Experiential Therapy

Experiential therapy can be an excellent option for those reluctant to talk to their therapist during a typical session. It can make it easier for you to articulate your thoughts and feelings when exposed to other situations and activities outside the therapeutic environment. Experiential therapy allows you to let down your guard, leaving you open to what's going on inside your head, so when you resume your session, things may be easier for you to verbalize.

During therapy, your therapist will observe your body language and other nonverbal cues and actively listen to what you say to understand better the issues that keep you from moving forward. Wish Recovery offers different types of experiential therapies, giving you many options to choose from and finding one that’s the best fit for you.

How Experiential Therapy Works

Experiential therapy may aid in eliciting and processing memories or difficulties that may unknowingly contribute to a person's addiction. The use of experiential therapy as part of a treatment program for those who have difficulty articulating their emotions may be helpful.

In emotionally challenging circumstances, such as those that may lead to drinking or substance abuse, it may be difficult for individuals to express their thoughts and emotions openly. People may not communicate their feelings simply because they are uncomfortable doing so. It may also be difficult for them to pinpoint the exact source of their feelings or behaviors. 

Substance misuse or alcoholism may have caused the individual to either lose touch with or bury many of their emotions. When these sentiments are tapped into, they might bring up memories or other concerns that can help the individual overcome their addiction in the long run.

Experiential therapy might benefit an individual's capacity to process suppressed or unspoken sentiments that impede treatment progress. Still, it does not offer all the aspects of treatment required to help a person understand how to regulate impulses to drink alcohol or abuse other substances. Because of this, these treatments are best utilized in conjunction with traditional, evidence-based addiction therapies.

Experiential therapy activities may include:

• Sculpting
• Rock climbing
• Ropes courses
• Music therapy
• Wilderness therapy
• Recreation therapy
• Adventure therapy

Benefits of Experiential Therapy for Addictions

There are many benefits and purposes of experiential therapy. Still, the most important one is that it provides a chance to learn about your emotional and behavioral reactions to specific circumstances and uncover the deep-seated motivations that may influence your substance-seeking behaviors. This kind of therapy may also have additional benefits:

• Encouragement to feel more in control, confident, and self-reliant.
• Gaining the capacity to express and process emotions that are repressed or hard to describe.
• Motivation to continue treatment and complete it.
• Identifying and resolving interpersonal communication problems.

Depending on the sort of activity, additional advantages may develop. Because of the diverse options available, you're likely to find an experiential therapy that most appeals to your interests. Selecting an experiential treatment that helps in your rehabilitation is the most crucial thing.

However, there isn’t one treatment that will be effective for everyone, and experiential therapy may not be helpful for you. Emotionally motivated people are more likely to benefit from experiential therapy because of its client-centered philosophy. There is little chance of success if you aren't engaged in your treatment or refuse to participate in the therapeutic process fully.

Treatment is most effective when it is tailored to the person's unique requirements and when the client commits to and completes the therapy program. The first step to finding a long-term solution is to work with treatment program professionals to design a program tailored to your specific needs.

Experiencing Sustainable Success

People recovering from substance addiction may benefit from experiential activities that allow them to work through their emotions with the guidance of a therapist and peers. The variety of activities at Wish Recovery can help you connect with your feelings, become aware of in-the-moment experiences without judgment, and stay grounded in your bodily sensations.

Experiential activities are designed to help you become more comfortable with the ups and downs of life, accept change as a regular part of living, and cultivate the courage to confront your fears. You can continue many activities you experience well beyond rehab to support you along a path toward long-term recovery.