With the upcoming holidays, you may be wondering just how manageable your recovery will be. Holidays can be a challenging time for many people, and it may trigger them to relapse or, at the very least, bring up painful feelings. This holiday season, get involved with experiential therapy to help you learn something new, face your fears, and release stress. Experiential therapy is an approach that encourages clients to discover subconscious issues through activities such as arts and crafts, role playing, outdoor activities, sports, and more. Put simply, this therapeutic approach focuses on actions, not words.
The following are some great activities that may help you relieve some stress this holiday season:
- Guided Imagery – with this, your therapist may guide you to imagine a recent or past event. As you recall this, you may then share with your therapist any feelings that come up. This can be greatly beneficial for you to work through feelings that have not been fully processed and dealt with yet.
- Animal Care – whether it’s horseback riding, visiting an animal sanctuary or volunteering with animals, animal care is an excellent way to connect without feeling judged.
- Rock climbing – if you’ve never gone rock climbing before, this could be an excellent opportunity for you to learn something new while overcoming physical obstacles that could be representative of internal distress you may be experiencing.
- Hiking – previous studies have shown that nature can have a beautiful impact on the mind, body, and spirit. Getting in tune with your surroundings can easily lead you to heightened focus and clarity, both of which can be beneficial before the holidays arrive.
A 2017 review published by the Psychotherapy & Counseling Federation of Australia emphasizes that experiential therapy can assist clients in reflecting and exploring on their experiences while also using empathy within a therapeutic relationship as a way to move forward in recovery. While we may not always realize this, our actions can be very symbolic of what we are going through emotionally or spiritually. Whether or not you plan to spend time with loved ones this holiday season, experiential therapy can help you find healing so that you can move forward with your life in the best way possible.
Tree House Recovery is a men’s treatment program in Portland, Oregon, offering men a unique way to recover. Inspired by the great outdoors of the Pacific Northwest and the philosophies of proven recovery techniques, men create sustainable changes in their life, setting up a life without limitations. Call us today for information: (503) 850-2474
