Brookline Center for Community Mental Health Outdoor Space

The Brookline Center for Community Mental Health provides mental health services for children, adults, and families. In 2021, our team collaborated with local historic and accessibility review agencies to design an accessible front entry walkway for the historic brownstone property. Recognizing the potential of an underutilized backyard, the Center later partnered with our landscape architecture studio to transform the space into a therapeutic outdoor environment for counseling and wellness activities.

Completed in 2024, the 3,000 SF therapeutic garden carefully balances privacy, accessibility, and healing-centered design. The project transformed a challenging site with a seven-foot elevation change, an unstable brick wall, and significant privacy concerns into a serene, fully accessible green oasis. Four semi-private therapy spaces are thoughtfully integrated within the landscape, creating opportunities for both individual and group therapy sessions in nature.

The garden features secluded therapy nooks, a dedicated children's therapy area, a multipurpose play court for child group therapy, and a tranquil outdoor retreat where staff can relax and recharge. Every aspect of the design was guided by a commitment to supporting healing, connection, and well-being through thoughtful, compassionate design.

As the first local community mental health center in Massachusetts to create a dedicated outdoor space specifically for mental health services, The Brookline Center for Community Mental Health is setting a new precedent for innovative, nature-based therapeutic care.