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Article Excerpt
Just about everyone agrees that there is something peaceful about the countryside. Being surrounded by long, verdant expanses away from the constant din of modern life offers a refreshing change of pace for folks used to cities, suburbs, and exurbs, and for some such tranquility perhaps even can be therapeutic.
That's the concept behind Hopewell, a therapeutic farming community in Northeast Ohio for adults with major mental illnesses. Located on more than 300 acres, Hopewell is in the heart of the area's Amish community, yet is only an hour's drive from downtown Cleveland. In addition to enjoying the calming surroundings, residents can have daily interactions with pigs, sheep, horses, cattle, and other animals, as well as work in flower and vegetable gardens. The ultimate goal is to give residents, many of whom have schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression, an opportunity to heal in a restful environment while learning the importance of work and community.
"Work is considered a key element to the recovery process for our model. People feel reward and return on their efforts in seeing a job well done,"says Richard R. Karges, LISW, ACSW, Hopewell's executive director since October 2007. "We see people really growing through the work experience."
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
The seed
Therapeutic farming communities have roots in the 18th century.
In 1792, Quaker merchant William Tuke founded a "retreat asylum" in Liverpool, England. The retreat was modeled after a simple family farm and focused on emotional and spiritual recovery instead...
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