Psychotherapy (talk therapy) is typically a central component of mental health treatment. To complement this approach and provide additional opportunities for patients to heal, many centers also offer experiential therapeutic activities for adults.
What Are Therapeutic Activities?
Therapeutic activities, which are often referred to as experiential therapies, are more action-oriented than traditional individual, group, or family sessions. Most involve some type of physical movement, many require participants to interact with others, and several are focused on creative expression.
In addition to helping patients to make progress toward their treatment goals, therapeutic activities for adults can also empower them to reconnect with innate talents and develop new skills.
List of Therapeutic Activities for Adults
Some therapeutic activities require the guidance and supervision of a trained mental health professional, while others can easily be incorporated into a person’s daily life without ongoing oversight.
Therapeutic Activities During Treatment
Making art, dancing, acting, and associating with animals are common activities for many people. But when they are provided within the context of a comprehensive treatment program, and performed with the guidance and supervision of a trained therapist, they can help people take significant steps toward improved mental health.
- Art therapy: This therapeutic activity can use drawing, painting, sculpture, collage, and other artistic outlets to help people process their experiences and express their emotions. With the guidance of a trained professional, art therapy participants may address issues or concerns that they have previously struggled to put into words. Sessions are usually followed discussions, during which participants can talk about what they were thinking and feeling while they were making art.
- Dance/movement therapy: Dance/movement is often grouped with art and music therapy under the general term “expressive arts therapy.” As with art and music, dance/movement therapy gives participants another way to articulate their thoughts and feelings, while also reinforcing the mind/body connection.
- Animal-assisted therapy (AAT): Two of the most common types of animal-assisted therapy involve horses (equine-assisted therapy) and dogs (canine-assisted therapy), though many other animals can be included in this type of therapeutic activity. During AAT sessions, participants often interact with the animals while being observed by a trained professional. Since animals are often sensitive to human emotions such as compassion, fear, and aggression, their reactions can be sources of vital feedback. At the end of the session, the participants can review their experience with the professional who led the activity.
- Role-playing/psychodrama: Whether scripted, improvised, or a combination of the two, role-playing and psychodrama sessions are safe spaces where participants can work through conflicts or other difficult experiences. Taking part in this type of therapeutic activity can help people view their challenges from a different perspective, and develop healthier ways of responding if they find themselves in a similar situation in the future.
Therapeutic Activities at Home
The four therapeutic activities listed below can help you maintain and build on the progress you made in treatment. They can also be valuable to you if you’ve never been in a treatment program, and are looking for ways to manage stress and protect their mental health:
- Journaling: Journaling involves setting aside a few minutes every day to write about what you’ve been doing, thinking, and feeling. A journal can be a safe space to express your hopes and dreams, explore your fears, or simply record how you’ve been spending your time. There’s no right or wrong way to journal – your goal should simply be to find the format that’s most comfortable for you.
- Meditation: As with journaling, meditation can take many forms, such as mindfulness meditation, guided meditation, singing bowl meditation, and walking meditation. You can meditate on your own, attend in-person group sessions, or join with others online. It can be helpful to learn about the techniques and histories of various types of meditation, then explore your options by trying the ones that are most interesting to you.
- Breathwork: Breathwork is a general term that encompasses a variety of therapeutic activities, all of which involve taking purposeful control of your breathing. Some meditation practices incorporate breathwork, but you can benefit from various breathwork techniques without committing to a specific meditation practice.
- Yoga: This therapeutic activity promotes mindfulness and self-awareness while also emphasizing the interconnectedness of the mind, body, and spirit. Yoga sessions involve holding certain poses (which practitioners typically refer to as asanas) and making smooth, flowing transitions from one pose to another. Though advanced practices can be quite challenging, yoga is an adaptable activity that can be easily modified to benefit all people, regardless of body size, strength level, or mobility limitations.
Benefits of Practicing Therapeutic Activities
The specific benefits that a person receives from the types of activities we’ve discussed in this post can depend on a range of factors, including what types of symptoms they have been dealing with and which activity they are engaging in.
In general, though, the many potential benefits of interactive or experiential therapies include:
- Learning new ways to express your thoughts and feelings
- Reinforcing the connection between your mind and your body
- Viewing current or past challenges from a different perspective
- Replacing self-defeating behaviors with healthier ways of acting
- Experiencing relief from certain mental health symptoms
- Becoming more effective at managing stress and resolving conflicts
- Discovering or reconnecting with inherent skills and talents
- Finding enjoyable activities that you can add to your life
Contact Us About Our Therapeutic Activities for Adults at Montare
Montare Behavioral Health offers comprehensive, personalized mental health treatment at several locations in California and Arizona. Our dynamic array of services includes several experiential therapeutic activities, all of which are provided by experienced professionals within a safe and highly supportive environment.
To learn more or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact page or call us today.
Published: 12/04/2024
