Work

The role of Hybrid Green Spaces in secure psychiatric care

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: • Hybrid green spaces were co-designed within a secure adolescent psychiatric unit • New framework to examine risk, space, and power in psychiatric therapeutic garden design • Nature-based care supported staff wellbeing and supported shared stewardship • Ecological elements shaped sensory, relational, and environmental dimensions of care • Ecological Collective Flourishing provides a conceptual lens for nature-integrated care Hybrid Green Spaces in psychiatric intensive care units offer a transformative approach to mental healthcare environments, addressing tensions between therapeutic intent and institutional control. Drawing on our CAMHS PICU case, we demonstrate how (co)produced biodiverse outdoor spaces can actively mediate challenges across risk management, spatial production, and power dynamics. These spaces foster relationships between human and ecological wellbeing, promoting what we call Ecological Collective Flourishing. By supporting staff wellbeing, creating moments of shared stewardship, and expanding therapeutic possibilities such interventions show that even highly controlled clinical settings can accommodate nature-based programmes safely and meaningfully. We argue that these hybrid spaces hold significant potential for broader application across psychiatric services, supporting patient-centred care goals, institutional resilience, and environmental sustainability. Our case challenges assumptions about what is possible in secure mental health settings, offering a replicable model for integrating nature-based approaches into psychiatric care without compromising safety protocols.

Source: Wellbeing Space and Society

DOI: 10.1016/j.wss.2026.100348