Health Benefits of Gardening

Dr. Chris Belser, NCC, NCSC, is an Associate Professor and Program Coordinator in the University of New Orleans Counselor Education Program. He earned his Ph.D. in Counselor Education & Supervision at the University of Central Florida and his M.Ed. in School Counseling at Louisiana State University. Dr. Belser has experience in Louisiana public and charter schools as a middle school counselor and as a high school career coach. He serves as the Principal Investigator of Project SEED, a research program that engages undergraduate students in campus-based internships focusing on eco-leadership and eco-wellness.

Dr. Belser has delivered dozens of presentations at local, state, national, and international conferences, has published numerous articles and book chapters on counseling and career-related topics, and has won awards from various national and state organizations. Outside of his professional work, he is a Louisiana Master Gardener focusing primarily on Louisiana Native Plants and sustainable gardening practices and he has earned the National Wildlife Federation’s Community Eco-Leader certification. His home garden is certified by the National Wildlife Federation and the Louisiana Native Plant Society and is “pretty” according to his two-and-a-half year old daughter.