Unlocking Healing Through Art Therapy in Addiction Recovery
Typical Google searches for addiction treatment start with, “local addiction treatment” or “addiction treatment near me.” Sometimes they get more specific to include, “alcohol addiction near me” or “equine therapy for substance abuse.” You almost never see people searching for music therapy as a way to treat substance abuse. Most people think, “How is writing a song supposed to help me stop drinking?" It’s a fair question.
The truth is, music therapy is a powerful tool for healing. Let’s dive into why music therapy, and holistic treatment approaches in general, can be a life-changing part of addiction recovery.
Why Addiction Treatment Should Be About More Than Just Talk Therapy
There’s no question that traditional therapy is important. You absolutely need those deep conversations about trauma, coping skills, and how to rebuild your life. But addiction isn’t just a mental health issue. It lives in your body, your emotions, your habits, and in how you see yourself.
Substance abuse is usually a symptom of a larger issue. Holistic addiction treatment programs aim to treat the whole person, not just the addiction. They weave in different types of healing practices like music therapy, art therapy, yoga, mindfulness, fitness, and nutrition. They even encourage spiritual exploration — whatever that looks like for you personally. These programs understand that real, lasting recovery needs to touch every part of your life. Because when you heal the whole person, not just the symptoms, you build a foundation that’s strong enough to last.
So... How Does Music Therapy Actually Work?
Music is one of those rare things that can instantly tap into your emotions without asking permission. One minute you’re fine, the next minute you’re crying because a song took you straight back to a forgotten memory. That’s the magic of music — and that’s why it’s so powerful in addiction recovery.
In a music therapy session, you might write your own songs, play an instrument (even if you’ve never touched one before), create playlists that tell your story, or just listen to music that resonates with what you're going through. It's not about being "good" at music. It's about giving yourself permission to feel, express, and process your emotions in a safe way — especially the emotions you used to numb with substances.
The Power of "Here I Stand": Music as Recovery in Action
The song Here I Stand, by clients at Holland Pathway, is a perfect example of how music can capture the heart of the recovery journey. Lines like, “My pain became my power, my hurt became a plan” aren't just lyrics — they’re telling a story. They show that healing doesn’t mean pretending your struggles didn’t happen. It means using them as fuel to move forward.
Throughout the song, you can hear the real, lived experience of addiction — the guilt, the destruction, the loneliness — and the moment when everything begins to shift toward hope. Music therapy gives people in recovery a chance to tell their own stories in exactly this way. Whether it’s through a song, a beat, or a melody, music allows emotions to surface and be transformed into something beautiful, something strong.
Finding Your Voice in Recovery
If you’re feeling broken, stuck, or overwhelmed, that’s OK. You’re not alone. Everyone who’s ever walked through recovery started exactly where you are.
Recovery doesn’t require you to be perfect. It asks only that you keep showing up — and keep standing. As the song says, "They said I'd never make it — here I stand." And that can be your story too. You can stand. You can heal. You can rise.
And when you're ready, we’re here to help you take the first step.
