Our Holistic Approach to Recovery

At Carrara Treatment Wellness & Spa, we have a unique approach to treating substance use and mental health. Our Clinical Program incorporates Somatic Trauma Therapy, CBT, DBT, Exposure Therapy, Recovery-Based Groups, and Holistic Wellness to address the root causes of addiction. The Carrara staff have extensive experience working in the substance abuse field and have witnessed a recent increase in people entering treatment to address their underlying trauma and how it links to their addictive behaviors. They are eager to get started, many with unsuccessful past experiences in sobriety. They envision recounting their trauma-saturated story repeatedly, hoping to find relief but finding minimal resolution or progress. Fortunately, there are now other therapeutic interventions that can help address trauma, support recovery, and reduce recidivism in treatment.

Somatic Trauma Therapy was invented by renowned researcher Dr. Peter Levine, who has educated thousands about the human nervous system, how it works, and how it communicates with the brain. Dr. Levine studied animal behavior in the wild and specifically focused on how they resolve the overwhelming energy produced to ensure survival. He noted that animals in the wild physically shake to release excess energy following a stressful or dangerous event. The energy produced is essential to trigger the “fight, flight, or freeze” response, but as humans have evolved, the physical impact of stressors has lessened. This excess can result in energy manifesting as negative or uncomfortable feelings and thoughts. Humans have the same nervous systems as animals; they have the same energy that needs to be released following a stressor but rarely slow down and pay attention to how their body is focusing excess energy. Dr. Levine believed that our ability to override this innate mechanism for self-care is, for many of us, what sets the stage for PTSD.

Carrara has incorporated Dr. Levine’s research with traditional therapeutic practices, with somatic, physical, wellness treatments. Our program focuses on healing the root causes of addiction by utilizing evidence-based therapies, holistic modalities, and proven somatic treatments.