Meditation and recovery are a great combination. Meditation is often thought to be an inactive pursuit that is done by simply clearing your mind of all thoughts, but it is a very mentally active event. Regularly practicing meditation can change some of the neural pathways in your brain. This opens you up to being able to think in a new way, a way that leads you away from addiction and toward recovery. Let’s take a closer look at how meditation can be a powerful tool in your recovery toolbox. Here at Integrative Life Center, we use meditation in a variety of treatments to help clients overcome substance abuse and to improve their mental health. Also, many of our programs and therapies can be done via our telehealth services.
The Purpose of Meditation
Meditation and recovery have a partnership of sorts. The purpose of meditation is to enter a space where your mind is more an observer of your emotions. As you meditate, you notice thoughts and feelings as they enter your mind. Rather than judge these things as good or bad, you learn to simply accept that they are. They exist. When you remove the judgment from them, you can more easily allow them to go. This allows you to replace them with other thoughts and feelings that may be more conducive to healing. You learn that a thought is something that does not have to be acted upon.
Meditation and Recovery
We know that meditation and recovery work well together, but how does meditation integrate with other therapy methods to help move your recovery journey along? The great news is that meditation lends itself well to being part of many therapies. These include:
- Mindfulness therapy
- Breathwork therapy
- Meditation therapy
- Trauma work
- Self-reflection therapy
Meditation is traditionally done by sitting or lying still. This can be done in nearly any situation and the midst of most activities. You can find it beneficial to take several breaks each day just to calm yourself and process what is going on around you. This can be done indoors or out, in a busy office or out among nature. Meditation is an overall tool that is always available.
Benefits of Meditation
During meditation, the pre-frontal cortex of your brain becomes active. This is where those feel-good chemicals come from. With regular meditation, you can provide yourself a tool for relaxing quickly and easily. Meditation and recovery are eventually two steps on the same path. As you feel better, you think more clearly, and you can recognize cravings for what they are, simple thoughts that are neither good nor bad. They are thoughts and do not require action. You can let them go. Meditation can help in many ways during recovery and beyond:
- Reduces stress
- Better sleep
- Improved immune system
- Anxiety relief
- Pain relief
Meditation and Recovery at Integrative Life Center
When you reach out to Integrative Life Center at [Direct], we first take the time to see where you are on your recovery journey. It is our goal to meet you where you are most comfortable and help you find your way through the confusion and into the light at the other end. Therefore, we make it a point to offer a wide range of therapeutic services so clients can have their unique needs met. For instance, some of the therapies we offer include:
- Yoga therapy
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy
- Motivational interviewing therapy
- Music therapy
- Experiential therapy
These are just a few of the therapies we provide. Recovery is truly an ongoing journey. We want to help you obtain all the tools you need to face that journey with a healthy mind, body, and spirit.
