wellness | Patrice's posts

Add Mindfulness to Your Garden Toolkit

September 5 2025October 7, 2025

Botanica, Gardening for the Mind, Body and Spirit

Stark County Master Gardener Volunteer Program, Saturday, September 27, 2025

Keynote: Life Lessons from the Garden for Mind, Body and Spirit. Discover how gardening nurtures not only flowers and food, but also a healthy, joyful life. Understand how the science of the brain, mindfulness and sensory experiences support overall wellness.

Handout: Life Lessons from the Garden for Mind, Body & Spirit Handout

PowerPoint: Gardening for Mind, Body, and Spirit Presentation

Additional Resources from presentation:

Short, mindfulness practice from the presentation: Three Things by Chris Bergstrom
National Wildlife Federation Sacred Grounds and Toledo Lucas County (TLC) Raingarden Initiative – what is a rain garden?
Ohio AgrAbility, geared towards farming but shares applicable tips for (smaller scale) gardening https://agrability.osu.edu/
- Farm Science Review (annual event in September) is one location to learn about and see AgrAbility concepts as well as a display house and garage on Universal Design concepts – in addition to examples of accessible raised garden beds.
- Gardening with a Physical Limitation Factsheet by Dee Jepsen
Blog – Life is a Journey. So is a Labyrinth. includes links to a variety of resources including:
- Printable Labyrinth from World Labyrinth Day, one example on page two of today’s handout
- World-wide Labyrinth Locator
Want to learn more about mindfulness practices and exercises? A Day of Mini Mindfulness Practices (blog with links to a variety of short practices) and Introduction to Mindfulness FactSheet by Patrice Powers-Barker

References from presentation:

In addition to the resources listed above, a few more references that were used for this presentation

Boggs, J. (2025). Our All-American Lotus. Buckeye Yard and Garden Online. https://bygl.osu.edu/index.php/node/2535

Community Gardens plant seeds for healthy nutrition, healthy life. (2024). Ohio Department of Health. https://odh.ohio.gov/media-center/feature-stories/march-is-national-nutrition-month

Eight Surprising health benefits of gardening. UNC Health Talk. (2020). https://healthtalk.unchealthcare.org/health-benefits-of-gardening/

Fisch, Verena. (2023). Beyond the human – Garden communities in community gardens. Social Work & Society. 21. https://ejournals.bib.uni-wuppertal.de/index.php/sws/article/view/840

Gries, A. (2021). The miracle of the lotus flower. https://awakeningshealth.com/2021/09/08/the-miracle-of-the-lotus-flower/

Smart Gardening: Integrated pest management in vegetable gardens, Michigan State University Extension, https://www.canr.msu.edu/home_gardening/uploads/files/IPMgarden-2020-web.pdf

Stanton, L. (2024). Seeking awe in nature. https://u.osu.edu/livehealthyosu/2024/05/15/seeking-awe-in-nature/

Wonder Woman Wednesday – Mindfulness

March 29 2022March 20, 2025

OSU Leadership Center and Community Development in Medina County Extension hosted Wednesday webinars during March 2022 with the theme of Wonder Woman Wednesday. This page shares the resources from the Wednesday, March 30^th session.

Sign up TODAY: Join the OSU Extension Live Healthy Live Well 6-week email challenge. The spring 2022 challenge focuses on the dimension of health and wellness. Look for your county here or sign up with the state option or with Patrice in Lucas County.

Want to learn more about your local Ohio State University Extension? Locate an office here: https://extension.osu.edu/lao

Looking for free mindfulness practices? Try the OSU Wexner Medical Center Mindfulness Practices https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/integrative-complementary-medicine/resources/mindfulness-practices

Considering an app for your mindfulness journey? https://osuhealthplan.com/sites/default/files/2020-09/meditation-apps.pdf

Please don’t delay in seeking additional care for mental wellness. If you have any questions please use:

Ohio CareLine https://mha.ohio.gov/get-help/get-help-now/ohio-careline. 24 hrs/day, 7 days/week: Call 1-800-720-9616.
SAMHSA’s National Helpline https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline. 24 hrs/day, 7 days/week: 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Also visit the online treatment locator, or send your zipcode via text message: 435748 (HELP4U) to find help near you.

Set Your Intention for the day 3-Minute Mindful Practice To Start Your Day (2016) by Hillary Wright at Mind Body Green

In week #4 of Wonder Women Wednesday on careers, the presenter shared the J Flowers Health Institute Wellness Wheel Worksheet https://2w5y7415e67d1ns5kb10c0n3-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/jflowershealth.com_wellness_wheel_worksheet-1.pdf

List of books related to mindfulness: https://u.osu.edu/powers-barker.1/2021/12/15/on-the-bookshelf-mindfulness/

Short 3 minute video: Why Mindfulness is a Superpower, narrated by Dan Harris, Animation by Katy Davis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6T02g5hnT4

Descriptions of mindfulness used in the presentation: surfing, puppy and leash, computer with too many tabs open, car in neutral, pause, space

Blog post Spilt Milk – To Cry or Not to Cry – Patrice’s mindfulness journey

OSU Extension, Educational Resources across the lifespan:

4H Superhero You project book https://extensionpubs.osu.edu/superhero-you/
4H 359 Your Thoughts Matter, Navigating Mental Health project book https://extensionpubs.osu.edu/your-thoughts-matter-navigating-mental-health/
Mindful Wellness, OSU Extension, Family and Consumer Sciences program https://go.osu.edu/mindfulwellness
Sign-up NOW! Live Healthy Live Well email challenge – 6 weeks, dimensions of wellness, free, open to any adult. https://livehealthyosu.com/tag/email-challenge/

If you have any additional questions or want to share about your mindfulness journey, please contact Patrice at powers-barker.1@osu.edu

References

Bishop, S.R., Lau, M., Shapiro, S., Carlson, L., Anderson, N.D., Carmody, J., Degal, Z.V., Abbey, S., Speca, M., Velting, D., & Devins, G. (2004) Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 11, 230-241.

Martin, W. (2009). The Parent’s Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents. Hachette Book Group. New York: NY

Powers-Barker, P., Carter, S., and Worthington, T. (2019). OSU Extension Publications. https://extensionpubs.osu.edu/mindful-wellness/

Why Mindfulness is a Superpower: An Animation (n.d.). Happify. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6T02g5hnT4

Wickham, J. (2015, February 16). Mindfulness and our mental health. Mayo Clinic Health System. Retrieved from http://mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/mindfulness-and-our-mental-health

OHCFR Members – You are Invited to a Calm Holiday Season

November 13 2018

Dear OHCFR members,

Every year, Ohio State University Extension’s, Live Healthy Live Well team offer 2 online email challenges focused on health and wellness. The challenges are most often promoted and coordinated through the local county extension office but the OHCFR board discussed the topic and wondered if it might not be of interest to OHCFR members? This year, the winter challenge focuses on stress and wellness. Two of OHCFR’s board members, Katie and Patrice are Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Educators and we have found a way to offer this free, online challenge statewide to OHCFR members. Also, OSU Extension targets this for those who live in Ohio but since it is an online challenge, it is open to any adult who is interested. So, if there are NCFR members reading this who are not in Ohio, feel free to sign up if you’re interested!

There are more details below including the sign-up. If you have any questions, please email Patrice Powers-Barker at powers-barker.1@osu.edu

Count CALM Down for the Holidays Challenge

For many, the holiday season is a busy, stressful time of the year, and it’s not uncommon for our health goals to take a backseat to the celebrations and obligations of the season. Do you want some tips and ideas to relax and enjoy the holidays in a healthful way this year? Join the Count CALM Down for the Holidays email wellness challenge for healthy living tips and encouragement to help you make you most of this holiday season.

When? November 19, 2018 – January 2, 2019

What does it cost? Nothing – Participation is Free!

Who can participate? Any adult with an email account

Includes? E-mail challenge messages sent 2 times per week, a health tracking log to help you make changes, and lots of encouraging tips!

Sign up for the OHCFR CALM Down for the Holidays challenge at: http://go.osu.edu/calmocfr18