Utilization Sobriety: Brief, Individualized Substance Abuse Treatment Employing Ideomotor Questioning

Abstract

This article presents a substance abuse treatment method that acknowledges and accommodates the personal needs that are being addressed by substance. This method, Utilization Sobriety, bypasses perceived resistances and employs idiosyncratic psychobiological learning to achieve a body-mind gestalt that is complementary to the client's sobriety. It develops a safe framework for addressing any subsequent mental health themes directly or indirectly related to substance misuse. A treatment protocol for the use of Utilization Sobriety as well as relevant clinical material illustrating its application and a discussion of its implications are offered.

Ideomotor Signaling: From Divining Spiritual Messages to Discerning Subconscious Answers during Hypnosis and Hypnoanalysis, a Historical Perspective

“…Some psychotherapists such as Walsh (1997Walsh ( , 2003, Hammond (1997), and Frederick and McNeal (1999) have also begun to adopt ideomotor finger signaling in hypnoanalysis as an efficient means of obtaining answers from the subconscious in the mental health realm, where the focus is on emotions, mind, and cognitions and beliefs. Hammond's (1997) cautions about not forcing confabulated false memories or using leading questions or accepting subconscious responses as being more "true" than conscious responses without some form of external verifications should be kept in mind.…”

“…Hammond did use ideomotor signaling to confirm resolution of problems and to obtain commitments to facilitate change. Walsh (2003) also used ideomotor questioning for brief substance abuse treatment. Morison (2001Morison ( , 2002 further advanced the understanding of hypnoanalysis in a two volume work on analytical hypnotherapy, theoretical principles and practical applications.…”

Intensive Therapy: Utilizing Hypnosis in the Treatment of Substance Abuse Disorders

“…They can change these experiences to experiences that promote abstinence and reduce craving by using suggestion, reframes, metaphors, and positive imaging in hypnosis. Walsh (2003) presented three case studies using a brief one-session approach called "The Utilization Sobriety Model." This model uses an ideomotor finger signal to identify the absolute best high from using the drug of choice.…”