The Use of Art and Music Therapy in Substance Abuse Treatment Programs PMC

Our men’s and women’s programs provide inpatient and outpatient support for addiction recovery. With medically assisted detox programs, trauma-informed therapy, and comprehensive insurance programs, we’re ready to provide the long-term help people need. At San Antonio Recovery Center, we combine holistic and evidence-based treatments for comprehensive recovery.

During your Recovery process, breaking free of thoughts and actions that are self-destructive should be one of the main priorities of your rehabilitation program, but addiction to drugs or alcohol is a very individual experience. That’s why your comprehensive treatment can and should include complementary therapies, which can help you address the root causes that triggered your addiction. At Pine Grove, we offer various programs and services to adults struggling with substance use disorders. We know that addiction is an illness, not a moral failing, and we are here to help you break the cycle of self-destructive behavior with accredited, evidence-based treatment. Since denial is characteristic of addiction, you might have lost touch with your true self during the time when your primary relationship was with drugs or alcohol. Art therapy for addiction can be an intensely reflective process, as you draw, paint or sculpt the progress you make throughout your recovery.

Drawing A Life Timeline

Just 3.3% of programs offered hypnotherapy and 8% offered acupuncture to their patients. The small number of programs using the latter two forms of alternative therapies precluded further multivariate analyses. The mean for percent female patients and percent adolescent patients was 34.9% and 10.8%, respectively. Turning to the other types of treatments offered, 42.5% of programs used medication-assisted treatment, almost half (47.8%) used MET, and 39.1% used CM.

An art therapy session is much more nuanced than what many people may have experienced in an arts and crafts class. Clients learn how to “stay in the now” and process their feelings (positive and negative) without the use of alcohol or other drugs. They are safe to explore difficult thoughts and challenging emotions, make important connections between those thoughts and emotions, and develop healthier coping skills. The use of creative https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/how-art-therapy-can-help-in-addiction-recovery/ art therapy programs by art therapists in their sessions allows patients to learn more about themselves and identify areas in need of growth. The feelings of guilt, blame, denial, depression, and obsession fall into the background, presenting the opportunity to live “in the now” and understand that substances are not the only means to peace or joy. Societal pressures for perfection can make it hard for people to express themselves.

Art Therapy as It Is Used in Treating SUD

By allowing individuals to express their emotions through creative means such as painting or playing an instrument, they can better understand and process their feelings. In turn, this helps them build the skills necessary to cope with triggers and difficult times in a healthy way. Additionally, these therapies offer an alternative to traditional talk therapy, which may not work for everyone. Art therapy has become an increasingly popular treatment for those struggling with addiction.

San Francisco Bay Area residents who are struggling with addiction can find guidance and support at Silicon Valley Recovery. The center offers a variety of drug and alcohol support groups, including 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. There are many different art therapy programs that therapists can use at any stage throughout the healing process — from children up through adulthood.

Support Hotlines

The emotional breakthroughs that participants experience during art therapy can play an important role in their long-term recovery. Rather, it is grounded in the knowledge of human development, psychological theories, and counseling techniques. Research consistently demonstrates that no single treatment approach is perfect for everyone and rehabilitation plans need to be continually adapted to meet each person’s unique needs. Frequently, the best approach is a variety of approaches, and many rehabilitation centers offer both traditional and expressive therapies.

Plum Creek Recovery Ranch offers comprehensive treatment options, including art therapy, facilitated by our caring team of masters-level clinicians. Click here to contact one of our caring Admissions Counselors for a free and anonymous assessment. Here, clients are asked to create a picture that illustrates all the barriers that are in their way of making the changes necessary for recovery. This exercise is also based on the ‘Stages of Change’ model, which is part of the evidence-based motivational interviewing treatment modality. However, the Barriers to Recovery exercise helps clients move from the contemplation stage into the preparation stage. Addiction impacts many parts of a person’s life, and it can be difficult to remember who you truly are when you’re facing the disease.

Begin Your Personal

Participating in the arts allows trauma survivors to release pent-up emotions, learn new coping skills, and process their experiences in new ways. While definitive research is still being conducted, many people have benefited from art and music therapy. Most experts agree that using these therapies to supplement traditional treatment yields the best results. There is evidence that both of these therapies can assist people struggling with drug and alcohol addictions, smoking, and even eating disorders. Our art therapy treatment method facilitates self-expression and serves as an emotional outlet for people who don’t, or can’t, verbally express their feelings or emotions. In this program, we encourage our patients to tap into their creative sides and discover new aspects of themselves.

Silicon Valley Recovery’s professionally designed programs balance physical recovery and mental health with access to resources that help people confront their behaviors without being harshly judged or mistreated. Sometimes, we’re at a loss for words and can’t seem to think of the right thing to say. It can be difficult to put your thoughts and feelings in order during your addiction treatment. Whether you enjoy the simple pleasure of strolling through a gallery or you like to get hands-on and create it yourself, art can be relaxing and inspiring. Many people loved to draw, color and paint as children, but outgrew the hobby as they got older.

Gives You a New, Healthy Hobby

Art and music therapy can be used to treat a variety of mental and emotional disorders, including eating disorders, addiction, PTSD, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. In cases of addictions or obsessions and compulsions, participants can heal through doing healthy repetitive activity with a healthy focus like meditation to find peace or joy. Lastly, participants can feel empowered by being in control of emotions and their connection to trauma. This allows them to feel pride in making something meaningful and creating a different connection with their trauma or pain. If you would like to learn more about our expressive arts program or one of our other treatment modalities, we invite you to contact us today or schedule your appointment at our Tampa-based treatment facility.

• Alongside our standard alcohol and drug treatment programs, this unique and creative approach to recovery can help patients heal emotionally while they heal physically.
• The goal is to give the patient an outlet to express themselves in a new way—a simpler way.
• There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data.
• As you may have guessed from reading the title of this article, art therapy is a form of therapy that involves using art to help individuals express themselves.
• With medically assisted detox programs, trauma-informed therapy, and comprehensive insurance programs, we’re ready to provide the long-term help people need.

There is a lack of nationally representative data addressing the organizational settings of art and music therapy. In the current study, we assess the utilization and organizational correlates of art and music therapies in a national sample of SUD treatment centers by addressing three specific aims. First, we document the prevalence of both types of therapies in SUD treatment programs. Second, we examine the association between the use of art and music therapy and patient populations in a treatment program. Finally, we highlight the relationship between the use of EBPs and implementation of art and music therapies in the treatment center.