Some of the most important things in recovery are hard to put into words: shame, grief, numbness, the feeling of being disconnected from your own body. Experiential therapy gives those feelings another way out, which is why people often have breakthroughs in a barn or with a paintbrush that months of talking did not produce.
Equine Therapy
In equine-assisted therapy, clients work with horses on the ground, guided by a trained facilitator. Horses are highly attuned to emotion and respond honestly to a person’s inner state, which makes them remarkable mirrors. The work builds awareness, trust, boundaries, and emotional regulation in real time, and it is especially powerful for trauma and for people who struggle to open up in a traditional office.
Art Therapy
Art therapy uses creative expression to process feelings that are difficult to say out loud. You do not need any artistic skill. The point is not the product, it is what the process surfaces. For many people, especially those carrying trauma or shame, art opens a door that talking had kept shut.
Somatic and Body-Based Work
Trauma and chronic stress live in the body, not just the mind. Somatic approaches, including Somatic Experiencing, Body Scan, and experiential awareness work, help people notice and release the tension, freeze, and survival energy that stay stuck in the nervous system. You can read more in our trauma therapy guide.
Why Experiential Therapy Works
Experiential therapy reaches the parts of the brain and body where emotion and trauma are stored, often bypassing the over-thinking that talk therapy can get stuck in. It builds present-moment awareness, helps regulate the nervous system, and creates safe, embodied experiences of trust and success. Used alongside DBT skills and individual therapy, it deepens and speeds recovery.
Part of a Complete Program
Experiential work is one piece of a full clinical model, not a standalone fix. At Heights it sits alongside individual therapy, evidence-based skills groups, and, where needed, dual diagnosis care, all built around the person through our flagship Individualized Intensive Programming.
How Payment Works at Heights Behavioral Health
Heights Behavioral Health is a private-pay, out-of-network provider and is not in network with insurance plans. Some clients have out-of-network benefits that can offset part of the cost, and we are upfront about pricing before you commit. See our out-of-network guide.
