Music has proven to be an effective therapy for many of the conditions associated with substance use disorder, including depression, anxiety, acute and chronic pain, and others. It helps us build trust and community. It removes us from our toxic thought patterns. Music improves our moods and transports us to the places we want to be in our heads, rather than the places where we get stuck and think we need to stay.
In the context of the addiction treatment process itself, the connection with music can also help clients be more comfortable and open to engaging with their program. It helps clients be emotionally present to extract maximum benefit from their treatment offerings. The Recovery Unplugged treatment approach is based on fully leveraging music’s healing benefits to make clients more open to treatment.
Music-Assisted Treatment Is Not Music Therapy
One of the biggest misconceptions of Recovery Unplugged is that our entire treatment approach is based on traditional music therapy practices. The reality? The Recovery Unplugged music-assisted treatment approach differs greatly from conventional music therapy.
There are some treatment centers that peripherally integrate a music- therapy component into their care approach as part of an overall program. Sure—these therapies allow clients to temporarily engage with music. But then they forget about their experiences, and remove themselves from the benefits once the therapy is over. While it may be helpful in the moment, it creates a beginning and end sequence. This doesn’t allow participants to experience music’s lasting emotional benefits.
Where Hearing Becomes Healing
Recovery Unplugged integrates music into every aspect of our care programs. We do this to help clients more readily embrace evidence-based best practices, from start to finish, and even in our aftercare programs. We start the process by asking incoming clients what some of their favorite songs are. Then, we use their answers as a basis for a personalized playlist that becomes their “soundtrack” during throughout their program. As they make more and more progress, we add emotionally resonant songs to their playlist to empower, inspire and heal.
Another component of music-assisted treatment includes facilitating emotional catharsis through songwriting and creative writing. We also aim to build community through concerts and live music events. Our programs work on confidence-building through live performances, open mics and much more.
While clients are engaging with all of these music-focused interventions, they also have access to group therapy, individualized counseling, medical detoxification and withdrawal management and medication-assisted treatment.
But I’m Not A Musician…
There is a decidedly musical bend to the Recovery Unplugged treatment experience. But you don’t have to have a musical background to fully benefit from the program. Over 90 percent of our client base has little to know musical background. What is important is that they are able to let music take them to a place where they’re emotionally ready and able to fully engage with the treatment process. We offer fully equipped music spaces and a full range of treatment programs to accommodate your care needs and lifestyle. If you or someone you care about is battling addiction, put on your favorite song and call Recovery Unplugged to start healing now.
