Video: Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center - Studio Tour 9

Experiential and Equine Therapy

Dave Beck is the the Director of Experiential Therapy at Cirque Lodge. He believes that the Cirque offers the finest drug rehab program anywhere. Part of this is due to the fact that we have invested heavily in our addiction treatment facilities. One of the most exciting parts of our drug rehab program is our experiential therapy. Dave grew up around horses and have a life-long love of what we can learn from these magnificent animals. He is also an outdoor enthusiast. These loves have helped Dave in assembling a great experiential program and a great staff to implement activities geared to help addicts recover from even the most serious of addictions.

The Studio is a venue for many of these experiential activities. Each day provides residents a different challenge or enjoyable activity to embark upon that compliments the traditional therapy. Inside the horse arena, drug rehab clients can learn about trust and open communication. The ropes course is used to get them out of their comfort zone and challenge the cognitive impulses of addiction. The mountains and nature are perhaps the most powerful piece of experiential therapy. Residents in our drug rehab facility can experience the healing and majesty. This venue can get them back into connection to a higher power.

The Ropes Challenge Course

Part of the experiential addiction treatment program here at the Cirque Lodge drug rehab facility includes sessions in the indoor ropes course pictured above. This is the world's largest indoor ropes and challenge course, and features both high and low elements, a thirty-foot rope swing, and a zip line. These programs help individuals recovering from alcoholism and drug addiction to regain self-esteem, learn teamwork, and the importance of being able to ask for help.

Not all elements of the ropes course are high elements. Many ropes course activities are right on the ground. These elements present a challenge that requires a team to accomplish the feat. Through this, those in drug rehab can help in supporting one another and learning lessons in asking for help. Our experiential staff has years of experience between them and work with residents in learning the lessons they need to from these challenges. At the end of each activity is a discussion. Residents discuss what was learned through the activity and how it applies to recovery.

Indoor Horse Arena in Drug Rehab

The indoor horse arena at Cirque Lodge is one of the few indoor horse arenas in the world dedicated to a drug rehab facility. Our facility enables us to work year-round with individuals recovering from alcoholism or other substance abuse issues with both indoor and outdoor venues for equine therapy. Many alcoholics and drug addicts have lost the capability to ask for help, or to even know how to communicate effectively with others. Equine therapy helps the addiction treatment residents overcome these disabilities in a way much more powerfully than any method used in a classroom setting.

Working with horses creates a natural intervention between man and beast and teaches invaluable lessons in trust, communication and control. Many addiction treatment residents build a bond with the horses they work with. Equine therapy is a different approach to a drug rehab program, but has proven time after time to be quite effective. The process of gaining the trust of the horse and making a connection with the animal can have a powerful impact on the struggling individual. It is interesting to see the unique impact these animals have on residents. It seems each resident gains a different experience from working with them.

Cirque Lodge Private Helicopter

The Cirque Lodge private helicopter is used to transport our residents to remote areas in the surrounding mountains. Because of its colorful paint scheme, it is affectionately called "The Rainbow". The Studio is the landing and launching point for our helicopter. After the resident has been at our drug rehab facility for a time, and have begun to work the recovery process, they are invited to go up in the helicopter. Being out in nature one can more readily communicate with one's higher power, which is part of the successful 12-step process. For those addiction treatment residents with years of alcohol or drug abuse, it has been a long time since they have enjoyed the natural beauties of life.

The powerful part of the helicopter ride is not usually in the flight itself (although it is quite enjoyable). The helicopter will land in remote mountain places. These mountain spots are surrounded by the quiet of nature, and far from the stresses of the world. Residents can use this venue to do a bit of hiking, but it is also a venue for meditation and soul searching. Many residents leave promises of sobriety on that mountain. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction or alcoholism, we encourage you to come to the mountain and find healing.