Pests/storms = external stressors or triggers
Emphasise how trauma can impact the soil of our garden, sometimes weakening it or requiring extra tending. Trauma may also change how we take in water or sunlight (support or hope).
3. Individual Reflection (10–15 min)
Ask clients to reflect and identify, in their own life:
What parts of their “soil” has trauma impacted?
What are their sources of water, sunlight, and nourishment?
What weeds/pests interfere with growth?
What would healing or replanting look like?
4. Group Sharing (15–20 min)
Invite group members to share any parts of their garden they feel comfortable discussing.
How has trauma shaped their ecosystem?
What have they done to re-nourish the soil, or pull out weeds?
What’s something they want to grow more intentionally?
5. Integration & Closing (5–10 min)
Discuss what small steps they can take to tend their garden this week—especially in response to trauma’s impact.
Closing prompt: “What part of your garden will you nourish or protect this week?”
Optional: Follow-up journaling on how their internal ecosystem is evolving and what resilience looks like in their garden.