What is Experiential Therapy?

Experiential Therapy uses experiences to facilitate growth and change, which assists people with various mental health concerns, such as anxiety, depression, and trauma disorders.

Traditional approaches to counseling usually involve dialogue and communication to work through mental health concerns. Experiential Therapy places people in specific situations where hands-on activities are at the center of the counseling process. This immersive experience can involve art, psychodrama, music, play therapy, or animal-assisted therapy.

Experiential Therapy places you within an experience that brings up thoughts and emotions depending on your specific needs. Your involvement in whatever activity you’re engaging in shows the counselor how you handle situations and issues.

Experiential Therapy can be used simultaneously with other counseling approaches. Your therapist will inquire about thoughts and emotions that arose during the experience. Understanding your perception of what happened during the experience gives your counselor insight into your inner world.

Experiential Therapy’s goal is to explore yourself through your experiences and use this information to inform future choices.