Addiction is best addressed using a comprehensive approach that offers well-rounded physical, psychological, and spiritual healing. This is why many addiction recovery programs involve a variety of techniques in treatment, including one-on-one therapy, group therapy, recreational therapy, and experiential therapy. And addiction recovery need not end at these types of therapy, either. Beyond popular types of therapy like wilderness therapy, art therapy, music therapy, and yoga therapy, there are many unique types of therapy that recovering addicts can involve in their recoveries in order to fight cravings and strengthen their sobriety. Here is a look at some of the many unique types of therapy that you may not have known existed, all of which can be well suited to addicted recovery.

Dance Therapy

Dance or movement therapy allows individuals to build self-awareness and express their feelings through physical movement and dance. This type of therapy can involve individuals, couples, or even groups.

Animal-assisted Therapy

Consider the stress relief that can come from spending time with a gentle dog or cat. Animal-assisted therapy explores the natural bond between human beings and animals to provide emotional healing. Individuals can receive nurturing care from animals, and they can also find strength in caring for another living being. Equine therapy is an especially popular form of animal-assisted therapy; in this type of therapy, horses work as vehicles for self-awareness and emotional healing.

Drama Therapy

Drama therapy allows individuals to explore psychological healing on the theatre stage. In this type of therapy, individuals can practice expressing their feelings, solving problems, practice being in relationships, explore effective communication, and more.

Bibliotherapy

Bibliotherapy involves using reading activities in order to provide emotional healing. It can be prescriptive, where individuals are given specific reading materials and workbooks to work with, or it can be more flexible, where individuals can read a variety of fictional literary works—often featuring characters they can identify with. Bibliotherapy gives individuals the opportunity to reflect on their own lives and gain insights into their own hardships. Poetry therapy is a related form of therapy and involves poems, narratives, and other spoken or written media to stimulate emotional responses.

Movie Therapy

Movie or cinema therapy involves therapists “prescribing” certain films to individuals to help evoke deep feelings and stimulate personal reflection. Much like bibliotherapy, movie therapy often involves characters and circumstances that those in therapy can identify with. This is another type of therapy for individuals or groups.