What is Recreational Therapy
Recreational therapy, also known as therapeutic recreation, utilizes activities to help people with their skills, mental health, physical health, and abilities. These activities can be great tools for people who experience substance use disorder. Recreational therapy can improve someone’s all around quality of life. Recreational therapy activities are tailored specifically to someone’s emotional and mental health needs, along with their interests.
Types of Recreational Therapy
Combined with resources available in your local communities, recreational therapy can often be more than an in house experience. Recreational therapy can include a wide variety of activities for individuals ranging in techniques:
- Arts & Crafts
- Creative Writing
- Gardening
- Dance and movement
- Storytelling
- Drama
- Cooking classes
- Board games
- Video games
- Cultural or community outings
- Yoga
- Exercise
Benefits of Recreational Therapy for Addiction Treatment
The various types of recreational therapy can benefit mental and physical health. Visiting museums or other cultural venues can teach clients a lot about their state of mind, experiences, and communities. Here is how recreational therapy can boost physical and mental health:
Symptoms of Depression:
Research from 2018 shows that music therapy, art therapy, dance, and drama can all have positive effects on depression. Endorphins, positive brain chemicals, are released when these activities are performed. Self-expression, movement, and positive social interactions all can increase endorphins.
Social Connections:
Building social connections is an essential part of recreational therapy. Introducing clients to new activities also introduces them to new social groups aside from their addiction treatment groups. Addiction can be alienating and isolating; socializing through recreational therapy can create brand new friendships that can strengthen the path to recovery.
Physical Wellness:
Recreational therapy can often include physical activities such as dance, yoga, rock climbing, general exercise, and other types of movement. Physical activities for clients in addiction treatment allows them to regain their physical strength, including breath support for those with smoking or nicotine addictions. Furthermore, physical activities can reduce cravings for their substance of choice.
Boosts Self-Esteem:
According to many studies, recreational therapy can also boost a client’s self-esteem! Learning healthy communication, having encouraging social interactions, and prioritizing themselves are all factors that can increase self-esteem. Working with counselors to create a recreational therapy plan centered in their interests, clients are more likely to feel more empowered and confident after performing their desired activities.
Recreational Therapy at Elevate Recovery Centers
At Elevate Recovery Centers, our counselors collaborate with clients to learn about their interests, creating a more successful recreational therapy plan. First, our counselors assess the clients and ask questions: What are their goals? What are their stressors? What is their support system like? What is their current status in addiction and recovery? Next, we strategize to help clients meet their goals, both long term and short term. Our counselors pull from the skills our clients have to cultivate lessons for skills that our clients need to make it through their program. We document their progress along the way to ensure as successful an outcome as possible.
Paired with other recovery tools, recreational therapy is goaled to help clients through their recovery process. Maintaining sobriety comes first and foremost after eliminating usage. Recreational therapy improves a client’s functionality and happiness throughout their recovery journey, providing them with the coping skills needed to make it to tomorrow.
If you or someone you know is looking for help with addiction, please contact us at 443-960-4673.