Holistic Therapy for Addiction & Substance Abuse in Kansas City

Many people who are ready to begin the recovery process find that recovery isn’t just about physical addiction to a substance — it’s also about healing the social, environmental, spiritual, and emotional issues that may have contributed to their substance use in the first place.1 Holistic treatment works to treat a person living with addiction as a whole, rather than as a collection of symptoms.1 

There are holistic treatment options in Kansas City that can provide well-rounded support to address the multiple needs of people living with addiction. At Empowered Recovery Kansas City, a holistic drug rehab in Kansas City, people seeking addiction treatment services have access to many holistic therapies, including yoga, meditation, and mindfulness, to help people rebuild their lives as they begin their sobriety.

What Is Holistic Therapy?

Holistic therapy focuses on caring for the mind, body, and spirit and views substance use disorder as a condition that affects the whole person rather than isolated symptoms.¹ Holistic approaches are often integrated into comprehensive addiction treatment programs alongside other therapeutic methods to support balance, stress reduction, and overall healing throughout the recovery process.¹

One of the common tenets of substance use recovery is giving up the “people, places, and things” that were conducive to addiction-related behaviors. Holistic addiction treatment centers teach patients the skills necessary to rebuild life with healthier habits. Developing new social strategies, healthy habits, and spiritual practices can all help people living with addiction to maintain their sobriety. Certain types of exercise — like yoga — seem to be particularly effective for helping people living with addiction manage cravings during recovery.3

Elements of Holistic Therapy

When receiving treatment at a holistic alcohol rehab center, patients receive care in several different areas (outside of traditional treatment services, like individual, group, and family therapy).

Some of the pillars of holistic therapy addressed during addiction treatment may include:

• Physical wellness is often pushed aside during active addiction, and reigniting a passion for health and exercise can support recovery. Physical wellness during addiction rehab may be supported through exercise, yoga, and eating well.4
• Emotional wellness is key for understanding your own feelings — and developing healthy coping mechanisms. Emotional wellness during addiction treatment may be developed through reflection, meditation, gratitude, and learning how to forgive and be kind to yourself.4
• Social wellness involves developing positive, supportive relationships that are conducive to sobriety. During addiction treatment, social wellness is supported by helping patients with communication patterns, recognizing healthy relationships, and practicing active listening.4
• Spiritual wellness is an important part of recovery for many. Spiritual support during recovery can take many forms, including mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and practicing a religious faith, for those who choose to do so.4
• Intellectual wellness involves challenging and supporting your intellectual health. Intellectual wellness during rehab may be developed through developing hobbies, reading, or taking a class to learn a new skill.4

Types of Holistic Therapy

While no two treatment plans are exactly the same, there are some common elements of holistic alcohol and drug rehab offered in many treatment facilities, including:

• Music therapy
• Art therapy
• Yoga
• Tai chi
• Meditation
• Breathwork
• Reiki
• Hypnosis
• Chiropractic medicine
• Biofeedback

Holistic Therapies at Empowered Recovery Kansas City

Patients who participate in a combination of traditional and holistic rehabilitation may find that in addition to moving through physical recovery, they develop skills that support ongoing sobriety. When attending holistic rehab in Kansas City, patients can participate in a number of holistic rehab services, including:

• Creative expressions: This art-based therapy allows people in recovery to express themselves creatively while working through traumas under the guidance of a therapist.5
• Sound immersion: This type of holistic therapy combines music6 and meditation7 to establish a sense of calm that can support recovery.
• Yoga: Practicing yoga has been shown to relieve cravings associated with substance use, and can support a healthy mood.3
• Reiki: Reiki is a form of touch therapy that has proven effective for the treatment of anxiety and depression, and may be helpful for people living with substance use disorder and mental health issues.8

How Does Holistic Therapy for Addiction Work?

When you begin holistic substance abuse treatment at holistic recovery centers, you’ll receive an individualized treatment plan that integrates traditional and holistic therapies. Many people learn by doing, and moving through the motions of holistic therapy can help people living with addiction develop the skills and strategies that can support wellness after the conclusion of formal treatment.

Staying Engaged in Treatment

Receiving care at a holistic treatment center can help you stay engaged during the treatment process. For some people — especially those who have been through treatment multiple times — it can be easy to simply go through the motions. Holistic therapies require active participation and can support long-term behavioral changes.

Expressing Difficult Emotions

For many people, it can be difficult to express emotions verbally. This can result in maladaptive responses to pent-up stress. Therapies offered at holistic addiction treatment centers — like art, music, and somatic therapies — can provide a healthy outlet for difficult emotions. During rehab at a holistic treatment center, therapists provide a safe, supportive environment for patients to express themselves creatively throughout the healing process.

Learning by Doing

Behavior patterns that are conducive to addiction can be deep-rooted, and it can be tough to begin new habits. When patients enroll with a program that offers holistic healing in Atlanta or Kansas City, they get to learn by doing. Supportive therapists help patients express repressed feelings and unresolved stressors, all while dealing with them in nonverbal ways and preparing for day-to-day life after treatment ends.

Benefits of Holistic Therapy for Recovery

Choosing holistic treatment options provides the benefit of a variety of therapies that support healthy behaviors that support long-term sobriety.

Holistic recovery centers offer many benefits for those in recovery, including:

• Mental health support: Holistic therapies like Reiki have been proven to relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression.8
• Craving support: Engaging in yoga regularly has been shown to lower cravings for people in recovery.3
• Social education: Practicing healthy communication skills can help people in recovery develop the networks they need for sobriety support.10
• Healthy routine building: Practicing healthy habits through holistic treatment during rehab can help patients create a routine that eases the transition back into daily life.

Holistic Therapy and Co-Occurring Disorders

People who are living with co-occurring disorders — meaning, a mental health condition in addition to substance use disorder — need treatment that provides care for both conditions. People who have severe mental health conditions in addition to substance use disorder often have a more difficult recovery trajectory than those who are dealing with substance use disorder alone.11

Holistic rehabilitation methods aren’t just valuable during recovery — they’re also valuable for dealing with the inevitable life stressors that people will face in day-to-day life after leaving formal treatment. Developing habits through working with a holistic detox center or rehab center can provide those in recovery with a toolbox of stress management options that can help decrease the urge to use.

Does Insurance Cover Holistic Therapies?

Yes, your insurance plan will likely cover some, if not all, of your substance use disorder treatment, including holistic therapies. When you call Empowered Recovery Kansas City, one of our admissions team members will talk with you about your insurance coverage and help you verify your benefits.

Holistic Therapy and Addiction Treatment in Kansas City

While receiving holistic rehab services at Empowered Recovery Kansas City, patients get the well-rounded support that they need to thrive in sobriety. When you call to speak with a member of our rehab admissions team, we’ll give you all the information you need to know about getting started with drug and alcohol addiction treatment, including your payment options, how you can verify your insurance, and what you need to know about our levels of addiction treatment. Reach out to our team today to learn more and begin your sobriety.

Sources

1. Jorgensen, D. (2015). A holistic approach to substance abuse treatment and the mind, body, spirit connection. University of Wisconsin-Platteville. Retrieved December 5, 2025, from https://minds.wisconsin.edu/bitstream/handle/1793/74083/Jorgensen,%20Donna.pdf
2. Winkel, B. (27 Jul 2009). Holistic treatment for substance abuse. Treatment Solutions. Retrieved December 5, 2025, from https://web.archive.org/web/20140129162908/http://www.treatmentsolutions.com:80/holistic-treatment-for-substance-abuse/
3. Greene, D.S. (16 Nov 2021). Yoga: A holistic approach to addiction treatment and recovery. Integrative and Complementary Medicine. Retrieved December 5, 2025, from https://www.lidsen.com/journals/icm/icm-06-04-047
4. U.C. Davis Student Health and Counseling Services. (n.d.). Eight dimensions of wellness. Retrieved December 5, 2025, fromhttps://shcs.ucdavis.edu/health-and-wellness/eight-dimensions-wellness
5. The Center for Mind-Body Medicine. (9 Aug 2017). Art therapy — A tool for healing. Retrieved December 5, 2025, from https://cmbm.org/art-therapy-a-tool-for-healing
6. Pasqualitto F, Panin F, Maidhof C, Thompson N, Fachner J. (3 Feb 2023). Neuroplastic Changes in Addiction Memory-How Music Therapy and Music-Based Intervention May Reduce Craving: A Narrative Review. Brain Sciences. 13(2):259. Retrieved December 5, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9953876/
7. Priddy SE, Howard MO, Hanley AW, Riquino MR, Friberg-Felsted K, Garland EL. (16 Nov 2018). Mindfulness meditation in the treatment of substance use disorders and preventing future relapse: neurocognitive mechanisms and clinical implications. Substance Abuse Rehabilitation. (9):103-114. Retrieved December 5, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6247953/
8. McManus DE. (Oct 2017) Reiki Is Better Than Placebo and Has Broad Potential as a Complementary Health Therapy. Journal of Evidence Based Complementary Alternative Medicine. 22(4):1051-1057. Retrieved December 5, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5871310/
9. Harvard Health Publishing. (7 Jul 2023). What is somatic therapy? Retrieved December 5, 2025, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/what-is-somatic-therapy-202307072951
10. Høyland SA, Schuchert A, Mamen A. (OCt 2022). A holistic perspective on continuing care for substance use and dependence: Results and implications from an in-depth study of a Norwegian continuing care establishment. Nordisk Alkohol Nark. 39(5):503-520. Retrieved December 5, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9549220/
11. Green CA, Yarborough MT, Polen MR, Janoff SL, Yarborough BJ. (2015). Dual recovery among people with serious mental illnesses and substance problems: a qualitative analysis. Journal of Dual Diagnosis. 11(1):33-41. Retrieved December 5, 2025, from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4326568/