The setting for Vista Taos Nature & Recovery Center is no accident. For centuries, the expansive turquoise skies and breathtaking mountains edging the Taos Valley have captured the imagination and enriched the spirits of those who come to magical Northern New Mexico. Nature dominates life here: Magnificent views stretch across high desert plains, sunlight dances across garden-lined creeks, and red earthen buildings melt into the landscape. Taos’ scenery and laid-back lifestyle invite you to contemplate Mother Nature, renew your spirit—and find the courage to change your life.
“Vitamin N”: An Essential Nutrient for the Healing Soul
For Vista Taos clients beginning their journeys from substance misuse to sober living, nature can be a powerful ally. It not only helps to heal your body, but it also soothes mental anguish and spiritual alienation. Author Richard Louv has called the benefits of connecting with Nature, “Vitamin N,” an essential nutrient for all humans seeking to live a meaningful life. When men and women find themselves in early recovery from addiction, Vitamin N can help restore their health and focus their minds on the tasks ahead.
Four Recovery Benefits of Spending Time in Nature at Vista Taos
- Time spent in Nature boosts wellness. Taos is famous for its clean, clear atmosphere and year-round sunshine. When you spend time walking through the beautiful grounds of Vista Taos, you’re bathed in fresh air and treated to the ever-changing play of light on the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Being outdoors also recharges your body with these natural hormones:
- Vitamin D to boost your immune system
- Melatonin to regulate your internal clock & fight sleep disorders
- Serotonin to regulate mood & ward off depression
- Nature encourages physical movement and exploration. When you’re recovering from addiction, physical activities like walking, hiking and yoga improve your outlook, physical fitness and sense of well-being. During rehab at Vista Taos, you’ll have the chance to stroll through nearby art colonies, visit Taos Pueblo and explore the beautiful canyons, mesas and forests of Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado. New interests and recreational activities help prevent relapses, boost self-confidence and ensure a sense of fulfillment in your sober life. Regular exercise, healthy eating and meditation in a natural environment helps keep you focused, energetic and committed to recovery.
- Being in nature improves your mental health. Drugs and alcohol cause people to disconnect from the things and people around them. Getting outdoors reconnects you to your senses and reminds you of loved ones and places important to your life. You feel a sense of unity with nature, humanity and a Higher Power that can sustain you through recovery’s difficulties. Nature’s connection also balances your life by:
- Making you humble.
- Giving you quiet time to reflect on feelings and events.
- Reawakening your sense of appreciation and gratefulness.
- Ending the cycle of negative thoughts associated with addiction.
- Helping you to learn to regulate your emotions.
- Reawakening your sense of awe.
- Restoring your ability to feel pleasure.
- Nature & recovery give you a new beginning. When you spend time in the natural environment, you see the cycle of renewal: changing seasons and the barren branches of trees bursting into springtime blossoms or drooping under the weight of ripening fruit. The endings and new beginnings of the natural world offer perspective about your relationship with addiction. Your recovery at Vista Taos is a new beginning that will need constant nurturing and cultivation to produce the lasting sobriety and fulfillment of long-term recovery
Recovery at Vista Taos
“I grew up in New Mexico, and the older I get, I have less need for contemporary culture and big cities and all the stuff we are bombarded with. I am happier at my ranch in the middle of nowhere watching a bug carry leaves across the grass, listening to silence, riding my horse, and being in open space.”
– Tom Ford, American Fashion Designer
At Vista Taos, our majestic natural environment sets the stage for recovery while providing perspective, beauty and the revelation of far-reaching possibilities. Our accredited and proven addiction recovery program addresses the needs of your body, mind, spirit and relationships, bringing together medical and psychological therapy, physical and sensory modalities and the companionship and shared experiences of fellow recovery travelers.
Experience the epic grandeur of the southernmost Rocky Mountains and the unique, therapeutic atmosphere of Taos. Call 575.613.4810 to take your first step to recovery or submit an inquiry online.
