The healing power of adventure therapy is significant. What’s more, it’s fun. Delving into activities like ropes courses and equine therapy can boost your endorphins, help you break through emotional barriers, and build trust among your peers. These exciting therapies offered at The Guest House can be a powerful addition to your trauma recovery toolkit.
The Healing Power of Adventure Therapy
When you think of trauma recovery, traditional modalities like talk therapy may come to mind. In recent years, however, research has demonstrated the healing benefits of a comprehensive recovery plan. This type of plan, offered at The Guest House, includes way more than just the traditional methods.
At The Guest House, you can explore a variety of modalities, including the healing power of adventure therapy. This innovative modality includes activities like ropes courses and equine therapy that can open your mind, boost your endorphins, and create a solid foundation for long-term recovery.
What Is Adventure Therapy?
According to the Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, adventure therapy is “the prescriptive use of adventure experiences provided by a mental health professional, often in a natural setting that kinesthetically engage clients on cognitive, affective, and behavioral levels.”
This form of treatment gained popularity in the 1990s when it was originally used as a camping program for adolescents with behavioral issues. Today, adventure therapy is used by adolescents and adults alike. This experiential healing modality can include a variety of activities, including ropes courses, camp-building, equine therapy, hiking, and more.
Adventure therapy is also referred to as wilderness therapy because of its setting in the great outdoors. Being in the fresh air while taking part in exciting activities offers a wealth of healing benefits for your mind, body, and soul.
The Benefits of Adventure Therapy
Exciting outdoor therapies can help you break through emotional barriers, build trust, and cultivate resilience. Further, Campbell Systematic Reviews explains that adventure therapy “promotes peer relationships, emphasizes community collaboration, and offers opportunity for the development of trust, effective communication, and problem‐solving abilities.”
Adventure therapy can also increase self-esteem and teach you how to regain control over situations around you. This is incredibly important for those who have suffered through trauma, which can reduce a sense of control.
Adventure therapies can also bring excitement and joy to your life. Having a common goal to accomplish through these activities can help you rediscover a sense of purpose. The activities can also help you cultivate a more positive mindset away from the difficulties of past trauma and help you focus on the present moment.
The Healing Power of Adventure Therapy: Exciting Activities
Adventure therapy can include many different activities conducted in the outdoors. These activities usually include an element of problem-solving and peer collaboration. They also help you build important life and survival skills.
Some exciting activities that fall under the “adventure therapy” umbrella include the following:
- Ropes courses
- Equine therapy
- Wilderness exploration
- Camp building
- Team-based puzzles
- Hiking
Since these activities are conducted outdoors, you also receive the many benefits of being in nature. You can bring a stronger sense of peace and mindfulness to your life, allowing you to build a foundation for lasting recovery.
The Benefits of Ropes Courses
The healing power of adventure therapy can be seen in activities like ropes courses. According to Iredell County, North Carolina’s Department of Parks and Recreation, a ropes challenge course “presents a unique experience where individuals and groups come together to create more effective teams.” Participants are offered a safe and supportive environment for exploring their potential while learning the value of working in a group.
Ropes courses usually include a set of high and low ropes. Many courses also have a zipline. These ropes are tied to the trees and provide exciting obstacles for both new and seasoned participants. They’re also an excellent tool for exercise and strength-building, allowing you to get a true sense of recreation while paving the way to long-term recovery.
The Benefits of Equine Therapy
Another powerful outdoor modality can be found in equine therapy. According to Military Medicine, equine therapy “includes therapeutic horseback riding (THR), grooming, horsemanship and ground level work with horses.”
It’s said to be an effective tool for improving self-esteem in adults with psychiatric disorders. The journal also states that “empowerment, bonding and building trust with the horses may promote functioning of patients struggling with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).”
If you are struggling with trauma, your relationships may have taken a hit. It may be hard to trust other people or even be around others. Equine therapy can bridge this gap by facilitating a bond between you and an animal. This, in turn, can help you foster healthy and caring relationships with both animals and humans.
The Healing Power of Adventure Therapy at The Guest House
Here at The Guest House, we offer a wide variety of experiential therapies to help you expand your horizons and build a solid foundation for lasting recovery. Our trauma-specific program includes adventure therapies, equine therapy, and much, much more.
Adventure therapy at The Guest House includes various outdoor games and team-building exercises that will help you break through emotional barriers in a safe and supportive environment. Our equine therapy program is another powerful modality guided by certified experiential therapists who have extensive experience in the field.
The best part about adventure therapies at The Guest House is the fact that you get to experience them on our beautiful 52-acre estate. This setting provides you with the perfect backdrop for deeper healing, growth, and long-lasting recovery success.
The healing power of adventure therapy is vast. Experiential modalities such as ropes courses and equine therapy have been gaining popularity in recent years because of their many benefits and the unique opportunities they bring to recovery. At The Guest House, we offer a wide range of trauma-specific healing modalities, including adventure and equine therapy. Our adventure therapy program contains exciting activities that can expand your horizons, help you build life skills, and foster team growth with peers. Equine therapy allows you to explore a deeper dynamic of relationships with our gentle therapy horses. Learn more about adventure therapy, along with our many other healing modalities, in our trauma-specific program. Call us at (855) 483-7800.