ABOUT
BLOSSOM THERAPEUTIC SERVICES
My name is Katie Ryzhikov, and I own and operate Blossom Therapeutic Services. I am passionate about helping others experience the transformative power of nature.
One of my fondest childhood memories is trying to grow avocados behind the sofa. My late father and I would carefully balance an avocado pit over a jar of water, tuck it behind the radiator, and wait. The thrill of seeing a root emerge was pure magic. Another summer, we competed to grow the tallest sunflowers, wild with joy when they shot past our heads. I was hooked on the wonder of seeds and watching things grow—an awe that stayed with me.
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Growing up on the south coast of England, Sunday afternoons meant blustery walks on the beach, family drives through the New Forest, or visits to formal gardens. If we were lucky, we finished the day with a cream tea. My connection to nature took root early, but I didn’t realize how much it anchored me until later in life. During moments of joy, grief, and everything in between, I always found myself drawn to the garden. When my father passed away, his hospice room overlooked a woodland edge, where daffodils bloomed and birds flitted between strategically placed feeders. The location, and design, even down to the window placement was intended to allow nature to be a source of deep comfort and healing.
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Returning to the U.S., I searched for ways to merge my professional life as an occupational therapist with my love of nature. When I discovered horticultural therapy, it felt like coming home. After 15 years of clinical practice, I found the garden to be the most functional and holistic therapeutic space of all. In the garden, therapy is everything at once—physical, cognitive, emotional, and profoundly healing. Every seed planted is an opportunity for growth, resilience, and hope.
Let’s grow something beautiful—together.
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Meeting Your Needs
CHILDREN AND YOUTH
Whether your child needs to work on sensory processing, fine, gross, or visual motor skills, therapy in the garden doesn't feel like work! Your child will feel successful completing a variety of therapeutic activities such as planting a garden or engaging in nature-based crafts.
SENIOR SUPPORT
Healthy aging includes not only physical wellness, but social and emotional wellness too. Senior gardening groups keep bodies and minds active and healthy. Blossom Therapeutic Services run a variety of groups including dementia engagement, stroke support and social wellness groups in care facilities and local community settings.
MENTAL HEALTH
Spending time in green spaces is linked to a reduction in depression and anxiety. Blossom Therapeutic Services enables you to harness the stress-relieving power of nature, while literally helping you develop a growth-mindset.
