Holistic Treatment
Recreational Therapy
At The Immersion Program we combine a variety of effective therapeutic methods in order to provide our clients with a whole-person approach to healing. One of the therapeutic approaches we frequently utilize is recreational therapy, also known as therapeutic recreation. Recreational therapy utilizes activity-based interventions to address the unique needs of each individual client, helping them work through psychological, emotional and physical issues while developing a vital sense of self-esteem and self-confidence. There are many benefits involved in recreational therapy, which vary on a person-to-person basis but remain relatively consistent.
The Immersion Program is located in the heart of South Florida, surrounded by sprawling beaches, hiking trails and numerous opportunities for water recreation. We teach our clients to have fun in recovery while exploring and enjoying the great outdoors. Therapeutic sessions are targeted to the needs of each individual client, and effectively enhance cognitive, emotional and social development. To learn more about our therapeutic program, contact us today.
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About Recreational Therapy
According to the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation, recreational therapy is an effective therapeutic method that involves more than the treatment of a pre-existing illness or condition. Recreational therapy helps people who have been struggling with substance abuse issues and underlying disorders (like mental illness, unresolved trauma or PTSD) discover what activities they enjoy while building self-esteem, self-confidence and vital social skills. This therapeutic method has been around since the mid-1940s, when Red Cross recreation workers began offering programs for hospitalized World War II soldiers.
At The Immersion Program we remain dedicated to staying up-to-date on the latest innovations in addiction treatment while incorporating proven and time-tested methods of recovery. We combine traditional therapies with holistic approaches, 12-Step program involvement and medication assisted treatment to address all of the unique needs of every individual client on a deep, personal level. To learn more about the role recreational therapy plays in our integrated treatment program, contact us today.
Recreational Opportunities at The Immersion Program
Recreational therapy can be broken down into five main domains:
- Mental and cognitive functioning.
- Psychological and emotional functioning.
- Physical functioning.
- Social functioning.
- Spiritual development.
At The Immersion Program we take all of these domains into consideration, incorporating them into every group activity we encourage our clients to participate in.
Opportunities for recreational therapy at our South Florida location are:
- Day trips to the local beach.
- Ocean activities like snorkeling, kayaking and standup paddle boarding.
- Hiking excursions.
- Group sports like beach volleyball or softball.
- Group game nights, which might include board games or other interactive games like charades.
- Dance and movement sessions.
- Creative arts like collage, painting, drawing, music and drama (or psychodrama).
- Skill enhancement activities geared towards the improvement of cognitive functioning and motor skills.
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Approaches to Recreational Therapy
When it comes to recreational therapy there are four distinct approaches, including:
- Therapeutic Approach – Clients are encouraged to pay attention to the way they feel during the recreational therapy session. Once the session is over, clients process what challenges they faced and what positive experiences they had in a traditional group therapy session.
- Recreation Services– The services themselves are focused on, and clients learn to have fun in sobriety while accomplishing tasks and building self-esteem.
- The Combined Approach – This approach combines recreational and therapeutic services. At The Immersion Program we focus on a combined approach to recreational therapy.
- The Leisure Ability Approach – Leisure activities are employed therapeutically. Rather than focus on adventure-based therapy, clients learn to relax while honing their social skills and and improving attitudes towards relaxation and “down time.”
Other Therapeutic Services We Provide
In addition to recreational therapy we offer:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – This proven therapeutic method is used to treat a wide range of issues in an integrated fashion. CBT is often the chosen form of psychotherapy because it allows issues to be addressed quickly and effectively and allows for more therapeutic benefit to be derived in a shorter period of time. CBT is one of the most effective methods of working through unresolved trauma thoroughly and permanently. Many of our clients have attempted to work through unresolved traumatic experiences in the past, only to find that traditional talk therapy was not effective long-term.
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy – DBT is another effective therapeutic method, one we frequently utilize in combination with CBT. It has been found that a combination of these two methods is the most effective in paving the road for lifelong recovery. DBT is a combination of behavioral and cognitive therapeutic methods. The goal of DBT is to completely transform negative patterns of thinking and self-destructive behavioral patterns into positive ones. In these sessions, our clients are able to process through uncomfortable emotions in a controlled environment.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing – EMDR is a therapeutic method that is extremely beneficial for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse disorders. EMDR was first developed to help alleviate emotional distress related to unresolved traumatic memories. During EMDR, clients address traumatic memories while focusing on external stimuli such as flashing lights or vibrating handholds. The individual shifts their visual focus from left to right, left to right, following the pattern of the external stimuli. A licensed and highly experienced EMDR practitioner guides the client through a memory as they practice these lateral eye movements.
- 12-Step Immersion Therapy – We have seen the principles of our 12-Step Immersion Process guide clients to long-term success. Addiction is much more than a physical or psychological ailment; it is a disease of the body, mind and spirit. Because of this, those who have suffered at the hands of active addiction require an integrated and effective approach to addressing each one of these components individually and collectively. The 12-Step Immersion experience lies at the core of our treatment philosophy, not only because we ensure 12-Step program participation but because we apply the Steps to our overall recovery process.
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- Mindfulness & Meditation – Mindfulness refers to a state of mental awareness that is frequently utilized in meditative practices. Mindfulness teaches people how to live in the present moment and to acknowledge how they are feeling without judgement. In recent times mindfulness has been incorporated into addiction treatment programs as an important element of CBT. Meditation is the art of quieting the mind and focusing on one’s inner awareness in order to achieve mental clarity and emotional stability.
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Benefits of Recreational Therapy
Recreational therapy often proves to be a vital part of each individual treatment program.
The benefits of recreational therapy:
- Providing effective addiction treatment through cost-effective means, taking advantage of the natural landscape surrounding our South Florida facility.
- Providing each individual client with outcome-focused clinical care geared towards achieving lasting results in a short time period.
- Contributing to life skills training and teaching clients how to implement the skills they learn in recreational therapy in other real life situations (both in their homes and in their communities).
- Helping clients work through underlying issues in a therapeutic setting.
- Teaching clients healthy communication skills and facilitating healthy friendships and emotional bonds that often last long past the conclusion of inpatient treatment.
- Implementing a whole-person approach to recovery while focusing on the improvement of individualized cognitive, emotional, social and physical functioning.
- A focus on the restoration of physical health through a variety of physical activities.
- Teaching clients how to rely on one another and on an entire recovery community for support and personal advancement.
- Focusing on the development of a variety of skills which can improve overall quality of life.
- Contributing to the diversity of therapeutic interventions that ultimately make addiction treatment effective.
Begin Your Therapeutic Recovery Journey Today
When you reach out to Immersion Recovery, whether by form, chat or call, you will be instantly connected to one of our Treatment Advisors. Most of our Treatment Advisor team members are either in recovery themselves or have helped a loved one through the process. We understand exactly what you are going through and are ready to help make the process of receiving treatment simple and straightforward. The Immersion Program is among the few treatment centers in the United States that infuses a 12-Step approach with clinically proven therapies. This truly immersive experience benefits body and mind and offers hope for lasting, long-term recovery by treating the roots of addiction. Although the journey may seem daunting at first, the only choice you need to make right now is to call. Contact us today to learn more.
