Holistic approaches are part of many recovery programs.
They can help you heal and grow through all stages of recovery.
- Nature
Spending time in nature changes your mood and softens how your body responds to stress.
It connects you to something larger than yourself – which can lessen your fears, self-judgments and doubts and help you open your heart and heal.
University of Minnesota. Taking Charge of Your Health and Well-Being
The Center for Spirituality & Healing describes the many ways nature supports your well-being and offers resources, webinars and articles on its effects. All the benefits of nature help you cope with feelings and physical reactions that are part of the process of addiction recovery.
Yale Environment 360
“Ecopsychology: How Immersion in Nature Benefits Your Health” describes the growing amount of research showing the very positive and deep effects that being in nature has on people’s mental, emotional and physical health - reducing stress and promoting healing.
Research StudiesResearch Studies
The benefits of spending time in nature and journaling about it were studied in adults who were highly stressed. Changes included greater hopefulness, personal growth and improved quality of life.
McCaffrey R, Liehr P. The Effect of Reflective Garden Walking on Adults with Increased Levels of Psychological Stress. J Holist Nurs. 2016 Jun;34(2):177-84.
This review looked at the relationship between green spaces in nature and mental and emotional health. Around 70% of the 263 reviewed studies reported a positive link between spending time in nature and feelings of well-being.
Wendelboe-Nelson C, Kelly S, Kennedy M, Cherrie JW. A Scoping Review Mapping Research on Green Space and Associated Mental Health Benefits. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Jun 12;16(12):2081.
Emotional well-being, meaningfulness and vitality are very connected to being in nature, highlighting its role in human health and healing.
Cervinka R, Röderer K, Hefler E. Are nature lovers happy? On various indicators of well-being and connectedness with nature. J Health Psychol. 2012;17(3):379-88.
- Acupuncture
- Animal/Pet Therapy
- Aromatherapy
- Biofeedback
- Creative Arts Therapy: Art, Dance, Drama, Music, Poetry
- Coloring Therapy
- Gardening
- Guided Imagery
- Herbal Therapy
- Homeopathy
- Hypnosis
- Journaling
- Massage Therapy and Bodywork
- Meditation/Mindfulness
- Nutrition
- QiGONG
- Yoga