Utilizing many different types of therapy for your daughter’s recovery can create a greater chance of long-term success. A whole-person approach that addresses the body, mind, and spirit is important during treatment. Clearview allows girls a chance to explore different types of therapeutic modalities during their time in our program. Students who stay with us benefit from the beauty of the outdoors that is provided by our location in the northwest corner of Montana. During the winter, students enjoy skiing and outside time on the slopes of Schweitzer Mountain. Additionally, our summer trips to Lake Pend Oreille help girls to engage in physical activity in recovery and enjoy recreation while doing therapeutic work.
Being involved in nature and engaging in physical activity will help your daughter be more in touch with her body. Working on her physical movement and activity also provides an outlet for energy or emotional turmoil that she may feel while going through the struggles of recovery. Replacing addictions and unhealthy coping skills with physical activity and outdoor experiences will create a healthier focus in her life. Gaining control and having fun in nature will also help her make therapeutic progress. These activities can also instill in her a sense of love and admiration for the natural world that surrounds her.
Importance of Outdoor Therapy
A study published in Frontiers in Public Health explains the benefits of outdoor therapy. “Research to date has shown that nature exposure can provide a wide range of mental health benefits, related to attention and cognition, memory, stress and anxiety, sleep, emotional stability, and self-perceived welfare or quality of life.” Engaging in nature and being outside can help teenagers, especially those who are struggling, to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness practices are beneficial skills to gain along the mental health journey.
Being mindful allows our students to become more in touch with themselves. It also helps them better manage their emotions and thoughts as they arise. Nature can help engage the more mindful part of the brain by providing an exploration for the senses. Being outdoors is both healthy for the physical body and the mind. Girls begin to engage with the world around them instead of only struggling within themselves.
Importance of Physical Activity in Recovery
Physical activity is incredibly important for both the body and mind. Director Paul Reed, MD states on health.gov that physical activity’s benefits for mental health “include improved brain health and cognitive function (the ability to think, if you will), a reduced risk of anxiety and depression, and improved sleep and overall quality of life.” Exercising and using the body, even if not intensive exercise, can relieve stress and engage the mind. As sleep is improved, this will help the body to be healthier overall, which will provide a good base for mental healing.
At Clearview Horizon Girls Academy, we prioritize treating and working with the whole person. This approach includes therapeutic modalities for the mind as well as athletic outlets to help growing teenagers release excess energy. Physical activity helps girls become ready to engage with recovery and put forth the work it requires.
We believe that being mentally healthy can start with the body. Giving the body adequate movement and sleep will affect mental processing and emotions. When girls can engage with the world around them by moving their bodies, this also gives them different skills that can be applied on their journey to recovery.
Gaining Skills From Outdoor Therapy and Physical Activity in Recovery
Physical activity helps teens to learn skills that can be applied in many other areas. The control and release they may feel from physical activity can help their mental health and recovery journey. Gaining better control of their thoughts as they practice mindfulness will facilitate a better response to therapy. It will also allow for a release from the emotional turmoil they may be trying to relieve. The skills and applications of physical activity can be useful in dealing with addiction and mental health issues. The discipline and strength in yourself that can result from being in nature and physical activity will apply to many areas of life.
Gaining Confidence
One attribute that physical activity can help with is gaining confidence. As our students complete physical tasks and see what they can do physically, this encourages them to strive for success in all areas of their lives. Gaining confidence can give girls the means to take control of their lives and their recovery.
Strengthening Problem Solving
Physical activity also encourages problem solving and strengthens cognitive thinking skills. While exercising and participating in physical activity during recovery, girls are often presented with tactile ways to solve problems. They advance their problem-solving skills, which also helps to reinforce the good-decision-making parts of the brain (the prefrontal cortex). As girls gain physical mastery, they will begin to apply these gains in other areas of their lives.
Choosing a care program can feel overwhelming, but it is important to find somewhere that will treat your daughter holistically. Treating mental health issues and addiction involve caring for mental and emotional health as well as the body. Being in nature allows teens to engage with the world around them and practice mindfulness. Engaging in physical activity also enhances many of the other skills they’re learning. These skills can be applied in every area of their ongoing recovery. Learning physical skills and exploring new activities can also foster long-term successes with recovery. If you’re interested in hearing more about how nature and physical activity can benefit your daughter, get in touch with Clearview at 866-584-4788.
