Addiction can require multiple forms of therapeutic care, and evidence-based ones like medical-assisted treatment (MAT) and behavioral psychotherapy may even benefit from combining selected complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches. Many of these approaches focus on holistic healing that’s focused on providing care for the whole body, mind, and spirit. Experiential therapy may be one approach that can help with this.
If you’re searching for a way to experience the benefits of an experiential therapy program in New Harmony, Utah, reach out to Painted Desert Recovery today. Call 844.540.0357 or contact our team online.
What Is Experiential Therapy?
Experiential therapy may also be called adventure or outdoor therapy. In Utah, for example, experiential therapy programs often take advantage of the state’s national parks and the beauty of the outdoors. However, experiential therapy sessions don’t always need to be held outdoors or be equated to outdoor therapy. Other types of experiential therapy include the following:
- Animal-assisted therapy, particularly equine therapy
- Art therapy
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EDMR)
- Music therapy
- Play therapy
- Psychodrama
Experiential therapy involves having clients use expressive activities, tools, and other methods to reenact or recreate specific situations from past and present problematic situations in their lives. Clients engage in role-playing and use art, music, or props to help bring awareness to certain thoughts and emotions that have influenced and are influencing their current behaviors, emotions, and thought patterns.
Experiential therapy is especially helpful in addiction treatment because it provides more space for mental healing and more accurate evaluations by medical professionals or therapists. Clients recovering from addiction are typically less guarded during experiential therapy sessions.
What Are the Benefits of Experiential Therapy in Utah?
1. Improved Conflict Resolution Skills
This type of therapy helps clients resolve the painful emotions and trauma they may be carrying with them, even during times when they should be focusing on their contentment and happiness. Part of improving conflict resolution skills is learning to see problems from all perspectives and being open to new insights. To do this, therapy must involve more than simply talking. More hands-on treatment can give clients significant support in resolving conflict in their lives.
2. Improved Self-Awareness
One big benefit of experiential therapy–which can also be outdoor therapy in Utah and other states that are known for natural attractions and activity areas–is that clients are more likely to practice self-awareness. First, physical awareness is essential to be safe and secure in unfamiliar outdoor settings. Learning safety rules may also help clients internalize the need to protect themselves–something they need to do when mental health issues disrupt their lives.
Then, the natural setting provides silence and calm that can help provide space to examine current desires, emotions, and needs, as well as discover healthy coping mechanisms to replace ones that may be problematic.
3. Learning Proactiveness
Experiential therapy in Utah and elsewhere in the U.S. may hold sessions indoors or outdoors. What’s essential is a focus on problem-solving activities and techniques, as this type of therapy should build proactive problem-solving skills. Clients learn that the decisions they make have an impact and do matter in the long term. For example, when using a map to reach a destination with others, the impact of their decisions affects not just them but also the time and energy of those with them.
Ready To Learn More About Painted Desert Recovery’s Experiential Therapy Program in Utah?
If you’re looking for a way to experience the benefits of an experiential therapy program in New Harmony, Utah, contact Painted Desert Recovery today. Reach out to our team online or call 844.540.0357.
