While the primary benefits of STH are for the health and wellbeing of participants, there are also positive impacts on the environment from STH activities – these are considered to be a secondary benefit.
Conversely, activities primarily aimed at creating environmental gains will have secondary benefits for the health and wellbeing of the participants.
It is important that there is clarity about activities designed to have a priority focus on the health and wellbeing of the person and those where those are a secondary focus as achieving those benefits will be less certain.
The diagram below shows how the relationship focuses on the person, as linked to different levels of mental ill health in this model. As mental ill health is more acute, the focus on the person is increased.
- Where mental health is good, focus on environmental issues may be the appropriate tool to help someone connect with nature and develop positive behaviours to maintain good mental health.
- Environmental benefits are still achievable when supporting someone with severe or complex mental ill health, but the focus is on the wellbeing of the person through engaging in therapeutic horticultural activity.
