The Ropes Course

The Cirque Lodge in Sundance Utah is a nationally recognized drug rehab program. A reason for this recognition is our ground breaking experiential program. As a part of daily addiction treatment, experiential activities are implemented to provide a well rounded drug rehab experience. The Cirque Lodge Studio is home to many of the fun and life changing experiential activities. Our indoor ropes challenge facility provides an element of fun and learning to our addiction treatment program.

The Studio is home to the world's largest indoor ropes course. The 17,000 square foot sound stage is home to a number of ropes course activities. The ropes course is designed with both high and low rope elements. Learning as a group to overcome obstacles is therapeutic to the mind of a recovering addict or alcoholic. The experiential program uses the ropes course to help build support towards recovery from alcohol or drug addiction.

Low Ropes Activities in Drug Rehab

Not all of the ropes course activities involve being suspended high in the air. The low ropes activities provide an aspect of challenge and obstacles to overcome. Most of the low ropes activities are group based. This helps to build support in recovery as well and learning to communicate to solve problems. These group's functions work to help build towards successful goals; much like the common goals of recovery. As fun and challenging as the activities can be, they also are quite educational. They provide invaluable lessons for the recovering mind.

The soundstage provides a state of the art sound system and lighting system. In the corner of the soundstage is an authentic Native American teepee. We also offer archery activities as a part of the low ropes experience. The teepee is used for certain aspects of other experiential group activities. Developing problem solving skills with the help of the low ropes activities can be greatly therapeutic and a vital part of the drug rehab program.

High Ropes in Drug Rehab

The high rope activities are one of the most anticipated aspects of the experiential program. The ropes challenge course puts the addict several stories in the air to accomplish the goal. The high ropes activity is also designed to allow the person to utilize their cognitive function while accomplishing a challenge. The high ropes activities help to accomplish resolving problems of comfort and fear. Alcohol or drug addiction often resides in comfort zones. Learning to conquer the comfort zone can make all the difference in the recovery process.

The ultimate goal of getting to the end of the high ropes challenge is to descend back to the ground with the three story drop from the zip line. The entire process of accomplishing the high ropes challenge is the endless support you receive from fellow peers. Another high rope activity that involves the support of peers is the pendulum swing. Talk about overcoming fears. The pendulum swing is over forty feet high. The drug rehab clients pull their peers to the top of the soundstage. It is then up to that individual to release the pendulum swing. It is the sensation of lifetime that can not be achieved even through alcohol or drug abuse.

Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in the Experiential Program

Throughout the ropes course experience, there are lessons being learned. These lessons teach effective aspects of life that are compromised by years of addiction. The experiential staff incorporates aspects of cognitive behavioral therapy into elements of the ropes course challenge. The ropes course is a fun experience, but also an effective learning environment. In this, the drug rehab client can learn aspects to dealing with addiction in ways they never thought possible.

The coping strategies learned in experiential therapy can be life changing. The drug and alcohol rehab client learns how to act in certain situations when presented with a challenge. Before addiction treatment the initial response for the addict was to use drugs or alcohol instead of resolving with the issue. With the help of the experiential program the skills learned can help to change and even erase such a response. The ropes course activities help to build endless support in working towards the common goal of recovery.

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