Bill Patterson

A life that is dominated by an addiction can and often does so easily become a life that is sustained by that addiction and the odds of an opiate addict living beyond the age of fifty are about 50-50. “Occasional use” to assist with a perceived contextual anxiety or so-called “recreational use” (a tantalising but nonetheless illusory concept) soon become habitual and the self-perpetuating cycle of shame, low self esteem and anxiety begins. Can hypnotherapy help to break the pernicious cycle of addiction?

Bill Patterson’s experience of working with opiate addicts has led him to believe that the peer support provided by group therapy programmes is a major critical success factor in the rehabilitation of an opiate addict. Unfortunately, the resistance of many addicts to the idea of joining a group can be a major obstacle.

Bill explained how the use of Ego State Therapy can play a vital role in helping the addict create enough of a shift to move beyond the denial, shame and guilt to a strong enough sense of regret that can provide a gateway to the motivation required to overcome the judgements of others and join a group. Despite relapses which are common, once addicts are engaged in group therapy and peer support, their chances of success are greatly enhanced.

Bill reminded us that the therapist’s primary purpose is to keep the client focused on their intended outcome. As hypnotherapists we have a range of skills we can use to help our clients to imagine the possibilities and wonderment of life, and when working with addicts, we can help them to become future oriented and to believe in the possibility of creating a life without the addiction.  

Bill was careful to stress the importance of hypnotherapy as a facilitating process which enables the client to access their own inner resources for self healing and change. His references to Ernest Rossi’s work in the area of psychobiology and neurogenesis reminded us of the enormous potential for learning, healing and recreating ourselves that is available to us.

The hypnotherapeutic strategies described by Bill in his work with addicts focus the client on their own self healing and are very much client-centred. The effectiveness of these techniques is, I believe, also underpinned by the empathic connectedness to his clients which was evident throughout Bill’s presentation.  

My thanks to Bill for sharing his experiences and beliefs with us and for reminding us of the powerful (and often life changing) triggers in the biochemical processes that increase neural plasticity that can be brought about by the skillful use of hypnotherapeutic techniques.