Ep. 73 - The BEST way to treat addiction! Is Adventure Therapy Effective?

This episode is all about the benefits of adventure therapy. It’s no secret that I’m affiliated with Rock Recovery and one of the things we offer is adventure therapy. This type of therapy has so many benefits. In this podcast, I’m going to talk about what it is. Why you would want it, and how it helps prepare people for a life during and after recovery. 

We offer activities like kayaking, paddleboarding, rock climbing, and more. We also understand the benefits of just being outside. It’s our goal to create the best environment for the recovery of you or your loved one. Being located in Florida is the perfect place to get outside and try something new. Plus, the benefits are huge, and that’s what I’m talking about today.

Show Notes:

[04:10] The purpose behind adventure therapy. It's a psychotherapy that's designed to challenge our clients.  [04:37] Doing something you've never done before will cause anxiety and challenge you, but you come out the other side as accomplished. [05:28] We do a lot of activities like kayaking, paddle boarding, surfing, snorkeling, and climbing rock walls. These are a lot of things that addicts and alcoholics have never experienced before. [06:10] Before the activity there will be a lot of anxiety and then afterwards people will feel great. [06:28] It also removes people out of their element and their comfort zone. [06:58] Adventure therapy changes we do something different all the time.  [08:00] We also do things that don't provoke anxiety like nature walks or just being outside. We also visit the Japanese garden. [10:20] A lot of our clients come from the Northeast and it is different in Florida. They get opportunities to do things that they haven't done before, and they begin to know and understand that sobriety is fun. [11:27] Sobriety needs to be worth having, and if it's boring no one is going to want to do it. [12:17] Adventure therapy also helps people be in the moment and eliminate outside influences. [13:21] In group, you won't retain anything if you're just thinking about what's going on back home. When you're out doing things, you have to be attentive and engaged. [13:58] Adventure therapy doesn't allow us to sit there and ruminate. It makes us be in the moment. [14:28] When people first become sober it's very important to stay busy and surround yourself with people with the same goals. [15:41] We need to be able to branch out, try new experiences, and surround ourselves with people with positive input. [17:10] We encourage people to try, and it builds their confidence and gives them a new joy. [18:39] We can cover everything involved in treatment while we're outside doing different things.  [19:25] Giving people new opportunities to grow is one of the best ways to help with their sobriety.

Links and Resources:

Rock Recovery Center