Skip to Main Content
care for young adults

Experiential Therapy for Young Adults

Experiential therapy involves role playing, props, arts & crafts, music, animal care, guided imagery or recreational therapy. As clients practice these activities and through the experience, begin to identify emotions related to success, disappointment, responsibility, and self-esteem.

Young woman with a nametag leading a hike in the woods.

We’re here to help 24/7

3 Adults doing rock climbing

How Experiential Therapy Works

Activities can help create a safe way for clients and therapist to work through negative and intense emotions and start to release them.

As a client focuses on the activity or task at hand, the therapist might talk with them about how the experience makes them feel. This process identifies specific actions which helps the client understand their emotions that are attached to specific behaviors.

An example of an experiential technique used in family therapy would be to have each family member draw their family and then discuss the drawing with each other. The use of art therapy in this manner may draw out dynamics or information in families that otherwise would not be talked about in a session.

See Locations

Common Types of Experiential Therapy

A clinician may guide young adults in writing and playing music in music therapy, or drawing in art therapy.

Family members may direct each other in a task while blindfolded; this is a great way to learn about familial communication styles, and how families deal with frustration, anger, and disappointment or how they may or may not work together to achieve a goal.

Dynamics emerge in experiential therapy and then can be addressed in real time with the therapist in a supportive environment.

Icon Paper Airplane
Adventure Therapy
Sandstone Care -  Mental Health & Substance Use Treatment
Art Therapy
Sandstone Care -  Mental Health & Substance Use Treatment
Psychodrama
Icon Hands Heart
Animal-Assisted Therapy (e.g. equine therapy)
Icon Headphones
Music Therapy
Icon Outdoors
Recreation Therapy
Icon Location Pins

View our Locations

Sandstone Care provides age specific care for those who struggle with substance use, mental health, and co-occurring disorders. We have treatment centers throughout the United States.

Find a Treatment Center near Me

How We Are Different

Sandstone Care aims to drive positive lasting change in real people struggling with drug or alcohol addiction. We understand that everyone’s situation is different, so we offer a more personalized rehab program than you’ll find anywhere else.

Call (888) 850-1890 Verify Insurance

Age-Specific Care
Age-Specific Care

We are age-specific, not gender-specific. We focus on the unique circumstances that you face at your specific stage of life.

Evidence-Based Therapy
Evidence-Based Therapy

We only use treatment interventions that have been scientifically proven to provide consistent, lasting recovery.

Small Group Sizes
Small Group Sizes

You are more than a number, which is why we provide an intimate setting where your voice can be heard.

Individualized Treatment Plans
Individualized Treatment Plans

No one person is the same, and neither is their recovery journey. Your treatment program will be tailored to your unique needs.

Academic and Vocational Support
Academic and Vocational Support

We want you to get the most out of life, which means feeling your best in the classroom or at your job.

The Family Component
The Family Component

Recovery involves the entire family, so we provide support for the whole family system.

Benefits of Experiential Therapy

Movement plays an important role in learning, as well as releasing stress. Experiential therapy for young adults promotes community, team-building, and deeper relationships with one’s peers.

When used in family therapy, it can uncover unspoken rules about how a person fits in the family, the roles each member plays, and work to enact positive change in dynamics, communication, and coping skills.

road signs icon
Change
Icon Mental Health
Emotional growth
Sandstone Care -  Mental Health & Substance Use Treatment
Improved self-esteem
Icon Dual Diagnosis
Connection of emotions to past experiences and their impact on the present
Icon Thumbs Up
Personal empowerment
Improve brain function and keep the mind-body connection strong

Motivational Interviewing

In Motivational Interviewing, the therapist listens and helps to guide the client towards achieving their goals. This style of communication is frequently used to treat substance abuse because it helps resolve insecurities and find internal motivation needed to change behavior.

The four tenets applied to treatment help build trust and connection between the patient and the therapist, focusing on areas that may need to be changed and determining the reasons a client may have for changing or holding onto a behavior.

The 4 tenets that are applied to treatment:

Sandstone Care -  Mental Health & Substance Use Treatment
1. Engaging
Icon Search Person
2. Focusing
Icon Dual Diagnosis
3. Evoking
Icon Checklist
4. Planning

Drug & Alcohol Treatment Options

Struggling with substance use or addiction? Our rehab centers can help.

Call (888) 850-1890 Verify Insurance

Alcohol

The transition between recreational alcohol use and alcohol dependence can be a subtle one. But if you’re finding that you can’t stop drinking when you want to, you may have alcohol dependence.

Marijuana

Similar to alcohol use, smoking or ingesting marijuana has become normalized as a way to relax or take the edge off. When overused, it can make you feel unable to cope with life without using.

Stimulants

A stimulant is any drug that increases your central nervous system activity. Stimulants are used to heighten attention, hyperactivity, and alertness. Abuse of these drugs can lead to a variety of health problems.

Opioids

Opioids are a class of drugs that include synthetic opioids, pain killers, and the illegal drug heroin. These drugs, including prescription medications, are highly addictive.

Mental Health Treatment Options

Call (888) 850-1890 Verify Insurance

Depression Treatment

Depression is more than just feeling down for a few days — symptoms are long lasting and can affect you in many ways.

Anxiety & Bi-Polar Treatment

Anxiety disorders are thought patterns of fear, dread, and uneasiness that affect other aspects of your life.

Trauma & PTSD Treatment

Trauma is the emotional response to a specific event like an accident, sexual abuse, or a natural disaster.

ADHD & Borderline Personality Disorder Treatment

ADHD is marked by difficulty focusing, controlling impulsive behaviors, and over-activity.

A geometric graphic of a white mountain outline.

The Continuum of Care

Care for wherever you are in your journey.

Access a full range of treatments for mental health and substance use disorders. Whether you need a safe transitional living community, inpatient care, or outpatient therapy, we have a program to help.

Learn more about levels of care

5-21 days of 24/7 on-site medical supervision.

Our Medically-Assisted Detox and Inpatient Center offers private rooms and 24/7 medically supervised care to support a safe recovery from drugs and alcohol, followed by comprehensive treatment that addresses your physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual needs.

A clinician examining a patient at Virginia Medical Detox Center.
Detox Explained

2-6 Months

Our Transitional Living Program combines the structure of treatment and group living, with the freedom of living away from home.

This level of care is for young adults (18-30) who are not quite ready to heal from home. This level of care provides a safe and supportive living environment integrated with a PHP or IOP level of care. Here, you’ll learn life skills and healthy recovery strategies in an environment that’s set up for your success.

Group outside in Sandstone Care
Transitional Living Overview

4 weeks of on-site day treatment.

Our Young Adult Day Treatment Program, also known as Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), is a highly structured level of care for young adults that offers five days of robust programming a week.

Our two distinct mental health and substance use tracks help young adults to stabilize, begin to understand their mental health and/or addiction struggles, and heal from them. We strive to help our clients become more like the person they want to be without using negative coping strategies or substances to get there.

Woman explaining treatment at Sandstone Care
Day Treatment Explained

12 weeks of on-site or virtual treatment.

Our Young Adult IOP, or Intensive Outpatient Program, offers two distinct tracks to address young adult needs, each track consisting of 3-4 days of weekly programming.

In our mood disorder track, we are able to focus on mental health, depression, trauma, and anxiety. In our dual diagnosis track, we are able to support young adults with substance use and mental health challenges. Each focuses on developing positive social, academic, and vocational habits while continuing with their job or school responsibilities.

Seated woman explaining IOP at Sandstone Care
Intensive Outpatient Program Explained

Our Experiential Treatment Center Locations

View All Locations

Outside of medical office

Drug Rehab Virginia Beach

5040 Corporate Woods Dr, Virginia Beach, Virginia, 23462

(757) 244-9083
Age Groups: TeensYoung Adults
Levels of Care: Partial Hospitalization (PHP)Intensive Outpatient (IOP)Assessments
Treatment Programs: Substance UseDual-Diagnosis
Long L-shaped brick building with pond in the middle

Virginia Beach Mental Health Center

5040 Corporate Woods Dr., Virginia Beach, Virginia, 23462

(757) 585-3518
Age Groups: TeensYoung Adults
Levels of Care: Partial Hospitalization (PHP)Intensive Outpatient (IOP)Assessments
Treatment Programs: Mental Health
Front view of Sandstone Cares Richmond office.

Addiction Treatment Richmond VA

4880 Sadler Rd, Suite 110, Glen Allen, Virginia, 23060

(804) 534-2950
Age Groups: TeensYoung Adults
Levels of Care: Partial Hospitalization (PHP)Intensive Outpatient (IOP)Assessments
Treatment Programs: Substance UseDual-Diagnosis
Front view of Sandstone Cares Richmond office.

Mental Health Richmond VA

4880 Sadler Rd., Glen Allen, Virginia, 23060

(804) 494-6144
Age Groups: TeensYoung Adults
Levels of Care: Partial Hospitalization (PHP)Intensive Outpatient (IOP)Assessments
Treatment Programs: Mental Health
Background Image
Young black man standing in front of a blue background.

Let’s take the next steps together

We understand taking the first step is difficult. There is no shame or guilt in asking for help or more information. We are here to support you in any way we can.