Yoga and Meditation for Recovery

Healing Mind, Body, and Spirit

Yoga is defined as a spiritual and ascetic discipline, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures. Yoga is widely practiced for health and relaxation. Likewise, to meditate is to engage in mental exercise (such as concentration on one’s breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness. The practices of yoga and meditation are beneficial to promote health and even aid in the healing of certain ailments, including addiction. Both are offered during as part of our residential treatment program.

Yoga and meditation fit well with the philosophy of healing that The Ridge programming promotes. Our staff incorporates the disease model of addiction into clients’ recovery programs. The Ridge program follows the principles that addiction is a disease that must be managed, that those who are addicted to substances are unable to control or stop using on their own, and that recovery is possible through the support of various resources and programs like AA, family, and treatment professionals. In the same way, yoga and meditation acknowledge that addiction is a disease that is affecting the body, and by learning self-acceptance, improving mind-body awareness, and incorporating a support system, an individual can achieve lasting sobriety.

Whole Person Recovery

There is more to an individual than what we can see from the outside. Aside from the physical health of an individual, their emotional and spiritual well-being must be addressed in order for a person to overcome an addiction. We teach that it is important to focus on the individual as a whole being and work to help the client create a balance of their mind, body, and spirit. Our on-site chef prepares healthy meals that help with the healing of the body and mind. Free time is spent on recreational activities, exercising, or practicing yoga, in order to strengthen the body and balance the mind. Meditation, reading, and relaxation all provide an outlet for rest and rejuvenation.

Benefits of Yoga and Meditation Therapy

Yoga and meditation therapy aid in whole person recovery. These methods help individuals learn how to regulate their mood, increase physical and mental strength, and reduce anxiety, stress, and depression by natural means and without turning to harmful drugs and alcohol.

Yoga and meditation have been shown to regulate the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. High levels of these hormones are actually toxic to the body and lead to anxiety, depression, and PTSD which are often dealt with by self-medicating with drugs or alcohol. By engaging in activities that decrease these hormones, we promote healthy, natural ways to deal with the stress and challenges of life.

Benefits of yoga therapy:

  • Empower the individual
  • Promote relaxation
  • Improve self-worth
  • Increase motivation
  • Relieve muscle tension
  • Enhance positivity
  • Increase attention and concentration
  • Encourage peacefulness
  • Access a calm inner state
  • Restore a positive relationship with physical sensation
  • Manage stress
  • Decrease depression and anxiety
  • Regulate mood
  • Prevent relapse
  • Improve thinking
  • Improve self-esteem

Family Involvement in Recovery

Family members play a large role in a person’s addiction recovery. Loved ones who are engaged, motivated, and willing to learn will become a source of support to the individual and will encourage sobriety. Family therapy is the best way to help loved ones get involved with recovery, but family members should also work on their own wellness and take steps to improve their mental and physical health.

While we do not offer yoga as part of our family education at The Ridge we do encourage family members to undertake their own therapeutic approaches to assist in healing.

Yoga and meditation are beneficial to family and loved ones of addicts. For the same reasons of reducing stress, increasing self-esteem, and regulating mood, family members of addicts who practice yoga and meditation find they are more emotionally stable, physically stronger, more patient and able to work with the addict, and better able to care for themselves and their own needs. Support groups and exercise like yoga give families the opportunity to process their loved one’s addiction and develop strategies to best help the person while maintaining their own health and wellness.

Individualized Recovery at The Ridge

The Ridge residential treatment center offers complete care for individuals struggling with drug or alcohol addiction. We focus on whole individual recovery by providing clients with nutritious meals prepared by our on-site chef, offering exercise, yoga, and meditation during recovery, and coordinating outdoor expeditions, as well as offering first class counseling and therapy. We model our program on the disease model of addiction and incorporate a wide variety of therapy methods, including cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, art and music therapy, and yoga-based therapy.

A full assessment is conducted with each individual who enters our facility so that our professionals can recommend the appropriate treatment based on the person’s needs. The Ridge residential program is completely customizable because we recognize that what is effective for one person might not be the right approach for the next. With an expert staff of more than 30 professionals, we are equipped to help individuals with nearly any addiction disorder.

Benefits of Treatment at The Ridge

The Ridge is a Joint Commission Accredited facility, meaning we provide the highest level of care and safety in the industry. The Ridge is also recognized to treat licensed professional such as doctors, nurses, dentists,  other medical professionals. The Ridge program adheres to the medical model of treating addiction as outlined by the Center or Substance Abuse Treatment, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services. Our highly credentialed staff includes physicians, nurses, licensed chemical dependency counselor, and therapists who tailor treatment to each person’s needs.

We align with the philosophy that addiction is a disease that must be treated medically and not the result of poor choices or moral shortcomings. Our physician-directed programs combine the disease model of addiction and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. We teach new coping skills and provide tools to change thinking and behavior. Our goal is to provide complete healing of the mind, body, and spirit, and we help clients overcome co-occurring disorders such as PTSD and depression when present along with the addiction.