Holistic addiction treatments and therapies are becoming increasingly popular and is quickly losing its title as an “alternative” treatment and moving into a more conventional role. Holistic treatment brings teens back to the basics: healing the mind and the body through healthy, safe experiences. It isn’t just about becoming sober, it is about improving lives and preparing teens in recovery for a productive, successful future. Through various treatments, therapists are able to connect with teens on a deep level and provide them with positive experiences. Teens are able to dig their hands in the soil, create something beautiful or learn how to care for others while overcoming the core motivation to use drugs or alcohol. This type of treatment greatly increases your teen’s chances of sustaining recovery and moving forward into a brighter tomorrow.
Art Therapy
It can be difficult for teens to express themselves, especially if they aren’t even sure what they’re feeling. Art therapy provides them with a creative medium through which to identify and examine thoughts and emotions that may be difficult to articulate or that they may not even know exist. It includes several different forms of art, including drawing memories, painting emotions, painting during times of stress, sculpting, and journaling. Some benefits of art therapy include:
- Self-confidence
- Communication skills
- Emotional healing
- Personal breakthroughs
- Relapse prevention
Yoga Therapy
Yoga combines physical postures, breath work and meditation in an effort to bring the mind, body and spirit into alignment. The general goal of yoga therapy is to release pent-up emotions and achieve inner peace and learn how to stay calm during stressful events without turning to a substance for comfort. Breath work provides teens with detoxification of the lungs and heightened levels of energy, while meditation teaches them how to shrug off cravings and hone in on their inner strength. Some benefits of yoga therapy include:
- Self-awareness
- Enhanced mood
- Increased physical strength and flexibility
- Stress management
- Increased blood and oxygen flow to the brain
Exercise Therapy
Exercise therapy includes a variety of recreational activities to provide teens with a healthy outlet for their pent-up energy and aggression. The real benefit for addiction recovery, though, lies in the endorphins that it releases. Substance abuse releases endorphins into the brain, overflowing the user with feelings of happiness and relaxation. When those endorphins are withheld during recovery, it causes a severe withdrawal, leading to depression and exhaustion. Exercise releases the same endorphins, making recovery more sustainable, healthy and comfortable. Some benefits of exercise therapy include:
- Strength to repair the body
- Reduced stress, anger and depression
- Fewer withdrawal symptoms
- Developing healthy habits
- Reduced risk of relapse
Music Therapy
Music therapy uses various techniques including songwriting, relaxation, improvising music and musical games to connect teens to their emotions and allow them to express themselves in a fun, creative way. Each genre of music is used to extract different types of emotions and memories in order to pinpoint the cause of the addiction and heal teens at their core. Some benefits of music therapy include:
- Decreased anxiety, stress and anger
- Relaxation and coping skills
- Self-awareness
- Problem-solving skills
- Motivation
To learn more about holistic therapy and how it can help you overcome addiction, give us a call at 877-466-0620.