Rehab South Florida is an award-winning recovery facility providing effective and evidence-based treatments that enable patients to succeed dependency to drugs and alcohol. Located in beautiful South Florida and serving as one of the nation’s leading rehabilitation facilities, both local and nationwide patients travel to our facility when intervention for symptom withdrawal and addiction management is needed.

As the facility that has continued to set the standard for patient care and addiction recovery; we provide a host of alternative treatments to help patients overcome addiction. At Rehab South Florida, our multi-faceted recovery approaches encompass an array of alternative therapies that will heal the mind, body, and spirit – this helps patients to cope with the emotions commonly encountered throughout recovery.

Alternative therapy’s stance on addiction is that dependency on drugs or alcohol is a curable, mental illness. Alt-based therapies focus on all aspects surrounding the disease of addiction, not just the symptoms of it. Unfortunately, most rehabilitation centres focus only on treating the symptoms of addiction and not the underlying causes of it. Many times, this will cause the patient’s underlying issues to go untreated; typically resulting in a relapse.

Most individuals suffering from addiction come to us for treatment with issues or mental health problems that they didn’t know existed. High-stress levels, traumatic experiences, and anxiety are common examples of underlying issues that we help patients to manage through alternative therapies. To help patients achieve their full recovery potential we provide a multitude of alternative therapy programs all of which are aimed to address underlying issues that may be surrounding your addiction.

Alternative Therapies help patients to overcome addiction by enabling them to effectively manage withdrawals, urges, and cravings in a healthy and holistic approach.

• One-on-one therapy sessions
• Family therapies
• Support groups
• Music Therapy
• Fitness therapy (yoga)
• Equine therapy (horses)
• Art therapy
• Faith-focused recovery treatments

As you can see, when it comes to alternative therapies, there are a number of programs available. We believe that alt-therapy recovery options are a great way for patients to find peace with themselves while allowing them to explore interests that could lead to new healthy habits and constructive hobbies. Many newcomers to recovery arrive at the notion that rehabilitation will be discomforting, unpleasant, and stressful.

We’d be lying if we said that the transition to sobriety is an entirely symptom-free process. However, when it comes to managing symptoms and undesirable emotions, Rehab South Florida provides relief and a chance for recovery, unlike any other rehabilitation centre. Many of our patients have been able to complete treatment and achieve sobriety thru the use of our treatments and alternative therapy programs – that’s a testament of how committed we are to ensuring patients receive the help they need.

The alternative therapy programs offered here at Rehab South Florida address the many complexities surrounding physical dependency and will provide patients with a supportive and positive residential environment where participation in yoga, meditation, and music therapy can be attended.  We believe that patients should be able to reside in a safe, comfortable, and peaceful environment during their journey to recovery and this is exactly what we provide to patients at our facility.

We strongly believe that addressing and treating both emotional and mental issues is critical to achieving long-term recovery. Rehab South Florida has always provided a dual diagnosis recovery program as it allows our clinical staff to treat multiple issues simultaneously.  Through dual diagnosis, we’re able to treat the addiction and its symptoms while at the same tending to other issues such as depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder.

Alternative treatments for drug or alcohol dependency will use a combination of other recovery practices; not including the 12-step program.  Other avenues of treatments include both family/group therapy and one-on-one counselling.  Through such meetings, patients are provided with an outlet for sharing their experiences or grief in a supportive and understanding setting.

Through offering alternative therapies with a holistic approach, Rehab South Florida enables patients to overcome addiction while helping them to regain control and independence.  We believe that all individuals suffering from dependency should be provided with all of the tools needed in order to combat addiction in a supportive environment and this is exactly what patients at our facility receive. We provide the treatments and clinical experience needed to overcome the difficulties tied to addiction and provide such recovery treatments in a compassionate and understanding approach.

Rehab South Florida’s comprehensive and multi-faceted approach to addiction recovery care is focused on all components of addiction to ensure patients are able to achieve long-term sobriety.  Recovery from addiction requires a strategically created treatment plan that encompasses recovery options that focus on not only the addiction but components that support it.  Through alternative therapies, patients will enjoy having a unique outlet for expressions of emotions and feelings effectively making the journey to sobriety more tolerable and enjoyable.

Whether you choose to participate in music therapy, equine therapy, art therapy, or a faith-based recovery program, the list of recovery options available to patients at Rehab South Florida is extensive. Patient care, comfort, and long-term recovery are the top priorities of our addiction recovery specialists and we accomplish this across the board.

Art therapy sessions at Rehab South Florida are led by experienced professionals that have received extensive training in the practice of “art therapy”. These therapists will help patients through recovery by guiding participants through creating art with the intent to gain insight and awareness about not only yourself but others as well. Creating art is a therapeutic activity that greatly helps patients to heal emotional conflicts and can be a very rewarding experience. Regardless of your artistic abilities, any patient that has an interest in art therapy and believes that they would reap benefits from the program will be able to experience a multitude of benefits.

As defined by the American Art Therapy Association (AATA), art therapy is the therapeutic use of creating art guided by a professional and participated in by those who are experiencing illnesses, trauma, or dependency to drugs or alcohol. Over the years, through creative activities such as painting, drawing, sculpting, or writing, it has been determined that art therapy provides a number of valuable benefits during the recovery process.

Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy and is one of the alternative therapy programs that is offered at Rehab South Florida. In many cases, individuals suffering from drug or alcohol dependency come from environments where drug use is prominent and it is n the situations when their opinions and feelings go unnoticed.  Art therapy will provide patients with an outlet for self-expression in a very unique way; a way that allows participants to let out their feelings and emotions without the use of words.

Those that haven’t been able to benefit from other forms of treatment such as the 12-step program may find peace and comfort in art therapy and at Rehab South Florida we provide such a program in a safe, comfortable, and peaceful environment.

There are many benefits for patients that attend our “art therapy” program which we’ll cover below.

#1 Benefit of Art Therapy – Alternative Communication Approach

During the first days of rehabilitation, patients may find themselves in a bit of a struggle. Let’s not sugarcoat it; communicating with a staff of medical professionals whom of which are strangers that you must share personal details with isn’t always a comfortable experience for “all” patients.  This is one of the many reasons that art therapy is provided as it provides a means of communication for recovering addicts. It’s a second voice. Those who have difficulty with communication will be able to manage emotions and express their feelings through our art therapy program as it helps patients to cope with the recovery process.

#2 Benefit of Art Therapy – Personal Accomplishment & Breakthroughs

Embracing the concept of visual communication during rehabilitation can greatly assist patients as they strive to work through unwanted experiences and emotions. Those that begin to make progress during their recovery typically begin to rediscover themselves and will begin to establish trust with their therapist; both of which are milestones during the recovery journey and are critically important to the ongoing addiction recovery effort.

#3 Benefit of Art Therapy – Self-Reflection and Understanding what’s Occurring

Unfortunately, many of the individuals suffering from addiction have a blurred outlook on what’s actually occurring in their life.  Many believe that their addiction isn’t a problem and that it’s not affecting themselves or those around them.  This can be problematic as having a distorted outlook can prevent the user from seeking treatment and recovery.  During art therapy, one of the activities is “doll making” which is an activity that helps patients to self-reflect on themselves throughout the recovery process.  As patients progress through the program and build a doll, patients have an increased sense of self-esteem, accomplishments, and the ability to reflect on themselves, their addiction, and recovery.

I’m sure at one point in your life, perhaps when you were younger or even up to now; music had or has an impact on your mood and can help to uplift your spirits and outlook on life in times of sadness or depression.  The use of music in a therapeutic approach will directly impact your attitude and ability to cope with the emotions and experiences that are often times experienced during the recovery journey.  Music therapy, for a long time, has been used to help others with learning or developmental disabilities, mental health complications, conditions related to aging, and even chronic pain.  However, it has also long been used to help individuals to recover from addiction to drugs or alcohol.

Rehab South Florida is a comprehensive recovery center; not your everyday treatment facility that believes in providing patients with cookie cutter recovery plans.  We provide patients with individualized treatment plans that encompass the medicated and therapeutic treatments needed by a specific individual.  Many patients find it extremely beneficial to have alternative therapy programs such as “music therapy” available to them as it provides them with an outlet to deter unwanted emotions while enabling them to have an improved mood and outlook on recovery.

It’s no secret that music can change the way one feels.  In fact, music can change someone’s life and with a certified music therapist that’s well-credentialed and experienced in the field of addiction, patients enjoy the comfort of knowing that their care is in the best hands possible.  Many of the patients that attend our facility and participate in one of the alternative therapy programs successfully complete addiction to lead a life that’s free of substance dependency.  Part of this is due to the fact that we provide numerous alt-therapy programs available each of which providing patients with a unique set of core benefits that helps to ease the process of recovery.

Patients in the music therapy program will participate in numerous activities and receive multiple benefits such as:

• • • Writing your own music. Through composing music of your own, you’ll be able to express your creativity, stimulate the mind, and improve your self-esteem. Writing music is a solace and therapeutic activity and many of our patients derive great pleasure out of our rehab music therapy program.
    • Participating in “Improv” sessions with the use of music instruments. During “Improv”, patients will be able to creatively freestyle their musical play using an instrument of their choosing. Improving is an excellent cognitive exercise and allows you to be highly creative. Combined, it makes for a very pleasurable and therapeutic activity and will help you to keep your mind busy and active.
    • Guided meditations through the use of music has been proven through studies to be effective in helping individuals to overcome internal and emotional conflict and can help to ease anxiety, depression, and symptoms of withdrawals. Meditation in music therapy is also an affective measure to take when addressing anger management.
    • Assessing and analyzing lyrics in your most favorite songs. Listening to music, in and of itself can provide a host of therapeutic benefits. However, breaking down your most favorite songs, dissecting the lyrics, and comprehending the true meaning behind the vocals is a therapeutic activity and will provide you with a deeper understanding of the music. Such an activity can help you to develop the skillset needed to understand the many facets of life and your addiction and will help to enable patients to break down what’s going on in their own life’s. Creating a deeper understanding of your life is an important component to overcoming addiction and this is one activity in music therapy that we conduct with participants in the program.
    • Being able to reduce both pain and depression while easing symptoms of anxiety and withdrawals (in a holistic approach).li>
    • Being able to improve your emotional mood. Many patients who come in for rehabilitation aren’t always in the greatest of moods or in the ideal mental state. Music therapy has shown to be an effective program for mood stabilization and depression management.li>
    • Improve creative abilities while providing an avenue for self-expression.

Equine Therapy is an alternative therapy option available to patients at our facility that helps patients to manage emotions and unwanted feelings through interaction with horses.

Some equine therapy activities include grooming horses, feeding, or in some cases, riding them.  Equine therapy sessions are led and supervised by a credentialed health professional usually in conjunction with an experienced professional that works with horses.  During the therapy, the equine therapist will assess any changes in the patient’s emotions or actions to identify any changes in behavioral patterns.

The purpose of equine therapy is to help patients build certain attributes and much-needed skills, such as accountability, self-confidence, responsibility, self-control, and problem solving abilities.

How does Equine Therapy benefit my efforts in recovering from addiction?

First and foremost, recovering from dependency to drugs or alcohol for the long-term will require more than just medicated treatment.  Patients longing for life-long sobriety should be encouraged and motivated to work on building skill sets and attributes that can be used for long after recovery.  Establishing attributes will help you to manage emotions and triggers as you transition back into society as a responsible and contributing citizen.

Studies on equine therapy have been conducted and while it’s continually being researched and learned about, medical professionals have determined that Equine Therapy helps recovering addicts to show improvements in the following areas:

• Assertiveness
• Emotional awareness
• Empathy
• Stress tolerance
• Flexibility
• Impulse control
• Problem-solving skills
• Self-actualization
• Independence
• Self-regard
• Social responsibility
• Interpersonal relationships

For individuals wanting to recover from addiction that come from a spiritual family or household than the faith-based recovery program is an option you’ll certainly want to consider.  Rehab South Florida provides a spiritual based, Christian alternative rehab program which provides the same structure of therapy as other programs but with a spiritual framework.  The premise of the faith-based recovery program is that all people should be given a second chance and that we all deserve forgiveness.  The belief that anything can be accomplished through trust and faith in God is what helps patients in this program to develop the strength and skills needed to successfully combat addiction.

We’re a caring and compassionate Florida rehab facility that understands the many components of addiction.  In a non-judgmental, compassionate, and peaceful environment, patients are provided with the privacy and care needed to take the first steps towards long-term sobriety. In our faith-based program, unconditional love and care is promoted and provided to all patients to help them through this life-changing transition.

Have you become distanced from Spiritual activities or church? This could be a sign…

Aside from the emotional and physical symptoms that one experiences during drug or alcohol abuse, there are spiritual signs that signify that an individual has become dependent.  For example, if you’ve found yourself becoming more distanced from your faith and aren’t reading the bible or praying as much you may be struggling with addiction.  If you’re visiting church less and less and aren’t involving yourself in bible study groups like you once were, you may want to step back for a moment to understand what’s happening in your life.

Benefits of Attending a Christian Rehab Program:

• Christian-centered care– Patients will enjoy learning about and practicing the core values of Christianity and will work to develop a meaningful relationship with Christ. The Christian alternative therapy program at Rehab South Florida is an excellent program for individuals wanting to share their recovery experience with others that share the same devotion to leading a Christ and sober-centered life.
• Christian-based recovery support– While we work with patients to overcome addiction and behavioral issues, in our Christian-base therapy program, patients will be able to grow spiritually to develop a strong relationship with Christ.
• Christian Instructors– The journey between addiction and recovery can be difficult but is easier to accomplish with the guidance and influence from a Christian mentor that shares the same beliefs and values as you. Christian mentors serve as a powerful and positive role-model and will provide you with recovery support and coaching to help you grow spiritually while recovering.
• Healing through Christ– Patients in this program will continually be reminded about the love and forgiveness that Christ has for them on a daily basis. Patients are often reminded that Jesus Christ offers us all unconditional love and devotion which helps to provide solace and peace to those recovering.

Typically, when individuals following the Christian faith fall into the life of addiction there is a tremendous amount of guilt that follows closely behind.  This “guilt” usually leads to the individual becoming disinterested in any religious activities or functions as it’s a reminder of how disconnected they’ve become with God.  During addiction, drugs or alcohol becomes the focal point of the Christians life and needless to say can be difficult to live with.  This can cause the addict to become isolated due to the feeling of not being able to connect with other friends or family that attends church.

Rehab South Florida’s faith-based alternative therapy program promotes the core values and ideals of Christianity and allows patients to adjust to sobriety in a safe and drug-substance-free environment.

Long-term use and abuse of drug or alcohol takes a toll on the body and many times will cause individuals to become malnourished which is often times accompanied by poor health and irregular meal intake routines.  The health of an individual, before recovery, needs to be assessed and treated as your physical health is vital to your ability to health mentally and emotionally.

At Rehab South Florida, patients are provided with a fitness area and a nutritional therapist that will assist you in creating both an exercise and diet plan to restore the vital nutrients and vitamins back to your body.  Studies show that healthy dieting and regular exercising correlates to a decrease in withdrawal symptoms stemming from the recovery process of drug or alcohol dependency.  Furthermore, involving yourself in physical activities is an excellent hobby that promotes good health and well-being.

A weak and malnourished body is not prepared for long-term recovery although a fitness alternative therapy program can provide patients with the revival needed for effective treatment. Both fitness and dieting are crucial components of a successful recovery as it’s the process of rebuilding your physical health while concurrently treating addiction.

Aside from the many mental and physical health benefits tied to exercising, our alternative fitness therapy program will help patients to feel great about them and will allow them to be hopeful throughout recovery.  Many patients at Rehab South Florida that choose to join fitness therapy usually feel better than they’ve ever felt in years.  This provides patients with a sense of accomplishment and pride that will remain with them for long after treatment.

Benefits of alternative fitness therapy in rehab:

• By engaging in regular exercise activities, patients have a healthy and effective outlet to relieve both stress and anxiety.
• Physical workouts help to heal the mind and body making therapy just as enjoyable as it is impactful.
• Consistent involvement in physical activities will help patients to overcome addiction and is an essential component to leading a drug- and alcohol-free lifestyle.
• Regularly engaging in physical workouts has been shown through studies to help individuals avoid a relapse.
• Getting in the habit of regular working out routines is a great way for patient to manage their time during recovery and will provide them with the energy and sense of accomplishment needed to manage the transition to sobriety.

Rehab South Florida creates recovery plans through the fitness program that are unique to each patient.  In the same way that are therapies are designed, alternative therapy fitness plans take in to consideration the individual needs of each recovering addict.  This is done to accommodate patient comfort levels, interests, and recovery needs. Instead of focusing on a standardized, one-size-fits-all approach, our Director of Fitness will work closely with patients on a one-on-one basis to help create a diet and/or fitness plan that works best for you.

During fitness therapy patients can expect to be both physically and emotionally challenged; helping the patients to build the skillsets needed to achieve and maintain a substance-free lifestyle after treatment.

Psychodrama is a creative and active alternative therapeutic program that makes use of both role playing and drama under the guidance of an instructor which helps patients to work through issues.  Initially founded by a man named Dr. Jacob Moreno, the psychodrama treatment approach can be an effective form of treatment in both individual and group settings (known as socio drama).

Patients at Rehab South Florida that participate in our alternative psychodrama therapy program will reenact experiences or scenes in which they’ve experienced in their life.  Such experiences that patients may reenact include dreams, past events, and preparations for future plans.  In group settings, other patients may play the role of persons in the story of others which helps to provide support and helps beliefs and issues of the patient to emerge.

Begin your journey to recovery today with Alternative Therapies

Don’t fight addiction alone when helps is only a phone call away!  We’re a compassionate-based rehabilitation center that thoroughly understands the complexities surrounding addiction.  If you or a family member is in need of recovery center that can provide effective treatments and evidence-based alternative therapy programs than contact our facility today to learn more about admissions and what we offer.

Below you’ll find a few ways you can reach us. Our center is open 24/7, 365 days a year and there is always a helpful staff member available to talk.

Typically, during Psychodrama therapy sessions, there are three phases.  These phases include the warm-up, an actionable phase, and the phase of “sharing”.  Commonly lasting for a period of 90 minutes to 2 hours, psychodrama will help patients to focus on previous issues, current challenges, and possibilities for future change.