Therapeutic Exercise: The Garden of Inner Strength

Hi all! I wanted to share a therapeutic exercise with you. I hope that it resonates with you and hoping that you are all well. Please share your thoughts with us here!

Therapeutic Exercise: The Garden of Inner Strength

Step 1: Visualise Your Garden (5 minutes)

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine that your mind and heart are a garden.
Think about how it looks today. Is it full of life, calm and green, or perhaps overgrown, dry or neglected?
There is no right or wrong way for your garden to appear. Simply notice what you see, how it feels, and what might need attention.

If you are doing this online, you can share one word that describes your garden in the chat.

Step 2: Identify Your Roots (10 minutes)

Your roots represent what keeps you grounded and helps you survive difficult times.
Ask yourself:

• What helps me stay steady when life feels uncertain?
  
  

• Who or what has supported me through challenges?
  
  

• Which values or beliefs give me strength?
  
  

Write down or share two or three of your strongest “roots.” These might be people, routines, skills, or inner qualities.

Step 3: Notice Your Weeds (10 minutes)

Every garden has weeds, and so do we. Weeds are the habits, thoughts, or relationships that drain our energy.
Reflect on the following:

• What tends to take up too much space in my mind?
  
  

• Which thoughts or behaviours stop me from growing or feeling calm?
  
  

You can write these down privately, or if you feel comfortable, share one “weed” you would like to manage more gently.

Step 4: Plant New Seeds (10 minutes)

Now think about what you would like to grow next in your garden.
Ask yourself:

• What do I want more of in my life?
  
  

• What small action could I take this week to nurture that growth?
  
  

Choose one small “seed” to plant — something realistic and kind to yourself. For example, “I will take five minutes to breathe before work,” or “I will reach out to a friend once this week.”

Step 5: Reflect and Share (optional)

• What did you discover about your “roots”?
  
  

• How does it feel to think of your wellbeing as a garden that needs care, rather than a problem to fix?
  

Just like a garden, your mental well-being needs patience, attention, and nourishment. You do not need to be in full bloom all the time. Growth happens quietly, often beneath the surface.

Photo by Zane Lee on Unsplash