Substance abuse and emotional disorder treatment facilities are continuously changing to try to meet the needs of their patients/clients, and in so doing, some residential treatment programs have started incorporating a more well-rounded approach to include the environment as a means of healing. By incorporating the environment, such as planting a tree for each client enrolled in the program, these substance abuse and emotional treatment facilities are able to offer many benefits-to both their clients and the global atmosphere. The following paragraphs will highlight some of the benefits of incorporating the environment into substance abuse treatment centers.



By planting a tree in honor of each client enrolled in the substance abuse and emotional treatment facility and providing the client with information explaining the positive impact and hope that the client has brought to communities around the world, the client benefits by gaining a greater understanding as to how they are impacting the world around them.

The second benefit of incorporating the environment into substance abuse treatment facilities is increased self esteem. A majority of clients that have been living a drug or alcohol lifestyle or have been suffering from depression, anxiety, or other emotional disorders, typically suffer from significantly low self-esteem. By having a grove of trees planted in the clients' honor, knowing that the planting will continue to expand, the clients are made aware that they have done something "good", not by only coming into treatment to improve their life, but by helping the global environment and many people around the world. In addition to the substance abuse and emotional treatment facility's curriculum, the client is able to see how they impact the world around them; thus, clients begin the process of re-building their self-esteem that has been lost due to their past negative perceptions, thinking, and behavior.

Another benefit of incorporating the environment into substance abuse treatment facilities is protecting the global atmosphere. By planting fast-growing, permanent trees the organization and its clients are able to protect fragile uplands and assure that families can continue to live in dignity and in harmony with the natural resources of their lands. Each year, trees remove millions of pounds of carbon dioxide and pollution from the global atmosphere, replacing it with life-giving oxygen, while protecting lands and assisting the natural return of past diversity.

The fourth benefit of incorporating the environment into substance abuse treatment facilities is aiding in the clients' emotional state. It is proven that people who are surrounded by beauty and nature feel better emotionally and mentally, than those who do not experience their natural surroundings. When substance abuse and emotional disorder treatment programs plant a tree in honor of each of their clients, a grove of trees is visible for the clients to reflect upon; thus, aiding in their emotional state, which may in turn help them recover faster and feel more motivated to heal themselves.

A substance abuse and emotional disorder treatment facility that makes every effort to use environmentally and socially responsible products throughout its organization, is doing more than just helping the environment. They are able to see a profound healing of the whole person rather than just a temporary cessation of the symptoms for which they entered treatment. Most residential treatment facilities focus on treating the mind and body of those that are addicted to substances or suffer from emotional disorders. However, by incorporating the environment, these substance abuse and emotional disorder treatment programs are able to create an optimum treatment environment that better heals the whole person.

When substance abuse and emotional disorder treatment facilities focus on incorporating the environment, they are doing more than just offering the standard treatment, and they are able to offer a more well-rounded treatment approach that is highly beneficial.