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By Marina Petroni
Life is experience. Substance dependence overtakes a person’s
ability to make her own decisions to experience life, and life
is no longer actively participated in. Therefore, in
overcoming
addiction, it is vital to learn to re-experience life. This
lesson helps a treatment center resident reintegrate into the
world after therapy is through. Experiential therapy is this
bridge to leaving a life of substance dependency and
commencing
a life of health, both physical and mental. Experiential
therapy
is a necessary component in the steps towards a complete
therapy. In addition to counseling and more traditional
therapies, experiential is the door to the world – it forces
the patient to test herself, to get up when she falls, to
learn
that giving up is not an option. This is a vital lesson to
learn
when overcoming addiction, as when problems arise after
therapy,
the former patient will remember that there are other means of
dealing with problems than turning back to addiction.
Experiential therapy includes many various forms, and can be
divided into two main categories: outdoor experiential therapy
and indoor experiential therapy. Both aim at physical and
mental challenges in order to succeed. Equine therapy, which
falls within the category of outdoor experiential therapy, is
worth reviewing on its own due to its uniqueness and
successful
results. Research supports the use of experiential therapy, as
motivation increases and social integration is easier through
the experience of such therapy.
The great outdoors is well known for its healing abilities,
and
exercise in itself releases the same good-feeling endorphins
as
a high does. There we have it: the high that is healthy.
Outdoor experiential therapy utilizes nature to help residents
work through their problems and free themselves from
dependency
through the physical challenges offered in nature. Activities
can include winter sports like snowshoeing, and summer sports
like hiking. More radical activities, like a heli-experience,
are also possible. The heli-experience takes people to
literally previously unknown heights. In opening new worlds,
these experiences reconnect residences to their world, which
is
so important to eventually helping them reconnect with the
people who live in this world. While outdoor activities are
beneficial for the social aspect of interacting with other
residents, their main achievement is to make the resident
introspect and put a perspective on the resident’s own life in
the context of the towering natural world.
Indoor experiential therapy can be based on an indoor ropes
and
challenge course. While also containing the aspect of physical
challenge, indoor experiential therapy is a greater internal
challenge. The resident must mentally prepare herself for the
challenges that come at such heights. Also, trust is an
invaluable lesson learned in indoor therapy. Partners rely on
each other to succeed in these activities, thus learning to
communicate effectively and learning to trust another. This
can
be an especially difficult aspect of healing from addiction,
as
for so many, trust is not a part of a life of addiction.
Learning to rebuild personal self-confidence and trust in
others is vital for a successful recovery from substance
dependence. Reintegrating into society after therapy is one of
the most difficult aspects of recovery, so having a treatment
program that rebuilds the elements of trust and confidence,
needed for a successful life in our society, is especially
beneficial.
Equine therapy, a certain highlight of the outdoor
experiential
therapy, combines aspects used both in outdoor and indoor
therapy. From the aspect of the outdoors, equine therapy
offers
the chance to be with, in and beyond nature, with a living
being
that sees us only for who we are. Horses are extremely
intelligent creatures, having a special history with the human
race. So vital in the development of the modern world, horses
were the first vehicles for transporting messengers and mail
efficiently, as the Pony Express reminds us, and were man’s
trusted guides in exploration and on battlefields. And, while
a
horse does not judge mankind, it certainly can read a
character
and will cleverly use a human’s personality to its advantage.
Trust is an essential element of equine therapy, and it is a
relationship with a creature that will not lie about its
feelings. When a genuine friendship is formed between horse
and
man, it is a lifelong bond. Equine therapy combines the power
of
nature and a physical challenge with the need to build a
trusting relationship with a fellow living creature and
increase self-confidence. In this manner, equine therapy is
especially helpful for residents of treatment centers, as it
combines all elements so beneficial to recovery in one
activity.
Experiential therapy teaches lessons of confidence in the self
as well as in others, and teaches facing challenges and
overcoming them. Motivation is of prime importance in
overcoming an addiction, and what better place to find
motivation than where we naturally seek it: in situations that
encourage us to aim higher than we imagine is possible.
Through
the motivation that appears in the physical activities,
treatment center residents learn to carry it over to their own
lives, and find the necessary motivation to deal with personal
issues. Simultaneously building confidence and trust in
themselves and others only strengthens the desire for
motivation. The added health benefits of partaking in physical
exercise show themselves both on the bodies and minds of
patients. Getting the body into shape helps stabilize the
mind,
and helps lead a generally healthier life. There is never an
easy cure to addiction, and many paths and steps must be
followed to guide to a better life. The step of experiential
therapy is one of the most rewarding steps in treatment, as
the
treatment resident is aware first-hand of its results. This
personal feeling of achievement in overcoming challenges makes
great headway in the recovery process from addiction.
About The Author: This article was written by Marina Petroni,
sponsored by www.cirquelodge.com/. Cirque Lodge,
located
in Sundance, Utah, is a world-class residential drug rehab
facility providing a private, effective and serene pathway to
sobriety. Reproductions of this article must include a link
pointing back to www.cirquelodge.com/.
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