RECOVERING OPTIONS:
The Transformation of Addictive Processes
by John Overdurf, C.A.C. and Julie Silverthorn, M.S.

We went to school in the era of "overpopulated majors," so when we graduated from college with degrees in psychology, we weren't really sure if we would be able to find a job in our field. Luckily, our first "real" jobs were both in the Drug and Alcohol Treatment community. John was a counselor on the Detox Unit at a local hospital, and Julie was a case manager for the MH/MR/D&A program. That was 1979 and since then many things have changed, especially in the field of Addiction treatment.
Since we were both therapists we were always searching for the best methods for creating change. Julie utilized family therapy as a change model, as John continued with primary D&A work. In 1984 we began using NLP and Hypnosis in our work with clients and in the treatment of addictions. It's safe to say that, at least in our region, we were among the first to apply NLP and Ericksonian techniques to issues of addiction. When we say addictions we're primarily referring to dependence on alcohol and other drugs (nicotine, cocaine, amphetamines, opioids, minor tranquilizers, and cannabis). The paradigm we're proposing in this article is also applicable to other complexes of compulsive behaviors (such as sexual addictions, co-dependency, gambling, and eating disorders). Through years of educated trial and error (including the years when Julie stepped out of therapy into a business paradigm), we've formulated beliefs and approaches, which we believe are more effective than the traditional D&A techniques which we've used in the past. In 1989 we resumed our joint private practice and began training others in the use of NLP and Hypnosis.
Since this time we've often been asked, "What technique do you use for addiction?" To make a long story short, while there are some key features to working with addicts, there's not much we don't use. Generally when we're working with a real addiction, we're not looking at just a couple hours of therapy; although in best case scenarios this has occurred. When we work with someone we are assisting them on a biochemical/physical, psychological, interpersonal, and spiritual level. We can't always assume that making a change in one of these areas will automatically generalize to the other areas, the way it might with someone who hasn't bathed their nervous system in large quantities of powerful chemicals for extended periods. Working with addicts definitely requires a sense of therapeutic timing over the long haul, that would generally not be required for relieving such issues as a phobia or allergy.
In this article we present an overview of our approach to Addictions Intervention. The sequence is not as linear and procedural in its application, as it is in its description. The order which we describe is how the intervention typically occurs, although not much is typical when working with addicts. We assume that the reader has a basic understanding of the change techniques available within NLP and Ericksonian Hypnosis. We will be covering assessment, using Ericksonian and NLP approaches, another time although the information which we are sorting for is evident to the informed reader. Assessment is also briefly covered in the sections on tasking, strategy elicitation, and incongruities.

Step 1. Use therapeutic tasking as a prerequisite to the "actual therapy."

In life, often the "problem," itself, isn't the problem. The problem is how we try to solve it.

Seem confusing? Most problems are (confusing) when you're in them. Sound circular? It is and that's the point.