Experiential therapy is an umbrella term for a wide range of therapeutic activities and approaches. Experiential therapy activities are designed to give the client experiences that help them to understand themselves differently and allow them to feel their full range of emotions in a safe environment.
This article will explore different types of experiential therapy and how they can help with substance use disorders.
- Experiential therapy includes a range of activities and techniques designed to enable clients to have new experiences that change how they perceive themselves and the world around them.
- Many people with substance use disorder find experiential therapy to be helpful in supporting their recovery.
- If you are considering experiential therapy to support your recovery, talk to your therapist or other care provider about which kinds of experiential therapies will be best for you and where to find them.

What is Experiential Therapy?
Experiential therapy includes almost any type of therapy that goes beyond the traditional talk therapy in an office setting. It will often include activities and movement. This might mean going outside for a walk with a therapist (walk-and-talk therapy), taking care of horses (equine therapy), or breathing exercises (breathwork, somatic therapy).
Core principles of experiential therapy
Experiential therapy follows many of the same principles as conventional therapy, especially person-centered therapy. These include:[1]
- It is essential to build a strong, trusting relationship (therapeutic alliance) between therapist and client
- People are naturally driven to develop their potential, given the right conditions
- The therapist’s role is to create the right conditions for the client to heal and grow
In addition, experiential therapy emphasizes learning from new experiences, rather than just through new information.[2]
Experiential therapy in substance abuse treatment
Experiential therapy is popular for treating substance use disorder and other forms of addiction.[3] It can help individuals understand some of the beliefs and emotions that drive their substance use and resolve them.
Experiential therapy isn’t typically used in the very earliest stages of treatment for substance use. It doesn’t treat the symptoms of withdrawal, which can be dangerous, and it can’t replace medical care by a qualified doctor.
In substance use disorder, experiential therapy is effective when substance use has emerged as a coping mechanism to manage past trauma or stressors.[4] In these instances, experiential therapy can help to resolve underlying difficulties and support recovery.
In addition to addressing underlying causes of substance use, experiential therapy can treat related mental health concerns that people with substance use disorders commonly experience, such as PTSD, depression, and ADHD.[5]
Examples of experiential therapy activities
Experiential therapy encompasses a wide range of different activities. The common factor is that they are all aimed at creating an experience that provokes meaningful change.
Creative experiential therapy activities
These activities allow people to find new ways to experience and express their emotions. They can be especially useful for resolving traumas that occurred very early in life or for individuals who struggle to talk about their experiences.
Examples of creative experiential therapy activities include:
- Art therapy
- Music therapy
- Dance therapy
- Stage performance
- Creative writing
- Poetry
- Psychodrama
Animal-assisted or outdoor experiential therapy activities
Animal-assisted or outdoor experiential therapies can be helpful for those who struggle with trusting others, especially those who find it difficult to trust mental health professionals. Adventure therapies can also help those lacking confidence to recognize their own capabilities.
Examples of animal-assisted or outdoor experiential therapy activities include:
- Equine therapy
- Canine therapy
- Adventure experiences
- Wilderness exploration
- Walk and talk therapy
Classical experiential therapeutic techniques
Some mainstream therapeutic techniques are also experiential. These will usually take place in a normal therapeutic setting and will take up part or all of a therapy session. Other activities such as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) or neurofeedback are based on existing therapeutic or neuroscientific approaches.
Examples of classic experiential therapeutic activities include:
- Role-play
- Empty chair activities
- Guided imagery
- Somatic therapy
- EMDR
- Neurofeedback
Who can benefit from experiential therapy?
Experiential therapy can be useful for a wide range of individuals and different types of experiential therapy can be valuable in different circumstances.
Individuals who have experienced traumatic life events may benefit from psychodrama or similar experiential therapy activities.[6] These allow people to re-create all or part of those events in a safe environment where they feel in control. This can enable them to fully process the emotions they struggled with at the time and work through the trauma.
Experiential therapy can also be helpful for individuals who are prone to rationalizing or intellectualizing their problems.[2] Experiential therapy activities can distract their rational thought processes and allow them to fully experience emotions they may have been repressing or avoiding.
Limitations of experiential therapy
Experiential therapy can be helpful for many but it won’t be right for every individual or every circumstance. Most people will find that some experiential therapy activities are more effective for them than others.
Because one of the main principles of experiential therapy is learning from experience, it may not be appropriate for individuals who have an altered perception of reality and isn’t routinely recommended for those experiencing psychosis.[7] Many activities may need to be adapted for those with physical disabilities.
It’s important for anyone considering experiential therapy to understand that this is still therapy and it will require commitment and a willingness to engage with the process. Activities such as canine therapy or music therapy require a skilled therapist and a good therapeutic relationship to achieve the desired results.
Experiential therapy can also be expensive and isn’t always covered by insurance. While many individuals have found it to be helpful, there have been relatively few rigorous scientific studies testing its effectiveness.
Supplementing traditional treatments with experiential therapy
Experiential therapy is rarely used as the only form of support for those dealing with substance use disorder and doesn’t replace medical supervision during withdrawal. It can be effective when used to assist other treatments, including talking therapies.
One common benefit of experiential therapies is increased treatment adherence.[4] Experiential therapies can be highly rewarding, making individuals more likely to continue to engage with their full treatment regime.
Anyone considering supplementing their current treatment regime with experiential therapies should discuss this with their existing therapist or psychiatrist. This improves communication, enables treatment providers to work together, and prevents contradictory or confusing experiences.
How to access experiential therapy programs
Experiential therapy programs can be difficult to find. Talking to your current therapist or mental health professional can be a useful first step as they will probably be aware of most programs operating in your area.
If you are considering attending a rehab facility, you may be able to find one that offers experiential therapies as part of their treatment. One advantage of these facilities is that the experiential therapies will usually be well-integrated into the entire program.
Experiential therapy can sometimes be covered under insurance, especially if it’s part of a rehab package, but this is not guaranteed. These activities can often be expensive if they have to be funded privately.