Jumping in with Both Feet
Experiential Therapy
Some clients that pass through our doors are leary of doing new things. But through encouragement from the staff and other clients, we help them to take the courageous first step. It is amazing to see a client step into the ocean for the first time, pick up a golf club, or even just look out into the scenery on a hike. Seeing their thoughts and worries being redirected - for the first time in a long time - reminds us of the incredible gifts that can be gained by ‘jumping in’.
Realizing that many treatment centers are rigid and tend not to be client-focused, Coastline Behavioral Health has created a model that focuses on the importance of each client’s personal treatment plan and a 12-step program. Our purpose is to maintain a high accountability program that came from the heart. Meaning that the intention is not to ridicule or break people down, but to help bring to light the things that are happening in their lives that enabled their addiction.
There can be no growth without change. It is important for clients to be pushed outside of their comfort zone into situations that help them to better understand the severity of their disease and the need to live sober.
This is why the Coastline program is focused around Experiential Therapy. Sitting in a group room for eight hours a day getting drilled with information can be difficult and meaningless, causing some people to become unenthused and distracted from sobriety. Most addicts think that sobriety is “the end of fun” and that living sober is boring and uneventful. We want to shift that perception and show clients that the same feelings of comfort and ease they felt from drugs and alcohol can be achieved through experiences with a brotherhood/sisterhood. All of our activities are designed to create a sense of commitment and personal growth.
The primary goals are to connect physical health with mental health, establish and improve teamwork and communication skills, and foster accountability and discipline among peers. Our groups are designed to challenge and empower our clients. It is our job to guide and support clients as they develop skills that will aid them in recovery as well as in their life. Our end-goal it to establish a network of leaders that can collectively overcome any obstacle.
When it comes to treating addiction, we take a multifaceted approach with Experiential. We work on training the physical body, training the mind, and building healthy relationships within our community. While these things are uniquely important on their own, when we combine them, we begin to truly learn, heal and grow. We learn that the food we eat affects the hormones our body produces, which in turn affects the way we think and feel. We learn that what we do with our physical bodies also has the same effect. We learn that, as human beings, we are not perfect.
Only with a clear mind can we see our flaws as they truly are, then learn how to adapt and overcome them. We learn how to interact and support one another in this process.
Our approach of experiential therapy is action-based and adventurous. We choose activities that are exciting and stimulating, as they require more focus and will keep you better engaged. As clients experience failure and success in these sessions, we create a safe environment for clients to explore their thoughts and emotions related to the activity. We process the experience, addressing how these emotions and thought patterns affected your decision-making in the past, including the role they played in the addiction. We address how patterned thoughts and feelings today have an impact on the progress we hope to make for a better tomorrow.