Holistic Therapies for Addiction and Mental Health
Your recovery journey must touch on every aspect of your being. That’s why at Harmony Junction Recovery, we offer holistic-based therapies that work on healing your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual self. When you create positive change in all areas of yourself, this leads to a treatment experience that’s comprehensive and effective for long-term sobriety.
What Is A Holistic Therapy?
Holistic therapy works to heal all levels of a person. It considers the entire person rather than just one portion, such as their physical and mental health. You can do a wide range of holistic therapies in both individual and group settings. We’ll look more in-depth at these below and their role in addiction recovery.
The Importance of a Holistic Approach in Addiction Recovery
Holistic treatments target the primary areas of healing in their approaches, including physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Each body part relies on one another to function correctly, so the entire system is pulled down when one thing isn’t working right.
Our approach to addiction treatment is to address the entire person and not just their addiction. You can go through a medical detox from a substance and get rid of the cravings, but any underlying contributors that go untreated will only bring the habit back.
By incorporating holistic and traditional practices, our program provides a comprehensive care approach that heals the mind, body, and spirit. We use several activities to do this, including meditation and yoga, which we’ll look at in more depth below.
Harmony Junction’s Holistic Therapies For Substance Abuse And Mental Disorders
The holistic approach to our recovery programs covers a wide range of options for our patients. We love that we can offer many fun ways to become attuned to your mind, body, and spirit. Each of our behavioral therapies and group work takes a holistic approach to addiction with some of these, including:
- Meditation and yoga classes
- Nutritional therapy and physical fitness work
- Outdoor activities
- Equine therapy
- Art therapy
The Role of Holistic Therapies in Recovery
There’s no one-size-fits-all program to treat substance use disorders. That’s why we want our patients to have options. Our holistic treatment plans allow you to choose which activities to participate in for your own personal recovery journey.
Mindfulness in Addiction Recovery
Mindfulness refers to meditation, where you focus on your awareness in that moment. What senses are you experiencing? You consider these with curiosity, not judgment, and allow yourself to be fully present.
During mindfulness activities, you can practice breathing methods, guided imagery, and other activities that aid relaxation and focus. The goal is to achieve a state of alertness and relaxation. When you get a sudden craving for your alcohol or drug addiction, it’s easy to act on that want without a second thought.
Understanding and implementing mindfulness allows you to stop, take a breath, and consider your senses at that moment. By returning from the envisioned high you’re experiencing, you can find peace in yourself and be reminded of the sensations and emotions the substance cannot provide.
Practical Mindfulness Exercises
- Deep breathing
- Guided imagery
- A focus on each of the five senses
- Drawing without a goal
- Nature walks
- Sitting meditation
The Role of Yoga in Healing
Yoga is a practice that’s been around for thousands of years. At Harmony Junction, we incorporate yoga into our holistic activities to relieve stress, anxiety, and depression that occur with cravings and co-occurring mental health conditions. It isn’t just the physical bodily releases that come from it; yoga has the power to release your mind from trauma and suppressed thoughts.
Like mindfulness, yoga grounds the mind. It brings you back into the present and prevents spiraling. This is an incredibly effective tool when you have an intense craving for the substance. Cravings feed off of your impulsiveness, a trait enhanced through addiction. Yoga combats this by reminding you of your goal and true intentions at that moment, which is overcoming the urge to relapse.
Nutrition and Recovery
How you eat significantly impacts your overall well-being. If you always reach for fast food or skip meals, this will manifest physically, mentally, and emotionally. A healthy mind is required to sustain recovery, and a vitamin and mineral-rich diet fuels a healthy mind. Addiction typically develops as a means to cope with negative emotions. Your healthy diet can decrease your risk of relapse by aiding in the following:
- Increased energy levels
- Boosted mood
- Greater cognitive function
- Better sleep
The Benefits of Combining Holistic and Clinical Therapies For Recovery
By participating in holistic and clinical therapies, you can receive a more comprehensive approach to recovery. Clinical therapies are based on more traditional methods of healing. Holistic therapies emphasize connecting the mind, spirit, and body rather than focusing on cognitive and behavioral aspects alone. Feeling more connected to your inner self significantly enhances your progress in clinical therapy as you feel more confident and in tune with your strengths and areas you wish to improve in.
Getting Started With Holistic Treatment For Addiction And Mental Health Today
Addiction goes beyond the physical substance or behaviors. When your mind chooses to take part in your addiction, it’s your whole body working together – against you. Let our holistic treatment program help release the chains of addiction so you can get back to living life to the fullest. Reach out today to learn more.
Contact Harmony Junction Recovery to Get Started with Your Own Intensive Outpatient Program
IOPs are a highly effective way to transition away from substance abuse. They offer extensive opportunities to receive professional care, build a recovery support system, and work towards your long-term recovery goals.
When you’re ready to start an intensive outpatient program, Harmony Junction Recovery has you covered. We provide personalized programs at our Southern California location that can meet your every need. Call us at (855) 906-4088 to learn more.
