Alternative Treatment International's Perception Therapy® Treatment Model utilizes a Mind-Body-Spirit-Environment® approach and combines individual and small group sessions along with alternative / holistic therapies as a means to promote complete healing of the "whole person". A.T.I. recognizes that its clients are complex individuals with differences in psycho-emotional conditions, family of origin, education, belief systems, relationships, and various levels of health. In recognizing that "multiple approaches work best", choosing healing methods that you radiate toward, and best fit your life, will provide you with the highest success. To achieve total health and well-being, a comprehensive system of traditional and alternative methods must be employed. This protocol demonstrates our understanding of "the psychology of individual differences".

The use of alternative and experiential techniques in combination with Perception Therapy® allows one to experience profound transformation and healing to create a balanced, joyful and purposeful life. All activities utilized at A.T.I. are positive, proven, inspirational, respectful, motivating, and have a specific outcome goal. These modalities are designed to be easily incorporated into one's daily life.


When one is experiencing difficulties in their life that may include addictions, depression, eating disorders, and other psycho-emotional problems, they are faced with numerous choices of how to deal with these issues. One choice may be to do nothing, continuing in the same patterns, the same dysfunction, the same comfort zone of unhappiness, and lack of hope and lack of peace - hoping something will change.

Another choice may be to reinforce a mindset of sickness and continue to behave as a sick person behaves including constant doctor visits, hospital stays, extensive medications, medical treatment model options, excessive psychiatrist visits (medication seeking for instant gratification), entering therapy sessions with no real commitment, etc.

The positive choice is the Mind-Body-Spirit-Environment® approach in combination with the Perception Therapy® Treatment Model, for a "whole person" approach to life transformation, which is total health and wellness. This holistic approach allows one to resolve addictions and/or emotional issues, gain a sense of hope and peace, and move on in life in a healthy and positive way, without a life filled with fear or sickness.

All of the Perception Therapy® programmatic materials are separated into four sections: MIND, BODY, SPIRIT, and ENVIRONMENT. These materials include A.T.I.'s Wellness Guide, the Perception Therapy® Therapeutic Card Deck (recommended to use each morning) and Journal.

Change is a concentrated process and can be overwhelming for many. Where does one start? How can one attain happiness and overall health?

In separating out the "whole person", we allow you to begin taking steps to improve areas of your life from each section that will shorten the time it takes to attain overall well-being. For example, rather than someone going in and out of therapy for the next two years or following any of the negative options referred to above, Perception Therapy® materials and tools rapidly address and improve all areas of the "Self" that involve the Mind, Body, Spirit and Environment. Perception Therapy® Practice Sheets are provided under each section of this Wellness Guide to assist in analyzing perceptions relative to that particular section of the 'whole person'. The Perception Therapy® Journal is sectioned as well to provide the tool to journal about these specific areas of the "Self". The Perception Therapy® therapeutic cards, designed to be used each day, provide information and give instructions of things to do "For This Day" relative to the Mind, Body, Spirit or Environment.

This practice is recommended to be continued each day to attain rapid whole person/life transformation. Great emphasis is placed on the continued utilization of all the Perception Therapy® materials and tools that will bring about life transforming results, end addictions, and resolve dysfunctional behaviors. The important thing to remember here is that by compartmentalizing these four major areas of your being: Mind, Body, Spirit and Environment, you can affect change in each part of your 'being' as needed.


The best therapeutic result is attained when one comes to their own conclusion. Perception Therapy® does not use directive or confrontation techniques which block the ability to gain insight into the issue at hand and come to one's own conclusion. Along with group and individual psychotherapy, Perception Therapy® utilizes techniques that help to build awareness which in turn assists in gaining the therapeutic insight that is needed to overcome problems. Indirect Suggestion and Metaphor Therapy are two of many techniques utilized under Perception Therapy®.


Throughout one's life, through family, friends, or perhaps even therapists, one may have experienced what are called "directive techniques" An example of a directive technique would be, "stop drinking or you will die", "you have no reason to be depressed, just snap out of it", etc. These types of direct, judgmental statements do not work because they do not give the individual an opportunity to experience growth in working through the issue and arrive at one's own conclusion which would be to stop drinking or overcome one's depression. Directive techniques such as these will only produce a natural defensive response and will hamper therapeutic progress.

Indirect suggestion, on the other hand, is done in a therapeutic, purposeful way so that the individual is given a suggestion and a choice to respond that will bring about a productive conclusion. Once the productive conclusion is obtained, the next step is to begin formulating the methodology for implementing the newly formed positive perception(s). This is an area that will require continual work and practice. An example of an indirect suggestion: discussing choices involved in creating a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle along with social activities that are fun and do not involve alcohol use. Therefore, this suggestion can bring about the conclusion that "I can choose to participate in social activities without drinking alcohol." This same suggestion may be told in a few different ways to make sure that the individual has come to the desired conclusion.


A holistic approach is a complete wellness system that quickly and gently lets you move forward in your life releasing old habits, trauma and chaos you no longer need. Holistic counseling focuses on balancing strengths, resources and desires to create hope, peace and happiness in your life. It is an effective way to help you change your thoughts, behaviors and attitudes at a pace that naturally unfolds for you.

Holistic Psychotherapy increases clarity of thinking and the ability to focus, balances your emotions and attitudes, assists in alleviating addictions, helps you to see the positives in any relationship or life experience, and provides self-help tools continue to work on your own well-being.


Another therapeutic technique used under the Perception Therapy® Treatment Model, called Metaphor Therapy, is designed specifically to bring one to her/his own conclusion. Metaphor Therapy is conducted in the form of a story. The story is told with its true meaning hidden or never mentioned. You, the listener, develop your own understanding of the meaning of the story and how it has meaning for you and your life.

Story telling is a very powerful tool that has the ability to produce great change on many levels by bringing the listener to their own conclusion and their understanding of the message being presented to them. Metaphor Therapy is basically telling a story with a clinical goal.


Cinema Therapy is another therapeutic tool used under the Perception Therapy® Treatment Model as another form of Metaphor Therapy. The films provided within "Cinema Therapy" allow the "bigger picture to become more obvious". The Cinema Therapy experience can have a therapeutic impact affecting healing and coping skills, cognitive insights, self-understanding, ideas for dealing with situations and areas of distress, seeing other view points, spiritual understanding, greater self-awareness, understanding of love, and the meaning of life and death.

The use of Cinema Therapy takes the story telling a step further and provides a visual presentation of the story as well. You all have had experiences when you were reading a book that took you away from your every day self or attended a film that brought you into a fantasy world. And, for that brief time, you forgot about your cares, worries and problems, and were engrossed in the power of the story that you were hearing and viewing. As you may be aware, the most enduring literature and films are those that have the ability to tell a compelling story that has some deep effect on the listener/viewer.

A very simple example of an enduring story written by Jacob Grimm is entitled Snow White. This is a very simple tale that has lasted for two hundred years and continues to entertain children and adults in both book and cinema form. What is it about the story of Snow White that has had such an enduring appeal for so many years? You can answer this question. Stories have the ability to discipline, to invoke emotions, to inspire, to effect perceptions, to effect change, and create mind-body powerful experiences that might defy human perception.

Cinema Therapy has the ability to provide you with an awareness of your deeper levels of consciousness that will help you form new perspectives. Your instructions for getting the most from the Cinema Therapy experience is to focus your attention on the metaphorical meaning of the film and how that meaning impacts your specific growth. This is an activity of maintaining conscious awareness rather than simply watching something without having any purpose and intent. Viewing the films with this purpose can serve as stepping stones between life and therapy, as in "art imitates life". A major effect that we might experience through this process is the conflict between our unconscious mind and our conscious ideas, intentions and goals. This conflict might allow unconscious material to become more conscious, assisting in the therapeutic process of uncovering the underlying causes of the present problems.


Kai Chi Do is an energy art form that Charles Robinson, L.M.H.C., A.T.I.'s Clinical Director, started in the early 70's. It's been practiced by over a thousand groups, has spread across the U.S., and has become a vital part of a nationally accredited treatment program for mental health and addictions. Kai Chi Do has helped people to recover their true nature and become more alive. On the Daily Schedule you will see that Kai Chi Do® is part of the morning schedule at the Clinical Offices.

Kai Chi Do is a system of movements that uses Five Elements combined with music, meditation, and breathwork, to free blocked energy. In fact, the name "Kai Chi Do" translates to "Free Spirit Way" or "Open Energy Method".

In traditional Chinese medicine it is believed that all suffering is caused by congestion and all healing is the result of circulation. Congestion is where we're "stuck", stagnant, or resistant. Congestion is the ways in which we've hardened and armored ourselves against life. It can happen at all levels - physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual. The circulation we're talking about is the free flow of energy, also called Chi or Spirit.

Kai Chi Do increases the circulation of pure life energy. It helps you to plug in, turn on the switch, pump your energy up, and relax to let it flow freely. Kai Chi Do reduces resistance and calms your mind, so you feel more aligned with yourself, and can integrate "open energy" into your daily life.


Journaling can provide a wide variety of psychological benefits. The benefits range from simply having the ability to express oneself on paper to decreasing stress, releasing trauma, and relieving worry and frustration.

Everyone has heard the saying, "you can keep the truth from others, but you cannot keep the truth from yourself". Journaling is a way to express your own perceptions and truths clearly and confidentially, through knowing yourself. Journaling also gives you the opportunity to talk about and vent your frustrations, your likes and dislikes, your experiences in certain situations and how you handled those situations. But more importantly, journaling gives you the opportunity to set goals for yourself with attainable time frames in a setting that you can continue to review with each success.

There are numerous life transforming benefits that result from journaling. A few of these benefits include:

• Helps to reconstruct perceived past events
• It is truthful without judgment
• Brings a sense of healing
• Releases emotions related to past events
• It is an insight-oriented process

• Gains insight into the perceived causes of stress and anxiety
• Releases negative thoughts and emotions
• Provides a release tool in place of a reactive experience
• Journaling is a form of meditation - a tool to release and relax
• Allows one to compartmentalize life’s perceived problems

• Provides freedom of expression without judgment or censor
• Clarifies perceived desires and needs
• Enables catharsis
• Strengthens one's connection to "Self"
• Provides a tool for dream interpretation

• Allows for a connection with one's spiritual essence
• Clarifies one's perceptions of spirituality
• Enables automatic writing about one's true nature
• Builds awareness and self-esteem through understanding of individual complexities as a spiritual being
• Amplifies a revelation of one's life purpose

• Writing down healthy eating habits and diet
• Journaling about one's process of improved fitness
• Keeping track of sleeping patterns/activities around sleep
• Viewing the transformation of perceptions related to one's physical body
• Mechanism for developing and conducting a plan for overall health and well-being

• Journaling personal history with time lines
• Insights gained lead to heightened results
• Clarifies perceptions, thoughts and concepts
• Practice in sorting and grouping ideas, events, and behaviors
• Helps to locate the missing pieces from the subconscious mind

From the above benefits listed, you can begin to see the life transforming possibilities of the continued practice of journaling. The Perception Therapy® Journal has been separated into four sections, with the specific intention to bring insight to the areas of your Mind, Body, Spirit, and Environment.

Set up a regular journaling schedule that can be realistically followed to receive the long-term positive results of this therapeutic practice.


Conscious Energy Breathwork is learning to use your breath as a basic energy healer. It involves merging the inhale with the exhale in a gentle, relaxed rhythm, pulling life in with the inhale and relaxing, releasing struggle with the exhale, connecting each breath without pause. Music and guided imagery facilitate the process of calming your mind and regulating your breath until the rhythm itself begins to breathe for you. Life energy is carried on the breath.

Conscious energy breathwork is a gentle process that brings resolution to emotional discomfort without the pain of trying to figure it out or undo the past. Participants are often surprised at the power of conscious energy breathwork - to bring clarity, uplift their perspective and release emotional wounds. They are amazed at how breath affects their consciousness. This process is a form of meditation, and participants can experience a spiritual feeling of oneness and unity that informs their daily life as they move forward.


Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a comprehensive, integrative psychotherapy approach. It contains elements of many effective psychotherapies in structured protocols that are designed to maximize treatment effects. These include psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, interpersonal, experiential, and body-centered therapies.

EMDR is an information processing therapy and uses an eight phase approach to address the experiential contributors of a wide range of pathologies. It attends to the past experiences that have set the groundwork for pathology, the current situations that trigger dysfunctional emotions, beliefs and sensations, and the positive experience needed to enhance future adaptive behaviors and mental health.

During treatment various procedures and protocols are used to address the entire clinical picture. One of the procedural elements is "dual stimulation" using either bilateral eye movements, tones or taps. During the reprocessing phases the client attends momentarily to past memories, present triggers, or anticipated future experiences while simultaneously focusing on a set of external stimulus. During that time, clients generally experience the emergence of insight, changes in memories, or new associations. The clinician assists the client to focus on appropriate material before initiation of each subsequent set.


Guided imagery is a technique of directed thoughts and suggestions that guide the imagination toward a deeply relaxed and receptive state of mind. Guided imagery has many different uses and is based on a mind-body connection. Some examples of its benefits may include stress reduction, release of addictions and emotional problems, alleviate anxiety and depression, positive thinking, pain management, weight loss, lower blood pressure, promote health and well-being, and enhance creativity.

Guided Imagery is a safe and powerful therapeutic approach for activating the untapped resources of the mind. In the therapeutic setting, clients are guided, through suggestion, to a relaxed state of mind and are then provided with imaging techniques that focus their attention and resolution on the issues with which they struggle.


Jin Shin Jyutsu® (pronounced Jitsu) is a form of energy medicine is a non-invasive and painless healing art that enhances and balances the energy of the body. Health, according to this system is the harmonious flow of life energy within the body. This time honored method, which works in conjunction with Western medical techniques, involves the gentle application of hands on the body to stimulate the body's own healing mechanisms. Similar to Acupressure massage, Jin Shin Jyutsu is practiced by working over clothing without the use of needles, pressure or rubbing.

Jin Shin Jyutsu can help you increase your energy and clarity of thinking, reduce aches and pains caused by body disharmonies, boost your immune system, reduce pain from chronic illness such as arthritis, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, or lupus, experience better sleeping, repair broken bones more quickly, reduce depression and migraines, cope with addictions such as overeating, and speed up the healing time from traumas such as surgeries, accidents and post-traumatic stress.


One of the main benefits of meditation is that it gives the practitioner the ability to find a place of peace in the midst of chaos. By having a consistent meditation practice, you will develop balance with your thoughts, allowing you to respond to any situation you are presented with in a calm and unemotional manner.

There are a variety of meditation techniques. Almost all types are used to consciously direct your attention to alter your state of awareness. Meditation is based on directed attention. You can direct your awareness to clearing the mind, toward your breath, images, colors, positive thoughts, etc.

Meditation is used to learn to relax, calm the mind, explore your true nature, and develop inner healing. It is a purposeful tool for maintaining peace of mind and relieving stress in a demanding, fast-paced world.

Additional uses include:

• Self-healing
• Increasing mental clarity
• Deepening concentration and insight
• Tap into inner guidance
• Enhancing creativity
• Trusting in your intuition
• Chakra awakening, clearing and balancing
• Manifesting your desires
• Balancing emotions

Art Therapy is the therapeutic use of art making, within a professional setting, by people who experience illness, trauma, or challenges in living, and by people who seek personal development. Through creating art and reflecting on the art projects and processes, people can increase awareness of self and others, cope with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences; enhance cognitive abilities; and enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of making art. A.T.I.'s Art Therapist is professionally trained in both art and therapy. She is knowledgeable about human development, psychological theories, clinical practice, spiritual, multi-cultural and artistic traditions, and the healing potential of art.

Art Therapy provides the opportunity to explore thoughts and feelings that they express in their art projects and to uncover the meaning that these expressions have for them. A.T.I.'s Art Therapist directs the art therapy activities within the context of Perception Therapy® which promotes a better understanding of clients' addictive and psycho-emotional behaviors. The process enhances insight and self-esteem, relieves trauma, and diminishes anxiety.


Psychodrama is held in a small group therapy session to role play behaviors, resolutions, family of origin issues, health and wellness issues, thought processes, and preparation for aftercare. The psychodrama experience is particularly powerful for clients preparing to return to their home environments upon completion of the Program.

One example is, clients role play the family dynamic, portrayed in the actual "living environment" that the client describes and includes significant others, family members, and others. In this insight-oriented aftercare preparation session, the client sets up the anticipated attitudes, belief systems, and behaviors of the people to whom they are returning. Other clients portray those roles. The session is played out with the client practicing techniques for dealing with possible attitudes that include anger, mistrust, hostility, apprehension, addiction, drug or alcohol use, dysfunction, confusion, as well as loving, supportive and accepting attitudes. These sessions have proven to be a truly beneficial adjunct in the preparation for aftercare.


Although its origins are vague, acupuncture is an integral part of the ancient healing system Traditional Chinese Medicine, where the individual is viewed as an integrated whole whose health is determined by the flow of qi (energy). The practice holds that the body has 14 primary meridians, or channels, through which the properties yin (blood) and yang (qi, or life energy) flow. When these elements become imbalanced, one's health is compromised. Acupuncture can assist alcohol and drug rehabilitation by curbing the chemical addiction and behavioral compulsions that feed a person's addiction to harmful substances or habits. Acupuncture has been shown to increase energy, reduce stress and tension, alleviate migraines, and chronic and temporary pain, strengthen the immune system and promote physical and emotional well-being.




Many of today's health problems can benefit from massage therapy because the manipulation of soft tissues affects so many of our bodily systems. The benefits of massage are extensive. Massage therapy treatments will have a therapeutic affect and improve health by acting directly on the muscular, nervous, circulatory and lymphatic (immune) systems. Massage therapy is provided by a Licensed Massage Therapist and is available for an additional fee, at the ATI Clinical Offices. ATI Florida Dept. of Health Massage Establishment License #: MM25495.


Sound healing is a very unique experience that can bring about many positive changes. The sound healing is created by playing special Quartz Crystal Bowls whose frequencies resonate with the body including a calming meditative state. Participants normally lie comfortably on mats on the floor, or in a chair during the sound session. Sound healing can unblock pathways to allow the body to heal and strengthen on its own. The healing sessions can also help with relief from stress-related conditions, strengthen willpower; assists in reducing pain and discomfort associated with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and depression. After sessions, clients may experience improved memory, clarity, vitality and the ability to take action. Many report a deep sense of tranquility, sleep more soundly and are more aware of surroundings.


Reflexology promotes the body's ability to adjust and balance during times of stress. It has been shown to improve circulation which boosts the supply of oxygen and nutrients to muscles and other tissues and assists in the elimination of waste products. Because it promotes overall health, reflexology is used as complementary care for people with a variety of conditions. For example, Reflexology can improve immune function, skin tone, and circulation, as well as alleviate headaches, reduce arthritic and back pain, decrease healing time for injuries, and decrease the symptoms of addiction withdrawal. Practiced in diverse cultures for centuries, Reflexology is much more than a good foot massage. For either preventative care or in response to physical or emotional distress, Reflexology has been observed to create physical changes that can bring about balance, ease, and healing.


Yoga is an ancient practice which focuses on the balance between mind, body and spirit. Practitioners of Yoga believe that in order for people to have emotional stability and clarity of mind, they have to integrate the body, mind and spirit. To achieve this, Yoga uses exercise, breath, postures, relaxation, and meditation. Ha-tha translates "sun-moon". Hatha Yoga is a nurturing practice of breath and form which creates strength and flexibility. Hatha is a general term for Yoga Asana practice, but tends to denote a moderate or gentle pace.

Yoga makes the body strong and flexible, improves breathing control, prevents muscle soreness, aids the circulatory system, stimulates the glandular and nervous systems, and also provides a feeling of being more in touch with one's self. Yoga brings a new positive perception of life, and continued practice will lead you to a sense of peace and well-being. The practice of Yoga can aid in the treatment of addictions, psycho-emotional disorders, diabetes, arthritis, digestive disorders, high blood pressure, anxiety and stress. Yoga also helps with the purification of physical impurities and harmful emotions by helping to detoxify the system. As one becomes stronger, Yoga is an excellent way to tone muscles and become more flexible, producing increased energy and vitality.




Kundalini Yoga is the Yoga of Awareness. It teaches posture, breath, Mudra (hand position), movement and mantra (sound current). Each class begins with a tune in, breathing exercises, warm ups, then a Yoga set followed by rest time and meditation. Kundalini is said to strengthen the immune, glandular and nervous systems. This practice can energize and revitalize the body. It brings an awareness to the mind, body and spirit.

Yoga recognizes that if we want to make changes in our lives, we have to change ourselves. Yoga operates from the principle that our inner reality creates our outer reality. We have to alter our vibrational frequency so that we attract at a different level. Our frequency has to match what we want to manifest. And equally important, we have to clear our subconscious programming so it does not sabotage our conscious intent. For, in fact, it is the programming in our subconscious mind that creates our reality.

Kundalini Yoga gives a person back their own strength, it gives them discipline, changes the chemistry of the blood, stimulates the glandular system and also teaches a person to relax. Medication promotes clarity of thought and Kundalini Yoga provides the discipline to carry it out. Through this technology, an addictive personality is given immunity to protect itself from the pressures of society.


Pilates is a form of exercise, developed by Joseph Pilates, which emphasizes the balanced development of the body through core strength, flexibility, and awareness in order to support efficient, graceful movement. The top benefits doing of Pilates exercise that people report are that they become stronger, longer, leaner, and more able to do anything with grace and ease. Whether one is working out on a mat or using Pilates equipment, like the reformer or cadillac, these basic principles infuse each exercise with intention and fullness of expression:

Centering: Physically bringing the focus to the center of the body, the powerhouse area between the lower ribs and pubic bone. Energetically, Pilates exercises are sourced from center.

Concentration: If one brings full attention to the exercise and does it with full commitment, maximum value will be obtained from each movement.

Control: Every Pilates exercise is done with complete muscular control. No body part is left to its own devices.

Precision: In Pilates, awareness is sustained throughout each movement. There is an appropriate placement, alignment relative to other body parts, and trajectory for each part of the body.

Breath: Joseph Pilates emphasized using a very full breath in his exercises. He advocated thinking of the lungs as a bellows - using them strongly to pump the air fully in and out of the body. Most Pilates exercises coordinate with the breath, and using the breath properly is an integral part of Pilates exercise. Learn more: Breathing in Pilates.

Flow: Pilates exercise is done in a flowing manner. Fluidity, grace, and ease are goals applied to all exercises. The energy of an exercise connects all body parts and flows through the body in an even way. Pilates equipment, like the reformer, are very good mirrors of one's flow and concentration as they tend to bang around and suddenly become quite "machine-like" if one loses ones control and flow.


Qigong ('chee-gung') is a powerful ancient system of healing and energy medicine from China. It is the art and science of using breathing techniques, gentle movement, and meditation to cleanse, strengthen and circulate the life energy (qi). Qigong practice leads to better health, vitality and a tranquil state of mind. It has been shown to improve posture and respiration, induce the relaxation response, cause favorable changes in blood chemistry, and improve self-awareness and concentration.


*Alternative Therapies are provided as an introduction to alternative healing techniques and are offered throughout the month according to the daily schedule.