The garden is often seen as a refuge, a place to forget worldly cares, removed from the “real” life that lies outside, but, when we get our hands in the earth we connect with the cycle of life in nature through which destruction and decay are followed by regrowth and renewal. Psychiatrist Sue Stuart-Smith, author of The Well-gardened Mind, will discuss how gardening can answer deep existential needs. She will present recent research showing that connecting to nature alleviates symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression. Her talk also will include insights and perspective gained from: experiencing her grandfather’s gardening after he returned from World War I; reflecting on Sigmund Freud’s obsession with flowers; and interviewing people engaged in gardening projects in prisons, hospitals, and in the community.
Sue Stuart-Smith, MD, a prominent psychiatrist and psychotherapist, graduated in English literature at Cambridge University before going on to train as a doctor. She worked in the National Health Service for many years, becoming the lead clinician for psychotherapy in Hertfordshire. She currently teaches at The Tavistock Clinic in London and works for DocHealth, a not-for-profit service that helps doctors suffering from stress and burnout. She is married to Tom Stuart-Smith, the celebrated garden designer, and, over thirty years together, they have created the wonderful Barn Garden in Hertfordshire. Her book, The Well-Gardened Mind, was published in 2020 and became a Sunday Times bestseller and a Times and Sunday Times book of the year. It has since been translated into fifteen languages.