Eating Disorders and Horticulture Therapy

Eating disorders are globally reaching levels never seen before. Whether this sharp increase is caused by social media, genetic factors, or sociocultural pressures, numbers are rising, and chances are you or somebody you know struggles with an eating disorder. Although treatment plans consisting of medications like fluoxetine that are used alongside therapy such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Family-Based Therapy (FBT) are commonplace, horticulture therapy is a lesser-known option of experiential therapy. Horticulture therapy, or "hortitherapy," is thought to greatly improve someone's relationship with food. Through guided, goal-oriented sessions with a qualified horticultural therapist, being involved with growing your own food from planting a seed to harvest and preparation, anxiety about food and what is in it is greatly reduced.

Horticultural therapy works particularly well for people struggling with eating disorders by helping to rebuild a healthier, more trusting relationship with food through hands-on experience. Many individuals with anorexia, EDNOS, bulimia, or binge-eating disorder struggle with intense fear or control issues around food. Gardening can help to reduce stress around food and instead of seeing food as an enemy or a source of anxiety, participants in hortitherapy watch it grow from seed to plate, greatly reducing discomfort around food.

The process begins with something small, planting a seed. There is no calorie counting, just soil, water, sunlight, and patience. As the plant grows, people start to reconnect with the natural cycle of nourishment. They watch as food comes from living things that need care, time, and respect, rather than from packages with nutrition labels. This gradual exposure can help to reduce discomfort around mealtimes. Harvesting and preparing the food they grew adds another layer, when someone picks fresh tomatoes or herbs they nurtured themselves, the food feels personal and safe. The anxiety that usually spikes around unknown ingredients is usually eased because they know exactly where the food came from and what went into it.

Many participants report feeling genuine pride and even excitement when cooking with their own produce, emotions that are often missing in their relationship with eating. Beyond the food itself, horticulture therapy offers gentle physical activity, routine, and a sense of purpose. Tending a garden requires consistent but manageable effort: watering, weeding, and observing changes, which can replace destructive rituals with healthy ones. Being outdoors in nature has also been shown to lower cortisol levels and improve mood, making it easier to manage the anxiety and depression that frequently co-occur with eating disorders.

Importantly, these sessions are guided by trained horticultural therapists who understand both mental health and gardening. They create structured yet supportive environments where mistakes (like overwatering or losing a plant) are treated as normal learning opportunities rather than failures. This helps challenge the all-or-nothing thinking common in eating disorders. In group settings, sharing the garden with others can reduce isolation and shame. Seeing peers struggle with the same fears while celebrating small successes together builds community and hope, something traditional talk therapy alone sometimes struggles to provide.