Confrontational Psychodynamic

The idea of motivational interviewing builds on Rogers' theories about people having freedom of choice and changing through the process of self-actualisation (Davidson, 1994). Miller and Rollnik (1991) describe it as a technique in which the heath practitioner becomes a helper in the change process while expressing acceptance of their client. A central goal of motivational interviewing, says Geldard & Geldard (2012), is to help resolve the ambivalence which prevents clients from realising their personal goals and to facilitate positive change. Motivational interviewing is mostly utilised to counsel those troubled by addiction (not just substance, but also behaviours).

Many people believe the misconception that an addiction is a moral problem and not a disease. To better understand the reasons why an additicition is in fact a disease; I will identify several types of addictions, and the problems associated with them. I will examine reasons why certain people are more susceptible for developing an addiction. Also, I will determine why many addicts deny their problems and many recovery methods addicts use to fight their illness. Researching these issues, will help aid my claim that addiction is a disease.

The concept of motivational interviewing evolved from experience in the treatment of problem drinkers, and was first described by Miller (1983) in an article published in Behavioral Psychotherapy. These fundamental concepts and approaches were later elaborated by Miller and Rollnick (1991) in a more detailed description of clinical procedures. Motivational interviewing is a semi-directive, client-centered counseling style for eliciting behavior change by helping clients to explore and resolve ambivalence. Compared with non-directive counseling, it 's more focused and goal-directed. Motivational Interviewing is a method that works on facilitating and engaging intrinsic motivation within the client in order to change behavior. The examination and resolution of ambivalence is a central purpose, and the counselor is intentionally directive in pursuing this goal.

In order to effectively execute this therapeutic technique, there are five basic principles of motivational interviewing such as the expression of empathy, the development of discrepancy, the avoidance of arguments, the adjustment to client resistance, and the support of self-efficacy and expression (Easton, Swan & Sinha 2000). Firstly, one must display an understanding and experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another from the other person’s perspective ((Moller & Potter 2016b). In relation to an alcoholic client, one must develop a therapeutic and non-judgmental relationship with the client. By the use of active and reflective listening, one can create an empathetic atmosphere by establishing a safe and open environment to facilitate the vulnerability and honesty of the client. By taking the time to understand the client’s perspective, feelings, and values, you will create an empathetic environment that will facilitate the process of motivational interviewing (Easton, Swan & Sinha 2000).

Dr. May then goes into a much more in-depth look at the psychological factors of addiction. The text furthers the discussion of self-deception and goes into specific defense mechanisms that we use when we struggle with an addiction. During this portion of the text it elaborates on the understanding of how we will denial to others and more importantly to ourselves that we are increasing the particular behavior that we are addicted to. The book also mentions how we attempt to rationalize the situation to help us continue our addictive behavior. The text then goes into detail about hiding and delaying tactics, such as how we tell ourselves that “we will quit tomorrow.” The book then goes into the understanding of control issues within the addiction, along with how it effects other and how other effect an individual’s addiction. The book then goes into different areas of the psychological factors and discusses the behavioral issues and the understanding of the psychoanalytical aspect of the issue through explaining how addiction uses our unconscious to develop. There is also a

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Motivational interviewing is a counseling approach that was studied and understood as an applicable theory of practice that would be beneficial in the environment where I currently work which is an alcohol treatment facility. Whereas, it is understood that clinical and applied aspects of Motivational Interviewing (MI) have shown effective as a relatively brief intervention (Levensky, Cavasos, & Brooks, 2008), especially those dealing with an alcohol dependency. According to Miller and Roderick, MI, has been defined mostly as a directive, client centered counseling approach for eliciting behavior change by helping clients to explore and resolve ambivalence. In addition, with its goal-orientated approach it can help break down resistance to change (Corey, 2013, pp. 191-194). This theoretical approach is the most favored for the environment in my profession of choice, in addition, integrating it with the practice of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which is already in use.

Substance Use Disorder’s (SUD) have become an escalating issue in the mental health field over the last few decades. The alarming incline to drug related and co-occurring maladaptive behaviors has created a dedicated science to better understand and define this problematic situation. Definition allows the therapeutic process to evolve around the symptomatic problem in order to deliver the hope of recovery. Social stigmas often view drug abuse and addiction as one in the same, but when viewed by the clinician, they take on an important role in defining treatment. Drug abuse is viewed as a reoccurring use of a substance outside of its intended purpose resulting in negative consequences. The use of drugs in any form, is often voluntary and has a high risk factor of developing dependency that leads to addiction. The American Society of Addiction Medicine has characterized addiction by the inability to consistently abstain, impaired behavior control, craving, diminished cognitive behavior in regards to relationships, and dysfunctional emotional response (ASAM, 2011). At this point, the progressive substance use cannot be changed without a course of treatment. The therapist’s subscription to a particular pharmacological theory, such as the disease model, behavioral/environmental model, or diathesis-stress model can determine the therapeutic approach.

Imagine laying on the floor in your own pool of sweat—miserable, your mind bouncing off the walls while the cloud of your darkest thoughts looms over you. Teeth chattering anxiously, waiting to receive the next second, minute, hour of painless bliss. This—this is the life of an addict; does this horror appear to be a choice or more like a disease haunting the mind of the user? Despite the fact a choice was needed to initiate the result, addiction itself is a debilitating disease NOT a choice due to initial influences and anatomical changes to the brain.

Hopefully, a struggling addict will hear the message and take steps toward getting treatment. By the same token, these stories prove beyond doubt that recovery is possible. Personal experiences go a long way when it comes to getting the point across to someone. With this in mind, our former clients are able to help others realize the same success in their lives

Addictions are strongholds and bondages that are more often than not difficult to overcome. The addiction holds a person’s well-being captive which result in unusual behavioral patterns. According to Gabor Maté and Arold Langeveld “addiction means be to a slave” relatively speaking when a person is addicted in reality they are a slave to the stimuli. Furthermore the outcome of addiction will result in behavioral patterns that will satisfy the addiction.

One contemporary psychoanalytical view of substance abuse is that it is a defense against anxiety (Thombs D 2006). Addicts often abuse alcohol and other substances to guard against anxiety and other painful feelings like shame, guilt, loneliness and depression. Psychological problems including substance abuse disorders are viewed as a result of inhibited ability to make authentic, meaningful, and self directed choices about how to live.

In Addiction Training in Clinical Psychology: Are We Keeping up With the Rising Epidemic?, the authors and researchers discuss clinical psychology and its effectiveness when dealing with addiction. Clinical psychologists have always had an interest in addiction and its treatments. With treatments being focused into evidence-based aspects, the American Psychological Association and the Nation Institutes of Health formed programs such as the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Programs like the NIAAA and NIDA focused on alcohol and substance abuse and how different treatments worked and their effectiveness. Grants had been offered for psychology graduate students in

Motivational Interviewing (MI) refers to a client centred counselling approach, which is directed to enhance motivation in an individual for behaviour change Miller & Rollnick (as cited in Christopher & Dougher, 2009). MI as a method understands and accepts that the clients are at different levels of readiness to change their behavior. It consistently focuses on goals to prepare the client for transformation by providing motivation for commitment to change (Bricker & Tollison, 2011) in the domains of substance abuse, addiction and risky health problems. It proceeds to make the client aware of the causes, consequences and risks that could be a result of the behavior. Through this, the client foresees the possibilities of enhancement and becomes motivated to achieve it (Jenson, Cushing, Aylward, Craig, Sorell & Steel, 2011). MI is coherent with the

This is done through the exploration and the resolving of client’s ambivalence (Burke, 2011). Countless studies have shown that motivational interviewing is significantly more efficacious than no treatment at all (Burke, 2011). Lundahl and Burke discovered that motivation interviewing is as efficacious as other viable treatments for various addictive problems (as cited in Burke, 2011, p. 74). Motivational interviewing has been shown to be cost-effective (Burke, 2011). Furthermore, motivational interviewing as been shown to work with clients regardless of problem severity, gender, and age (Burke,