Melissa Bierman

  Contact Me
  Firesoul Directory

Melissa Bierman

Melissa Bierman is a registered Horticultural Therapist in Behavioral Health at Legacy Health in Portland, Oregon. She manages two ambulatory care sites that implement horticultural therapy programming for community wellness. She also manages the installation of raised community garden beds and a farmers market on the hospitals campus. 

Melissa has specialty and experience in therapeutic garden design training and programming, and conducting horticultural therapy in clinical settings. 


My Sacred Place

Unity Center for Behavioral Health Garden

As the first behavioral health center of its kind in the region, the Unity Center for Behavioral Health aims to become a national model for providing compassionate mental health care in times of crisis, without unnecessary waiting. Every element of the Unity Center was designed as a therapeutic environment to support hope, hospitality, recovery and resilience for behavioral health patients, including its Healing Garden, which offers a restorative setting for staff, patients, and families to recharge, exercise, and participate in activities.

Visit Site

Meet Another Firesoul

Steve Coleman

For Steve Coleman, his passion for nature and parks, and thus his identity as a Firesoul, has been ingrained in him since a very young age. Steve has a personal connection to both of his Sacred Places: he helped found groups to protect and maintain them as a kid over 50 years ago. At Washington...

View  

  Related Articles

View more  

Tom Corson

Read More   

New Report | Access to nature and the workplace

Read More   

New report shows financial impact of nature spaces in hospitals

Read More   

A passive site, an active community

Read More