It’s becoming more common for residential treatment programs to include wellness activities as part of addiction treatment. Also known as experiential therapies, wellness activities in drug and alcohol rehab may include art therapy and equine therapy, among others. These types of therapies are known for reducing stress, increasing self-confidence and self-esteem, improving mental health, and promoting whole-person healing.Â
Learn the various types of wellness activities that can be included in your residential treatment program and their specific benefits.
Types of Wellness Activities Offered at Residential Treatment Centers
Several types of wellness activities may be offered during a residential treatment program for substance abuse disorders.
At Malibu Detox, we offer a variety of wellness therapies that provide unique benefits and are designed to support individuals on their path to lasting recovery. These activities are most effective when combined with evidence-based such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy, and motivational enhancement therapy. A few wellness therapies available during residential treatment at Malibu Detox include:
Art Therapy
Art therapy can be an extremely valuable part of the addiction treatment process. Art therapy uses expressive arts that create an outlet for our clients to express all their emotions, including the difficult ones they might not yet be able to describe with words. By using art to articulate feelings, individuals are able to improve their self-esteem, release stress, manage addiction, and improve symptoms of a mental health disorder (such as anxiety and depression).
During a typical art therapy session, art therapists guide individuals with a specific message they can use as a prompt for creating art that day.Â
Music Therapy
Music therapy incorporates music into drug addiction treatment. It can include anything from playing specific instruments to writing music, singing, or even just listening. Similar to art therapy, music therapy can help individuals access specific emotions they might have in life that they have a difficult time processing or understanding with words. Music can be extremely powerful at bringing out a wide variety of feelings and can be a way for individuals to explore those feelings in a safe space.
Additionally, learning to play an instrument, write songs or sing requires learning and developing a new skill – this can be very beneficial in helping individuals practice patience, hard work, and developing self-confidence.Â
Surf Therapy
Surf therapy is becoming more popular for treating drug addiction and involves surfing and spending time at the ocean as part of the therapeutic process. Surf therapy can help individuals get physical exercise and learn coordination and balance. It also takes quite a bit of concentration and patience since surfing can be challenging and the ocean has a mind of its own.
Since surf therapy is practiced in the water, this type of wellness activity is known for being very calming and reducing anxiety and stress. It can help individuals relax at a time in their lives when many things might feel overwhelming and out of their control.
Equine Therapy
Equine therapy is an activity that involves working with horses. Rather than focusing on riding horses, the emphasis is on the therapeutic process of taking care of horses. This can include things such as grooming the horses, leading them, providing ranch assistance, and other activities as needed. Each horse session is led by a licensed addiction counselor also certified in equine-assisted therapy. The benefits of this type of therapy include giving individuals a sense of purpose, responsibility, and calmness while working with the horses. It can also be effective at helping reduce symptoms of mental illness.
Benefits of Wellness Activities as a Part of Addiction Treatment
All therapeutic modalities offered at our residential treatment facilities allow you the opportunity to engage in a wealth of programming and counseling with our compassionate treatment team that empowers you on your path to sobriety.
While each of these wellness activities serves its own specific purpose, they overall help you to:
- Address underlying issues, including trauma, anxiety, family matters, or mental health disorders
- Develop essential coping techniques for handling stress, drug cravings, and other triggers
- Identify obsolete ideas and beliefs and replace them with those aligned with your intrinsic values
- Set goals for the future and work towards achieving those goals
- Identify harmful behavior patterns and learn healthier self-talk habits
- Repair damaged relationships and restore function to the family system
- Find meaning and purpose in a life free from drugs and alcohol
- Learn to have fun without the use of drugs and alcohol
Additional Treatment Modalities Provided in Residential Treatment
Aside from the above-mentioned wellness activities for drug abuse and addiction treatment, the following evidence-based approaches are also incorporated into our residential treatment program:
- Individual therapy sessions
- Motivational interviewing to promote and enforce positive change through self-motivation
- Family therapy sessions to support patients and family members in the addiction treatment process
- Community building by attending local events
- 12-step programs, including AA and NA
- Group therapy sessions
Start Addiction Treatment Today at Malibu Detox
At Malibu Detox, we understand the importance of family support and connection being part of the recovery process for addiction. If you are someone who is struggling with drug or alcohol abuse and mental health issues, our substance abuse treatments in our residential treatment center can serve as a catalyst to help you overcome your addiction and reach the long-term sobriety you need. We accept most major and private insurance plans and work with you to minimize out-of-pocket expenses.
