Adventure Therapy

Adventure therapy is an innovative and engaging form of addiction treatment that provides holistic health benefits that promote recovery. As part of the substance abuse treatment process, adventure therapy incorporates hands-on activities through physical movement and team-building exercises.

These activities are beneficial during recovery because they promote physical wellness and the development of regular exercise routines. In these groups, you also learn to focus more on the present moment and connect with others in meaningful ways.

When combined with traditional evidence-based psychotherapies, adventure therapy supplies you with more tools to help you achieve a full recovery.

What Is Adventure Therapy?

Adventure therapy incorporates nature-based activities to help individuals work through difficult emotions and behaviors. In general, adventure therapy uses wilderness skills and physical activities such as rock climbing, hiking, and kayaking to facilitate growth. These activities challenge individuals and allow them to take risks in a safe environment. As people participate in adventure therapy, they will develop new perspectives on life as they rediscover their inner strength.

Adventure therapy is an exciting way for people of all ages to work through personal roadblocks during recovery. It also helps guests learn problem-solving skills, trust in themselves and others, and how to face their fears. For this reason, adventure-based activities can assist in treating substance use disorders and a variety of mental health disorders.

Adventure Therapy at Royal Life Centers

Royal Life Centers offers two main adventure therapy opportunities for guests in our substance abuse treatment programs. Our adventure therapies consist of outdoor hiking and kayaking activities.

Hiking in Adventure Therapy

Outdoor hiking activities offer physical exercise in combination with the calming effects of nature to promote recovery. Hiking in itself offers numerous benefits that contribute to physical and mental health.

Outdoor hiking assists in rebuilding stamina and muscle strength. These groups also incorporate mindfulness and grounding techniques in nature that help to foster a sense of inner peace. Our outdoor hiking groups also teach you how to use interpersonal skills with your peers. By practicing healthy communication while under physically taxing exercises, you begin to build up your self-confidence.

Kayaking in Adventure Therapy

Group kayaking is not only an amazing way to exercise, but it also provides an opportunity to practice intentional mindfulness. In doing so, you learn to turn your focus outside of yourself and take in the natural beauty around you. In doing so, you can experience peaceful serenity as your soul expresses gratitude for the world.

Kayaking also assists you in practicing communication and problem-solving skills in a group setting. For example, as decisions are made on which path to take on each trip, you practice self-expression. As a result, you naturally increase your self-esteem and self-efficacy.

At Royal Life Centers, we understand the benefits of nature-based therapy in the treatment of addiction and mental health issues. That’s why our treatment centers take full advantage of the natural settings that surround our facilities. Throughout adventure therapy, we offer an immersive healing experience in nature that acts as a peaceful refuge for our guests.

Our wilderness therapy provides countless opportunities for guests to absorb the therapeutic benefits of connecting with nature during their recovery. By engaging in activities such as kayaking and hiking, our guests can explore the outdoors while rebuilding the connection to their minds, bodies, and spirits.

We believe that nature offers therapeutic benefits including improved physical health, reduced stress levels, and enhanced cognitive functioning. Combined with evidence-based practices such as individual therapy, group counseling, and recovery support meetings, our programs provide comprehensive care for guests struggling with addiction and mental health issues.

How Can Adventure Therapy Help In Recovery?

Outdoor treatment is an evidence-based holistic approach to recovery due to the proven benefits of physical exercise and exposure to natural environments for the recovering mind. We are grateful that our locations in Pacific Northwest and Prescott Valley provide ideal environments for serene outdoor activities. Those electing to participate in our adventure therapy groups will feel rejuvenated in the beautiful landscapes that we are grateful to call home.

Further still, adventure therapy groups rebuild the connection to nature which helps those who are recovering to recenter themselves in a natural, calming environment. These unique healing opportunities provide our guests with mental, physical, and spiritual release from the stress of everyday life by focusing their attention on the outdoors. For this reason, both hiking and kayaking can help with mental health disorders that co-occur with substance use disorders, such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

Adventure therapy groups can also help you to combat feelings of worry, guilt, and shame resulting from addiction by redirecting therapeutic attention toward physical actions and behaviors. Similarly, these group activities can help you identify challenges, develop problem-solving strategies, and improve communication skills in a less traditional therapy setting. As you achieve your physical goals in hiking and kayaking activities, you naturally hone your self-confidence and inner trust in your ability to overcome future obstacles. We believe that adventure therapy can give you the tools to break through barriers and take control of your life.

What to Expect in Adventure Therapy

Adventure therapy takes a holistic approach to healing that incorporates physical activity with psychological exploration. In our adventure therapy program, you will develop a greater understanding of yourself while gaining invaluable insights into your patterns of behavior and communication.

Our adventure therapy services incorporate team-building exercises within outdoor activities such as hiking and kayaking. To do so, our staff of trained adventure therapy facilitators uses carefully crafted challenges throughout our wilderness activities. As a result, these therapeutic exercises naturally develop trust within our groups. As you work with others to find solutions, your accomplishments provide and sense of empowerment that will help to strengthen your inner resilience.

Our adventure therapy program is designed to equip you with the essential tools you need to live a healthier, more fulfilling life. With the guidance of our trained counselors, you can learn to challenge your boundaries, confront your fears, and develop communication skills that will help you positively connect with others. Together you and your peers can collaborate in a trusting, supportive environment of trust and support while exploring your unique potential in recovery. Through these physical activities, you will rediscover the strength and inner motivation to overcome any challenges you face in treatment and recovery as a whole.

Exercise in Adventure Therapy

Exercise and physical activity during substance abuse treatment can help greatly improve your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. As a goal-oriented approach, adventure therapy encourages your active involvement in treatment through the restorative power of nature and exercise.

Benefits of exercise as a stress reliever include:

Increases production of endorphins
Improves mood
Promotes a meditative mindset
Rebuilds physical strength

Often, people neglect their bodies during active addiction as their healthy routines begin to unravel. For this reason, exercise in adventure therapy is especially beneficial because reintroduces natural levels of endorphins in your system. As a result, your brain and body are better equipped to fight cravings and regulate emotions. This also assists in managing symptoms of co-occurring mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety.

As you participate in adventure therapy exercises, your brain regains the ability to naturally regulate emotions and mood. These benefits can be seen in both the short-term and long-term portions of addiction recovery.

Participating in regular physical activity can also assist you in regaining the physical strength lost during substance abuse. When faced with a demanding new routine of work or treatment, having a better understanding of your body will help you cope with the changes that come with a successful recovery journey.

Physical Wellness for Healing

Studies by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the American Psychological Association (APA), and Harvard Medical School have found that exercise can reduce depression and improve cognitive function. Rigorous physical activity can also immediately reduce stress, as it raises cortisol levels in the body.

For this reason, one of our top priorities at Royal Life Centers is to help you regain your optimal mental and physical wellness. Because we care, our addiction treatment programs incorporate a wide range of therapeutic services to support a holistic healing environment for all of our guests.

To do so, our experienced group facilitators provide personalized care and attention to ensure that each guest can receive the maximum benefits from our adventure therapy offerings. By taking a holistic approach, we strive to empower our guests with tools and skills they can use in everyday life to live a more mindful and peaceful existence.

Join us today and experience the transformative power of adventure therapy!

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