Med naturen som resurs. Om trädgårdsdiakoni i Svenska kyrkan

Abstract

This thesis will investigate the Church of Sweden´s use of gardens for stress rehabilitation. To help understanding how and why gardens are used for that purpose in a church setting, interviews have been made with people in charge of the activities of the therapeutic gardens in three parishes. Research regarding therapeutic gardens, the role of nature in coping and regarding the Church of Sweden as a welfare provider are part of the understanding of the use of gardens investigated here. The thesis is aiming to find out if there is anything to gain from using gardens in this manner. The result shows that there could be some risks involved, mainly regarding the church as a welfare provider, but predominantly the thesis confirms that there is a lot to gain. Using the therapeutic gardens enables the Church of Sweden to find new ways to operate, in keeping with guidelines regarding diaconal work, drawn by the Church of Sweden.