As good as our psychotherapy is one however cannot spend the entire day in counselling and therapy. So to round out the day we also offer a variety of alternative therapies as Yoga, meditation, massage, acupuncture, stress management, Tai-Chi, Native healing rituals etc.
Many clients find these practices to be a vital support to recovery, and a great way to deal with stress and anxiety in a healthy way. Our main and predominant focus is evidence-based psychotherapy; however we are able to integrate into our treatment plans whichever alternative therapies appeal to each client. For example, if a client is drawn to the 12 step approach, we bring them to our local AA or NA meetings, and incorporate that into their treatment plan, but do so as additional or supplemental treatment.
Our goal is to establish and work with whatever combination of Psychological, Medical, Pharmaceutical, Nutritional, Alternative and Spiritual practices work best for each individual to maintain sobriety.
Treating the Whole Self
Our wide variety of alternative therapies present residents with a number of techniques that help to reduce stress and focus the mind during and following their time in recovery with us at Searidge Alcohol Rehab. The variety in our program ensures that every resident will be included and discover activities that appeal to them, no matter what level of physical ability or stage in alcohol addiction recovery.
Yoga Therapy
Yoga serves as an excellent alcoholism therapy that aims to rectify imbalances in the mind, body, and spirit through a series of physical poses, breathing techniques, and meditation. It teaches us to calm the mind, regulate our breathing and develop a greater awareness of our surroundings. The physical poses help detoxify and develop a greater awareness of the body. The breathing techniques produce tranquility that can calm a restless mind in recovery. The yogic emphasis on healing and unconditional relationships promotes the healing of the spirit. Yoga provides residents with calm alertness, greater discipline, clarity of mind, and self-esteem and has also been proven to address symptoms of psychological disorders associated with self-medication, such as depression and anxiety.
We offer accessible yoga sessions at Searidge Alcohol Rehab. In order to accommodate every resident’s physical abilities and stage in recovery, we structure our yoga sessions so that, no matter the level, participants will reap significant benefits from the practice of yoga.
Creative Art Therapy
Creative Art Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that works with different types of art as its primary medium. Our experienced art therapist guides residents to explore and resolve past conflicts and emotional problems through a variety of artistic mediums such as drama, painting, music, and sculpture. While Creative Art Therapy is not an art class, residents may find the more creative aspects of this treatment appealing.
Creative Art Therapy has been shown to help reduce stress, improve awareness and self-esteem to manage behavior, and improve expression, all qualities that are often impaired by alcohol addiction. It presents a medium through which to learn, share and recover in a fun environment while modifying dysfunctional behavior and developing social skills while gaining insights into your inner self.
Mindfulness Meditation As An Alternative Alcoholism Therapy
Mindfulness Meditation seeks to stabilize and calm the mind. Continued practice of this form of meditation will provide residents with the ability to have greater control over their thought processes and eliminate distractions.
This type of therapy perfectly complements our psychotherapies, which require mindfulness in order to make progress. Mindfulness meditation exercises the areas of the brain commonly adversely affected by addiction, such as memory, learning, emotion and sense of self. Training these areas promotes the re-growth necessary for recovery.
Acupuncture For Alcoholism Therapy
Acupuncture is a form of therapy that consists of the careful placement of thin needles in specific points on the body. This is believed to release blockages of qi that result in negative symptoms. Acupuncture has been shown to target neurological issues and physical pain. This is administered by experienced practitioners in a completely safe and hygienic environment.
Tai Chi
Tai Chi, or ‘supreme ultimate,’ is a Chinese martial art that consists of slow and graceful movements. Acting out these movements is commonly known as ‘playing the form,’ and reflects the playful and gentle nature of the practice. It helps its practitioners develop better health, flexibility, precision, and calmness of mind.
The movements in Tai Chi are available to a wide range of physical abilities and address a number of symptoms associated with alcohol addiction. Tai Chi improves the quality of sleep, flexibility, strength, cardiovascular health, and balance. It helps to promote the connections between the mind and the body and awareness and greater control of both in maintaining a healthy, relaxed, and peaceful recovery.
Relaxation & Alcoholism Therapy
This therapy places an emphasis on learning how to focus the mind and to relax the body. It helps residents learn how to relieve stress and greatly improve sleep quality, providing a means to access the rest and rejuvenation needed for alcohol addiction recovery.
First Nations Healing For Alcoholism Therapy
Searidge Alcohol Rehab offers First Nations Healing ceremonies based on and led by members of the North American aboriginal people, the Mi’kmaq. The Mi’kmaq have been living in Annapolis Valley and across Nova Scotia for a number of generations.
Journaling To Chronicle Your Alcoholism Therapy
Journaling is an important and effective tool for alcohol therapy and addiction recovery. It helps residents better understand their goals, thoughts, and feelings by the act of writing them on paper and therefore arrive at greater self-awareness. This is a space where residents can express themselves without worrying about hurting themselves or others and releasing their thoughts onto the page.
Keeping a journal throughout the recovery process allows residents to keep track of their progress in recovery and provide a record of ways in which they successfully approached problems with alcohol addiction in the past. A journal presents an open and available counsellor that will follow each resident from their treatment, Searidge Alcohol rehab and into their new and sober lives.
Other Interests
Searidge Alcohol Rehab provides some flexibility in its treatment programs. For example, if a resident is interested in participating in the 12-step program, we can arrange to drive them to local AA or NA meetings.