ASTT Healing Garden

The Healing Garden has awakened to spring. The clematis is sending up green tendrils, and the dogwood tree and camellia bush are full of buds. The highbush blueberry is leafing out, and the bulbs planted by clients and garden friends in the fall are ready to burst into flower.

Our garden was designed as a place for reflection and renewal—an outdoor extension of the “safe space” that Advocates for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (ASTT) provides for its clients. As one of the only internationally-accredited centers for the treatment of torture survivors in the region, ASTT offers holistic case management and therapeutic services, free of charge, for those coping with the effects of trauma, displacement, and isolation. During the celebration that marked the opening of the Healing Garden last May, one client spoke of the “inner peace” that its beauty inspires. Here, clients can enjoy the fragrant flowers, gather herbs, sit and talk on the patio, or relax on the TKF-donated bench and listen to birdsong and the plashing of the water-source. Many take part in regular garden activities, including planting days, weeding, and watering.

We welcomed spring this year with a special activity: the assembly of a tree mosaic that will decorate the brick wall at the back of the garden. The project was conceived by an ASTT volunteer and ceramic artist who worked with clients on the initial design and glazing stages. For the next step of the process, we had the help of several students from Baltimore’s Waldorf School as part of a “service learning” activity in international studies. Working side-by-side with clients, the students showed energy and enthusiasm as they helped piece together hundreds of vari-colored pieces: branches, birds, fruits, and flowers. Bit by bit, the tree took shape—a product of many hands, like the garden itself.

“The design is very beautiful,” said one client who took part. “It will make the garden even more lovely,” said another. The experience was enriching all around. The clients enjoyed the collaboration, and the students’ involvement helped them gain a deeper understanding of the existence of torture and the challenges that survivors face. “Just because it happens on the other side of the Atlantic doesn’t mean it isn’t our responsibility,” noted their teacher, Alejandra Lorenzo-Chang. One of the students felt the deep value of the garden to clients: “I think it’s important for people to come together in such a place and enjoy themselves.” Another appreciated the opportunity to learn about ASTT’s work from Executive Director Karen Hanscom, who provided an overview of the center’s activities to the group at the start of their visit. All in all, it was a wonderful way to start a new season of sharing and growth.