Dr. Henry is thrilled to be presenting at this years International Institute of Trauma and Addiction Professionals on the topic of Rock Climbing and Recovery: A Somatic Attachment Model of Healing from Addiction Vulnerabilities.

Addiction recovery requires more than insight—it demands reconnection with the body, regulation of the nervous system, and restoration of trust in self and others. This presentation explores how somatic interventions, such as rock climbing, can foster integrated healing from addiction. Drawing from research on Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention, yoga and breathwork, heart-rate-variability biofeedback, and Somatic Experiencing, participants will learn how embodied, movement-based experiences activate self-regulation, restore trust, and repair disrupted attachment systems.

Using the rock-climbing process as both metaphor and method, this session demonstrates how the climber–belayer relationship models co-regulation, trust, and attunement—core dynamics often damaged by trauma and addiction. Clinicians will gain practical frameworks for incorporating somatic regulation and mindful movement into experiential or adventure-based recovery work.Attendees will leave equipped to design safe, trauma-informed interventions that engage clients in full-bodied healing—helping them move from dissociation to presence, isolation to connection, and shame to spiritual renewal through the power of adventure. Additionally, clinicians will learn how they can utilize these principles in their own practice, regardless of their outdoor experience and expertise.