Experiential Therapy in Substance Abuse Treatment Centers
Fifty foot in the air on an open platform the facilitator asks the client what is one of the things in your life that drives you to using? What "thing" is it that is one of the reasons that you do not want to feel? The client thinks about it, answers the question and the then facilitator says leave that here, when you go off this tower, feel the freeing power of letting go of that "thing".
Experiential Learning in the Substance Abuse Treatment field, what makes it more powerful than most other group therapy sessions? I believe the key is in the doing. Humans naturally learn better when they do something. The atmosphere of a challenge course should be one of physical, emotional and social safety. When a group can be vulnerable with each other they can let their defenses down and really begin to discover what their belief system about themselves truly is.
The other aspect that is key in Experiential Therapy is that when doing an activity with the group a persons behavior becomes evident, a person can no longer say, "I don't act like that" or "I don't have that quality" when confronted with the behavior at the moment it is happening. Most times a facilitator or the group does not even have to point out the behavior, the client sees it for themselves, self-actualization in action. The realization does not necessarily have to be a quality that needs improvement, but can be a characteristic that is positive. Courage, persistence, tenacity, good leadership abilities, a desire to be in control, the behavior of saying "I can't" or the multiple ways a clients' thinking can sabotage the entire group. When a client displays these during the activities they cannot deny what happened.
Using Kolbs Experiential Learning Cycle, clients do, talk about and then discuss how what happens is related to real world incidents and how what just happened can be translated into real world experiences.
In my experience this method of learning is powerful.
If you would like to know more about Experiential Therapy Groups or would like to book a group please call Cathi Neal at 214-477-2673 or email her at [email protected]. The program can be designed to fit your centers specific needs.