As the name indicates, experiential therapy involves interactive, action-oriented techniques. As opposed to traditional talk therapy, experiential therapy allows young people to be in the moment and process emotions through movement, creative expression, and other body-based experiences. As a result, experiential therapy is particularly beneficial for teens who don’t do well with talk therapy.
Experiential modalities give teens ways to address trauma and pain through doing, feeling, and relating, not just through thinking and talking. These approaches directly impact the teen brain and nervous system. Experiential therapies at Newport (depending on location) include Mixed Martial Arts, visual art, music, yoga and meditation, Adventure Therapy, and Equine Therapy, as well as gardening, horticulture, and culinary therapy.
Key Takeaways
- Experiential therapy provides a safe space in which teens can overcome challenges and build teamwork.
- Evidence-based experiential modalities include art therapy, music therapy, mixed martial arts, adventure therapy, and more.
- These modalities can be a powerful part of an integrated treatment approach, alongside clinical therapy and medication management.
- All teen treatment plans at Newport Academy include various types of experiential therapy.
History of Teen Experiential Theory
Based on Gestalt therapy, in which experiences are favored over language, experiential therapy is founded in the idea that we can’t simply think ourselves out of suffering. Thus, experiential therapy is often useful in the treatment of teen depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, and various types of behavioral addictions.
With the guidance of a therapist trained in experiential therapy, a person explores feelings of trauma, anger, hurt, or shame. Moreover, they can uncover past experiences and then process the pain through tools acquired in experiential learning. Hence, individuals experience change directly as opposed to merely trying to think themselves beyond pain.
These approaches can effect great change. They require teens interact with their environment and others. Within a safe, therapeutic setting, old habits and behaviors come to light and are resolved.
Experiential Modalities at Newport Academy
At Newport, each teen’s individualized treatment plan includes a variety of experiential modalities, including the following:
Yoga and Meditation
Certified yoga instructors facilitate our Yoga Program, which includes mindful movement and meditation in a supportive group setting. Practicing yoga moves teens out of the sympathetic nervous system (“fight or flight”) and into the parasympathetic nervous system (“rest and digest”) system.
Equine-Assisted Therapy
Equine-Assisted Learning supports caring and nurturing behaviors. Through horse-based activities, teens gain confidence, build trust, and form healthier boundaries. Moreover, learning how to work with and take care of a horse, with the guidance of an equine therapist, helps clients practice empathy and develop authentic connections.
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Music Therapy
Teens learn to acknowledge and express their deep-rooted emotions as they make and listen to music. Music not only releases negative emotions, it also creates positive emotions. Furthermore, research done with depressed adolescents showed that sound therapy shifted their brain activity and levels of cortisol (the “stress hormone”).
Adventure Therapy
Adventure Therapy includes rock climbing, paddle boarding, surfing, hiking, ropes courses, and kayaking. While developing new skills, teens gain confidence and learn to have fun. Adventure Therapy works by allowing teens to venture outside their comfort zones. Mastering new challenges in a collaborative environment boosts adolescents’ self-esteem and social skills.
Art Therapy
Art therapy can be particularly effective with teenagers who tend to view art-making activities as a nonthreatening form of clinical treatment. Teens tend to be attracted to making symbols and graphic images. Consequently, they often enjoy expressing meaning in nonverbal ways. Through this visual expression, an art therapist gains insight into the challenges a teenager faces, particularly situations that feel taboo or too embarrassing for words.
Fitness Activity
Healthy exercise is a fundamental part of our teen therapy and treatment. Teens learn basic fitness skills that they can use as positive coping methods throughout their lives.
Horticulture Therapy
Students build and tend gardens together. In addition, they bring plants to life through proper care. Tending seeds and plants instills a sense of nurturing.
Martial Arts Group
Martial Arts sessions provide opportunities to work through mental challenges via a physical outlet. Furthermore, this activity offers a new lens to help teens understand and heal from mental health issues.
Culinary Arts
Our Executive Chefs, registered dietitians, and clinical nutritionists lead groups in culinary creativity and teach self-care and self-sufficiency through nutrition.
Community Service
The integration of community service and volunteer work is powerful. This work facilitates change and builds teen self-esteem. Helping others is proven to have mental health benefits.
What Treatment at Newport Includes
In addition to experiential therapy, teens in Newport Academy residential and outpatient treatment programs receive:
- Individual, group, and family therapy
- Healthy coping skills for dealing with their specific stressors and challenges
- A team of clinicians who specialize in adolescent mental health
- Support in building self-esteem and self-worth
- Individualized instruction to support teens to stay on track with academic goals
- A robust alumni program to help them stay connected after discharge
Start the healing journey today: Contact us for a free teen mental health assessment.
