The renowned painter Pablo Picasso famously said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” This is also true for individuals who are in recovery. Yes, there are many evidence-based practices that are helpful in recovery, but it is also important to utilize creative healing practices to achieve and maintain well-being. The good news is that there are many effective, creative healing practices for long-term recovery.
Effective Creative Healing Practices for Recovery
Many people utilize modalities like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for recovery. These evidence-based psychotherapies can be highly beneficial and are often foundational to a recovery plan.
Yes, evidence-based recovery is important, but it should rarely be the only form of treatment that one utilizes. You should also use effective and creative healing practices to supplement evidence-based treatments. These are treatments like nature-based and creative-based therapies. These are also helpful because the nature of addiction and mental illness requires a multifaceted recovery.
Better Understanding Addiction and Mental Illness
Millions of people struggle with addiction and mental illness every day. These diseases (and, yes, they are diseases) cause people to become isolated and often take away creative urges. This is why creative healing practices can be so beneficial.
Also, isolation and lack of creativity are only two of the many signs and symptoms of addiction and mental illness. There are many others. The following are just a few:
- Mood swings
- Not being able to stop once starting to drink or use substances
- Struggles with sleep cycles
- Feeling anxious and depressed (especially when sober)
- Trouble at work or school
- Physical ailments like headaches (hangovers), body aches, and gastrointestinal problems
- Feeling hopeless
- Wanting to self-harm or harm others
- Having suicidal ideations
Better Understanding Experiential Therapies
The key to experiential therapy is actually right in its name – it is about experiences rather than straight discussion (though talking with a therapist is often integral). These experiences can be both nature-based and creative, like art therapy.
There are many benefits to nature-based therapies. Nature can, in fact, be very healing. According to the U.S. National Park Service, “5 minutes walking in nature improves mood, self-esteem, and relaxation. Frequent exposure to nature reduces anxiety and depression, while promoting a sense of well-being and fulfillment. Physical activity in a green space can reduce stress and lower cortisol levels by 15%.”
Nature immersion therapy also helps with other aspects of health. According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “Besides improvements to physical and psychological well-being, exposure to natural environments has been shown to bring about positive impacts on cognitive functioning… While cognitive restoration and physiological well-being are the prominent and renowned benefits of nature exposure, there is one important construct that is often overlooked in environmental psychology research studies – that is, the human-nature relationship; also known as connectedness to nature (CN).” There are other therapies that also help us connect with our creative sides.
Creative Art Therapy
Many of us who struggle with addiction and/or mental illness also struggle to enjoy the same activities that we once loved. This is the cunning, baffling, and powerful nature of these diseases. However, creative modalities like art therapy can help reconnect us with those activities that once fulfilled us.
So, what exactly is art therapy? According to the peer-reviewed journal Cureus, “Art therapy is used most commonly to treat mental illnesses and can aid in controlling manifestations correlated with psychosocially challenging behaviours, slowing cognitive decline, and enhancing the quality of life. [It] can help people express themselves more freely, improve their mental health, and improve interpersonal relationships. The basis of art therapy is established on the idea that people can recover and feel better via artistic expression.” There are also ways to be creative in nature by utilizing horticulture therapy.
Helpful Horticulture Therapy
Getting one’s hands dirty while choosing which plants to grow can be highly therapeutic. This is why many recovery centers now offer an experiential therapy known as horticulture therapy.
Horticulture therapy offers a myriad of benefits. According to the peer-reviewed journal Systematic Reviews, “Increasingly, access to green spaces has meaningful therapeutic applications, especially for people with mental health conditions. These therapeutic applications also extend to those with physical conditions who might benefit from the physical activity side, but also might experience emotional and cognitive benefits. The positive aspect of gardening is that it efficiently combines physical with recreational activities, impacting emotional, physical, and social well-being.”
Healing in the Long Term With Lantana Recovery
Here at Lantana Recovery, we believe in long-term success over short-term “fixes.” This is why all of our recovery plans are individualized and comprehensive, with a focus on the future.
If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, then the time to recover is now. You can do this! We can help.
There are many creative healing practices that can be utilized during the recovery process. This includes practices like writing/journaling, music therapy, play therapy, and fine arts like painting, sculpting, and drawing. Experiential therapies like nature immersion therapy and horticulture therapy can also be highly beneficial. If you feel like you or a loved one is struggling with issues of addiction, mental illness, or co-occurring disorders, we can help get you on the right road to long-term recovery right away. You don’t have to go through this process alone. For more information about the benefits of effective and creative healing practices, please reach out to Lantana Recovery today at (866) 997-2870.
