Dorthe Varning Poulsen

Short presentation

Jeg forsker indenfor sammenhængen mellem naturen og menneskers fysiske, mentale og sociale sundhed. En del af forskningen foregår i terapihaven Nacadia, Hørsholm, som er en del af Københavns Universitet. Jeg interesserer mig for udvikling af  naturbaseret terapi og uderehabilitering til forskellige målgrupper, og dermed er den praksisnære forskning og formidling også en væsentlig prioritet for mig. Jeg er studieleder for masteruddannelsen i Landskab og Planlægning og har været med i udviklingen af den del, der omhandler naturbaseret terapi og sundhedsfremme.

Short presentation

I am a member of the interdisciplinary research-group Nature-Health & Design, which have focuses on research, development and teaching within evidence-based health design and nature-based treatment for various user- and target groups. Focus for my PhD in 2015 was nature-based therapy for soldiers with posttraumatic stress syndrome:”How war veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder experience nature-based therapy in a forest therapy garden”. The therapy programme took place in the therapy garden Nacadia.

In the period 2015-2018, in collaboration with my colleagues, I conducted a number of research projects with both a qualitative and quantitative approach. A significant proportion of my research experience lies within the qualitative field. From 2019-2021 I will be responsible for for planning and implementing Work Package 3 in project Move Green, which will examine the effect of rehabilitation in specially designed natural environments for older people at risk of falling and younger adults with spinal injuries. The project addresses the need for developing rehabilitation methods in natural environments within the area of rehabilitation, for example, at hospitals and municipal health centres.