Experiential Therapy for Addiction Recovery

When it comes to healing from addiction, there are numerous treatment modalities used to help clients address the underlying issues of their disorder. One such approach to treatment is experiential therapy, which allows more creative outlets for clients to heal.

Because experiential therapy is not necessarily clinical, some individuals have trouble understanding how it works and what it encompasses. By learning more about experiential therapy, you can get the help you need to be successful in addiction recovery.

What Is Experiential Therapy?

Experiential therapy is a treatment approach that involves clients actively engaging in hands-on activities to address, process, and heal from unresolved traumas that may impact their substance use disorder. The approach is non-traditional, providing clients with a chance to heal in a different setting and manner. However, experiential therapy is usually used in conjunction with traditional therapies to ensure the client’s success in recovery.

Types of Experiential Therapy 

There are various types of experiential therapy, but ultimately what is available to you will depend on the facility that you receive treatment. Many facilities utilize outdoor forms of experiential therapy, such as wilderness therapy, adventure therapy, recreation therapy, ropes courses, surfing, hiking, and more.

However, there are indoor options as well to suit different client’s various needs and comfort. You may take part in yoga, art therapy, music therapy, psychodrama, and more. Talk to your treatment team to find out what is available and best for your treatment.

How Does Experiential Therapy Help Recovery?

Often, individuals struggling with addiction have underlying unresolved traumas that cause stress, anxiety, and depression. Activities such as hiking, ropes courses, and adventure therapy place clients in real-life stressful situations and teach them how to actively cope with things in the moment.

Other forms of experiential therapy allow clients to be creative in telling their stories and processing their traumas, including the performative arts, visual arts, and more. Treating depression and anxiety and healing unresolved traumas boost a person’s likelihood of success in recovery.

 Experiential therapy is a non-traditional approach to addiction treatment. Clients are more likely to respond to a combination of experiential and traditional therapies because both provide methods of addressing underlying mental health disorders and traumas. At the Detox Center of Colorado, we utilize experiential therapy for these specific reasons. Alongside detox, we believe implementing experiential therapy in a client’s treatment program is an excellent way to set them up for success. Nestled in Colorado, our facility is in the perfect setting to boost healing. Call us today to learn more at (303) 952-5035.

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