This is the second of two articles listing holistic ways for teens to heal. Healing can be for physical pain, emotional pain, or psychological pain , such as addiction, depression, or anxiety. The first article provided the first 7 alternative methods that are being used more and more often in teen residential treatment centers. The following continues that list with the remaining 7 alternative methods that teens might appreciate learning about.
Homeopathy is a non-toxic use of highly diluted remedies that are used to treat illnesses. They are considered to stimulate a person’s bodily system in a way that allows them to deal with stress and illness more efficiently. They can be useful during an individual’s road to sober living and during their withdrawal periods.
Hypnosis is a state of deep attention, which is induced by a therapist. The mind is highly receptive to suggestion and therefore can be used to help a person reach their goal for living sober.
Ideal Model Imagery is a treatment modality in which the clinician asks a client to imagine what it would be like in an ideal situation. For example, an intervention might be, “Imagine what your life would be like if you were not struggling with addiction?” or “Imagine what circumstances and situations you would find yourself in if you were not early in your recovery.”
Journaling can be a healing practice for those striving for sober living. By sitting in a designated place each week or each day write down your experiences, writing can become a healing practice. Really, it’s not the writing that is healing; instead, it is the relationship that you build with yourself as a result of having a writing practice. As you, another part of you is listening and offering compassion.
Meditation is a very calming practice that can also produce healing experiences. Although meditation might be difficult at first, the challenge at the beginning is worth the rewards. By sharpening one’s focus, the heart can open and healing can take place.
Pet Therapy is a new and growing field called Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT). It is a goal-directed intervention therapy that involves the use of an animal. A trained dog, for instance, is incorporated into the treatment plan as an essential part of an individual’s sober living recovery.
Yoga is a form of exercise which invites an integrated experience of body and mind. Its healing effects can be experienced immediately as well as over time. yoga in drug addiction treatment recognizes that most addicts tend to harm their bodies through drugs and alcohol because they don’t feel comfortable in their skin. They have feelings buried deeply inward that the use of drug keeps in place. Yet, yoga connects the body and mind. It’s an opportunity to change the need to bury feelings by tending to the needs of the body through mindful movements.
This article and the previous one provided some of the alternative ways that have been more recently included to treat teens, depending on their needs. However, this information is meant to be for adolescents who are curious about the various forms of healing that are available to them. For the most part, in the past, when you were sick, you’d go to an allopathic doctor. Yet, now there are a variety of options for healing. Perhaps a teen might consider these methods in the future.
