Recovery is a journey, not a destination. 40-60% of people with a substance use disorder relapse at some point according to data published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. These alarming rates show that the current approach to addiction treatment isn’t as effective as we might hope. When research shows that up to 3 out …
Think about all the things you plan for in life. If you’re like most people, you make arrangements for important things weeks, months, or even years ahead of time. Consider a family trip, for example. Most people don’t decide to take a vacation on a whim. There’s lots of preparation that goes into a trip if you want it to go as smoothly as possible.
You’d never dream of putting off the planning for something as extensive as a family vacation until the last minute. You don’t wait to book your flights and hotel rooms the week before you leave. If you did wait that long, there probably wouldn’t be any more accommodations available. Instead, you make reservations far in advance to ensure there’s enough space for you and your family.
How many times have you backtracked on something that was originally a hard “no”?
The idea that “no” is a complete sentence sounds great in theory but is nearly impossible to put into practice for many people. All healthy relationships are founded on the ability to set limits and maintain healthy boundaries. When you can’t stick to these limits and regularly let people overstep your boundaries, though, it leaves you feeling out of control.
Uncertainty is a constant player in addiction recovery. It is something that affects someone from the very beginning of their own recovery, as well as each step they take on their journey. Uncertainty can even be a barrier for people seeking aid for their addiction in the first place, as each person may not be aware of the recovery path or what it will look like. This uncertainty at any step breeds anxiety, all of which can come together and make recovery very difficult.
There are a lot of different factors involved in someone’s recovery from addiction. Each day brings new challenges that need to be overcome to stay on a healthy path to sobriety. However, it is this challenge that makes recovery worth the time that one spends in therapy. There is a power in having to pass through a rite of passage in recovery. Despite the difficulties, there is strength in overcoming each and every one of the trials that someone experiences on their own recovery path. Going through these rites of passage instills power and motivation in each person to continue pushing forward through future challenges to come.
Horses hold a powerful and essential role in equine therapy as both a member of a team and as a mirror to someone’s own self-discovery and progress. Recovery from an addiction to drugs or alcohol is a difficult journey that’s not always easy to share with another person. Equine therapy uses horses in several ways to instill the skills necessary for an effective recovery.
Finding the right kind of treatment based on the personal needs of each client is essential. Not everyone will respond to the same outline of recovery. Keeping programs malleable and options plentiful is important in establishing a recovery path. Equine therapy is just one of these options that can be used on its own or in conjunction with other modalities of treatment, and comes with unique benefits that set it apart from other forms of mental health and addiction treatment.
1775 W. State St #230
Boise, ID 83702
Copyright © 2022 Emerge Recovery