At The Bridge, we treat every client as an individual, and see beyond their addiction, to get to the very root of that person. That’s because, only by truly understanding our clients, can we help them comprehend why they developed their addiction and what habits, behaviours and thoughts have been trapping them into this spiral of drinking, taking drugs or gambling and the shame and damage that this causes.
We are so much more than our addiction, and everything about us must be taken into consideration if we are going to find the right solutions for a long-term recovery.
This is why we are such passionate advocates of holistic rehab. In this article, we’re going to be drilling down further into the holistic approach to rehabilitation, what it means in practice and why we believe it’s so powerful.
What is the meaning of holistic rehab?
Holistic is a word with two meanings, both of which we integrate into our addiction treatment programmes.
Treating the whole person and not simply the behaviours or symptoms of the addiction, is a holistic approach to rehabilitation, which we apply.
Holistic has also been appropriated to mean alternative and applied to non-medical treatments and therapies, which combine body and mind.
Taking a whole person approach and combining traditional addiction recovery treatments with more alternative holistic therapies is really powerful. It’s an approach which makes our clients feel seen, heard and appreciated for who they are, beyond their addiction. It also gives them highly effective tools to apply to their recovery over the long-term.
It’s something we are passionate about and why we go beyond simply therapy and the 12 steps, to make our clients feel stronger, more resilient, more calm and better able to deal with stress and temptations out in the real world, beyond our luxury rehabilitation centre.
Holistic rehab programs in Spain
As part of our holistic rehab programs in Spain, we work with only a small number of clients at one time. This allows us to really get to know them as people, understand their lives, their pressure points and their triggers. We are able to then create a bespoke programme of addiction treatment, which will most strongly resonate with them and suit their individual needs.
These addiction treatment programmes always include 1-2-1, group therapy and 12-step meetings. We then supplement these with other therapy and treatment options that have proven to be highly effective at dealing with addiction and bringing about the long-term recovery that you have been looking for.
These holistic therapies include –
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to change clients’ thinking and behavioural patterns and identify the thoughts and feelings that are triggering the addictive behaviour. By identifying and analysing these things, they can be reframed and replaced with more positive thoughts and behaviours. This has been highly effective in the context of addiction and a tool that we use on a regular basis with our clients.
Trauma Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EDMR)- Trauma and addiction are closely linked in many cases, so Trauma Therapy and EDMR are very useful holistic therapies to use to process the trauma, understand how it is triggering your behaviours and move past it for good. As part of this therapy EDMR is often used as well, as studies have shown that this visual stimulation enables healing from trauma. Our addiction specialists use these tools to work through identifying emotional distress, imagery and stress reduction techniques, negative beliefs and emotions and self-calming techniques. Trauma Therapy and EDMR are excellent tools to use where addiction stems from trauma which needs to be dealt with before the addictive behaviours can stop.
Sleep coaching – There is a very strong link between addiction and sleep problems and learning how to improve your sleep without turning to drugs and alcohol can be crucial for long-term recovery and a better quality of life. Because we do take a holistic approach to rehab, this is one area where we can add so much value and make such a big difference in your life. Our sleep coaching programmes are highly effective at finding the reasons why you are struggling to sleep and teaching you techniques and habits to improve it for good.
Exercise including Yoga, Pilates and Tension and Trauma Release Exercises – Exercise is beneficial for our bodies and minds and produces natural endorphins to make us feel happier. That’s why we always include some gentle exercise as part of our holistic rehab in Spain. This can be as simple as going for a walk, swimming in the pool or the sea, and we encourage our clients to get active in any way they enjoy.
One very important aspect of recovery is learning how to deal with stress and regulate our emotions without turning to drugs or alcohol. Yoga is a wonderful mind-body exercise which promotes relaxation, gives us a feeling of wellbeing and improves strength, balance and flexibility. Our yoga teacher creates a safe space for our clients to explore their feelings, shift unhealthy beliefs and use breathing as a tool for relaxation and focus improvement. We also offer Pilates to increase core strength, balance and flexibility and re-connect our body and mind. Last but not least, we offer Tension and Trauma Release Exercises, which is a revolutionary technique that is highly effective in trauma healing and stress reduction.
Nutritional Rehabilitation – There’s a reason why the phrase we are what we eat is so commonly used. Eating the right things and understanding the importance of nourishing our bodies and boosting our mood with nutritious food is vital to a happy and healthy life. Unfortunately, addiction and healthy eating do not tend to go hand-in-hand and many of our clients come to us malnourished and not knowing how to look after themselves through food. Nutritional rehabilitation is our tool to educate and nourish our clients and bring back their strength and vitality through food. This technique is extremely beneficial during their stay and gives them a new lease of life when they return home.
Self-care – Rehab is hard work and we require commitment and dedication from our clients, but we also leave time in their schedule for self-care and activities which make them feel and look better. This includes daily meditation sessions for stress management and grounding. We can also arrange massages, beauty treatments and haircuts or shaves for our clients during their stay. We can also arrange trips to the beach, to the beautiful countryside and even to see some of the sights around us in Andalucia. These activities reward their hard work and dedication and help them to see the beauty of life and take time for themselves, away from the stresses of daily life. They also help them find activities which will make them feel good on hard days outside of rehab and give them another tool for long-term recovery.
What are the benefits of holistic rehab?
We see the many benefits of holistic rehab every day. Our clients find a sense of peace, tranquillity and the knowledge of how to bring themselves back to this state of calm when they need it. Our activities build up their mental and physical strength and resilience, and give them a boost in self-confidence and a belief that they can face whatever is ahead of them. This holistic approach helps them reconnect with their true self and know and like themselves again. It also encourages self-acceptance and forgiveness and sets them onto a positive path for the future.
If you’d like to find out more about our holistic rehab programmes in Spain please take a look around our website, or get in touch. You can give us a call, send us a WhatsApp, or an email to take the first step to a long-term recovery and a life free from addiction.
