About the Presenters
Tanya Bearup – Social Worker/Horticultural Therapist (BSW, Assoc Dip Human Services, Cert III Hort)
Tanya Bearup is the founder of “My Garden Space,” a social and therapeutic gardening service based in Melbourne, Australia. Tanya is a social worker, with 25 years of experience across aged care, disability, youth, and family services and is also a qualified horticulturist. Tanya has combined her professions to provide engaging and purposeful, evidence-based therapeutic services for individuals and groups using gardening and outdoor nature-based activities. Tanya’s motto is gardening and creating nurturing green spaces “with” others. She is a member of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) and has been an active member of the national committee of Therapeutic Horticulture Australia (THA) since 2021.
As a passionate advocate for the benefits of therapeutic horticulture, Tanya has extensive experience facilitating programs for a broad range of participants, including those with dementia, mental health conditions, autism, and intellectual disabilities. She is a regular guest presenter at the CERES Introduction to Therapeutic Horticulture course and has spoken at numerous conferences both locally and internationally. Tanya is dedicated to sharing her knowledge and skills with others who are interested in incorporating therapeutic horticulture into their own practice.
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