Participants in St. Coletta’s of Illinois’ Behavioral Health Clinic and Community Day Services programs are discovering the rewards of gardening through a new hands-on group focused on wellness, mindfulness and independent living skills.

The project was initiated by Clinical Therapist David Saavedra, who saw potential in an underutilized greenhouse near the building’s front entrance, just outside the workshop floor.

“I wanted to create something that would get the participants outside, engaged and working together toward a common goal,” Saavedra said. “Gardening is very hands-on, and it gives them a chance to learn while doing something calming and rewarding.”

Participants selected the vegetables they wanted to grow and are learning how to make seed pods, water and care for the plants throughout the growing process. The vegetables will eventually be transplanted from the greenhouse into a nearby garden bed prepared specifically for the project.

Along the way, participants will also learn about nutrition, healthy eating and meals that can be made using the vegetables they grow themselves.

“They’ll talk about the health benefits of different vegetables and how they can be used in meals,” said Clinical Manager Jessica Meyer Dodoer. “It’s not just about planting seeds. It’s about understanding the whole journey — from caring for the plants to harvesting them and seeing what they can become.”

The gardening group also teaches patience and delayed gratification, lessons Saavedra reinforces regularly while working with participants.

“I tell them all the time, ‘You’ve got to be patient. It’s not going to happen overnight. It’s a process,’” he said. “That’s an important lesson for all of us. You put in the work every day, and eventually you get to see the results.”

According to Saavedra, participants immediately embraced the project.

“A lot of them were really excited,” he said. “They were eager to pick out what they wanted to grow and start planting. You could tell they felt proud being part of something they could watch develop over time.”

Saavedra and Mental Health Professionals Agnes Heldak, Cailey Whittinghill, Indya Hudley and Richanne Matthews spent days preparing the greenhouse and outdoor garden beds for the group. During a program closure in late May, the team cleaned out the greenhouse, ordered supplies, pulled weeds and turned the soil so everything would be ready when participants returned.

“We really wanted the space to feel welcoming and ready for them,” Saavedra said. “Once they came back and saw everything set up, they were excited to jump right in.”

Behavioral Health Supervisor Danielle Goga said the gardening project supports many of the core goals of the Behavioral Health Clinic by encouraging mindfulness, responsibility and independence in a natural, engaging way.

“This project teaches independent living skills and mindfulness while also giving participants something meaningful to care for,” Goga said. “They have responsibilities like watering the plants and making sure they’re growing properly, and there’s a real sense of accomplishment that comes with seeing the progress they’ve made.”

As the seedlings begin to sprout and the greenhouse fills with greenery, the gardening group is already proving to be about much more than vegetables. For participants, it is an opportunity to connect with others, learn new skills and experience the reward of nurturing something from seed to harvest.

“I’m happy I get to do this. This is a good experience for me,” said Everett, a participant in the Community Day Services program, as he watered newly planted vegetable seeds alongside Richanne, including his own corn seed.

Later, Everett shared his excitement about what is to come.

“I love corn,” he said. “I could eat corn all day.”

Kevin, who chose cantaloupe seeds for the garden, said he is eager to see whether the fruit grows.

“I like the fruit,” he said. “I like eating cantaloupe.”