A Bunker Garden: Mindfulness-Based Landscape Design to Restore Physicians from Burnout

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dc.contributor.authorPhilen, Melissaen
dc.contributor.committeechairMiller, Patrick A.en
dc.contributor.committeememberIshida, Akien
dc.contributor.committeememberBohannon, C. L.en
dc.contributor.departmentLandscape Architectureen
dc.date.accessioned2017-11-04T08:00:16Zen
dc.date.available2017-11-04T08:00:16Zen
dc.date.issued2017-11-03en
dc.description.abstractLandscape architects design healing gardens at healthcare facilities to support patients, visitors, caregivers, and staff. Many acknowledge that medical staff regularly visit healing gardens to escape work-related stress (Marcus and Sachs, 2014). Rarely, however, are healing gardens on medical campuses designed specifically to support physicians' well-being. There is a void in healing garden design theory. Reports on the prevalence of physician burnout, warn of a widespread crisis and dismal reality within the medical community (T. D. Shanafelt et al., 2015). Researchers pronounce an urgent need for evidence-based interventions, which address individual contributing factors to burnout (Christina Maslach, Jackson, and Leiter, 1986). By investigating the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program, an evidence-based therapy, clinically proven to cultivate emotional healing, for physicians suffering burnout, this research reveals how a therapeutic garden could meld mindfulness-based practices with environmental theory; healing garden design precedents; and healthcare design typologies. Finally, mindfulness-based landscape design guidelines describe how a private, restorative, healing garden could help maintain physicians' well-being and rehabilitate physicians experiencing burnout due to emotional exhaustion within the workplace.en
dc.description.abstractgeneralHealing gardens have been proven successful as a therapeutic approach to reduce emotional distress. This thesis argues that therapeutic gardens, designed for medical facilities, are not suitable for physicians struggling with burnout. This research seeks to understand how a private healing garden in a medical setting could help build and maintain physicians’ emotional resilience while rehabilitating physicians experiencing burnout. Through an in-depth review of therapeutic garden design theory and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) therapy, this research highlights the shared values between the two methods used to alleviate emotional distress. Characteristics of physicians’ emotional exhaustion, social isolation, and workplace environment are teased out and organized for design intent. Elements of mindfulness-based therapy are related to existing healing garden design programs. Relationships found enhance healing garden design theory and serve as guidelines for Mindfulness-Based Landscape Design specifically for physicians in healthcare settings. Correlations between design and wellness also address the need for landscape architects who contribute to a dynamic, active, and participatory design process.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Landscape Architectureen
dc.format.mediumETDen
dc.identifier.othervt_gsexam:12729en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/79971en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjecthealing gardenen
dc.subjecttherapeutic landscapeen
dc.subjectrestorationen
dc.subjectnatureen
dc.subjecthealthcareen
dc.subjectphysiciansen
dc.subjectstressen
dc.subjectburnouten
dc.subjectmindfulnessen
dc.subjectMindfulness-Based Stress Reductionen
dc.titleA Bunker Garden: Mindfulness-Based Landscape Design to Restore Physicians from Burnouten
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineLandscape Architectureen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Landscape Architectureen

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