Remembering Pain, Cultivating Hearts Together
Gijang County (Governor Jeong Jongbok) recently signed a work agreement with Daboksoul, an agricultural corporation located in Cheolma-myeon, and will officially launch a self-help group program for suicide survivors that combines therapeutic agriculture and reading.
Under this agreement, Daboksoul will provide the farmland and facilities needed for the program, while the county’s Mental Health and Welfare Center will plan and operate various programs to support the psychological recovery of participants.
Gijang County is operating a self-help group program for suicide survivors through therapeutic agriculture and reading. Photo by Gijang County
With this as a starting point, the two organizations agreed to work together to create a structure in which those who have experienced loss can rebuild their lives through nature and recover within a community setting.
The therapeutic agriculture program is held monthly, offering participants emotional stability through hands-on farming activities such as planting and cultivating crops. In particular, the process of preparing and sharing meals with the harvested produce provides an opportunity to experience warm community bonds and naturally encourages participation in the self-help group.
The reading group, held every other month, involves reading books on the themes of loss and recovery together and sharing personal feelings. This group, which is limited in size, is expected to become a safe space where participants can express their inner pain based on trust and empathy.
An official from the county’s Mental Health and Welfare Center stated, “Healing is possible not alone, but through the power of ‘togetherness.’ We hope that by spending time touching the soil and reading books, participants can reconnect with their lives. We will continue to encourage bereaved members to participate and expand various self-help activities, including therapeutic agriculture.”
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