Experiential Therapies for Treating Trauma

Find Comprehensive Experiential Therapy Options at Changes

It’s easy for the challenges of dealing with trauma to become all-consuming. Experiential therapies for treating trauma are an excellent way to bring a new perspective and give individuals a chance to see new opportunities and interests opening up in life.

Trauma therapy at Changes Healing Center takes on many forms. On this page, we’ll explain what experiential therapies are and how treating traumatic events can be made more effective through the use of this technique.

It’s never too soon to start treating PTSD or Complex PTSD. When you are ready, call Changes directly to learn more.

Examples of Experiential Therapy

It would be impossible to list all of the potential options for experiential therapy. Anything that allows someone to be active, use their hands, and explore their emotions in a new way could fall into this category. Below, we’ve listed some of the many popular options that therapists will use to help their clients move forward.

Art Therapy

Few activities help people express emotions quite like art. For trauma survivors, painful emotions that are hard to get out any other way might be expressed through art projects. It doesn’t particularly matter what type of art is used. Options include painting, drawing, sculpting, and more.

The quality of the art that is created doesn’t matter at all – only what it does to the person on the inside. Many individuals have started with art therapy with the goal of addressing past trauma only to find that it becomes a beloved hobby that is carried on for many years to come.

Music Therapy

The story of music therapy is much the same as it is with art therapy. This is a creative pursuit that allows one to express emotions that have been locked inside for years. Getting started with music therapy can be as simple as listening to quality music compositions.

From there, it might lead to actually playing some music or even composing original songs. The sky’s the limit with this technique. Music has been proven to improve mood and reduce stress. Those are both objectives that can benefit a trauma survivor, so it makes complete sense that this method is used regularly as part of the treatment process.

Adventure Therapy

Another type of experiential therapy worth exploring is known as adventure therapy. This is a technique that involves going on a variety of different adventures – usually outside in inspiring, rugged locations – to build self-esteem and restore an appreciation of the surrounding world.

Many with trauma have low self-esteem and struggle to see themselves in a positive light. That can change rather quickly after overcoming notable physical and mental challenges as part of a big adventure.

There is no limit to what could be included in this category. It might be something like rock climbing where the physical risks are very real – or it could be as simple as a long hike through the forest.

Equine Therapy

Building strong, healthy relationships can be a challenge for people who have gone through trauma. If building human relationships is tough, turning to horses may be advisable. Creating a trusting relationship with a horse is an entirely different experience and won’t come with the baggage that may be connected to past relationships with people.

Equine therapy has proven to be successful for many trauma survivors, and the fresh air and scenery that are often enjoyed while working with horses are a nice bonus. 

Please note that at this time, Changes Healing Center does not offer equine therapy in-house.

Dance Therapy

Dance is one of the most popular forms of self-expression. Emotions and tensions can be released while dancing, whether alone or with others. The physical movement involved with dancing also helps the individual reconnect with their body and the power that it contains.

Along the same lines as art and music therapy, dance therapy is a treatment that can easily become a favorite hobby and something that lasts for a lifetime.

Wilderness Therapy

The power of being out in nature has already come up a couple of times on this page. Getting out of the house or office to explore the natural world is one of the most powerful healers the world has to offer.

This works for everyone, and that’s especially true for those dealing with past traumas. It could take the form of some of the adventures we talked about earlier, or it could mean nothing more than sitting outside in a beautiful place to soak up everything that nature has to offer.

Benefits to Be Enjoyed from Experiential Therapies

There is a lot to like about how experiential therapy can help individuals process traumatic events. We’ve already touched lightly on some of the benefits of this type of treatment above, but let’s take a closer look in this section at three of the biggest advantages of this type of therapy.

Emotional Expression

This is the big one when it comes to experiential therapy. Articulating feelings and fully expressing emotions is a major challenge for many people dealing with trauma. It’s natural to play it safe and hold those emotions close in the aftermath of any type of traumatic event.

The power of experiential therapy is found in how it allows people to open up in a way they may not have been able to otherwise. Instead of sitting in a chair and trying to find the words to say directly to a therapist, the individual can get out their emotions through art, music, or physical activity. Whatever the case, if experiential therapy can help bring out authentic emotions so they can be processed productively, it will have been well worth the effort.

Reduced Anxiety and Stress

People with trauma tend to carry around high levels of anxiety and stress. Not only do those issues take away from the enjoyment of daily life, but they are simply exhausting. It’s hard to let go of those feelings but they need to be addressed in order to set the stage for a better future.

Traditional therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy can do a great job at helping with this by breaking negative patterns of thinking. But experiential therapy can also play a role. Time spent engaging in these therapies will typically bring down stress levels and contribute to positive mental well being.

Enhanced Coping Skills

Coping with the realities of life can be a challenge. It’s particularly hard to cope with the world around you if past traumatic events are making it difficult to regulate your emotions successfully. Even a small thing could wind up being a trigger that causes life to take a turn for the worse.

Experiential therapy can help individuals with a history of trauma develop newfound coping skills. Proper coping skills make it more likely that someone with a past of addiction will avoid relapse and will be able to move past any triggers to find other things to focus on in life.

Get Professional Trauma Treatment Right Away

Everyone dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder or any other type of trauma-related challenges deserves to get help from a licensed, experienced professional. If you or a loved one has been through trauma and have experienced related mental health outcomes, today is the day to make the call and start working toward a brighter future.

Reach out to Changes Healing Center to talk with a member of our friendly team. We’ll go over your needs and start to develop a custom treatment plan.

Trauma survivors will find all of the various psychological therapies they need in the safe and supportive environment of our facility. We appreciate your time and look forward to receiving your call.