Presenter:
David E. Bresler, PhD, LAc
Objectives: Participants completing this
presentation will be able to:
- Use imagery dialogue to help resolve the intrapersonal conflict that resists overcoming addictions.
- Utilize guided imagery techniques to relieve acute and chronic pain.
- Carefully choose words that enhance the power of the mind/body connection.
Description: Dr. Bresler will first review
the characteristics of addiction, the various factors
leading to addiction, and how the brain’s pain and pleasure
systems are affected by certain pain medicines, temperature
changes, foods, exercise, relaxation, suggestion, and
imagery.
Addiction commonly represents an intrapersonal conflict
between the part of the psyche that wants to overcome the
addictive dependence, and a separate part that resists this
change because it will be painful and/or stressful. Dr.
Bresler will present an imagery based treatment model based
upon first reconciling this conflict, using nicotine and
opiate addictions as examples.
He will then discuss several imagery and imagery-related
suggestive techniques used to diagnose and treat acute and
chronic pain. By using imagery dialogue with a patient’s
pain, one can often identify etiologic factors and
therapeutic possibilities undiscoverable by other means.
Imagery techniques also lend themselves well to
self-management, enabling patients to listen to imagery CDs
as an alternative or adjunct to pain relieving medications.
The power of words to evoke images affects nearly every
aspect of contemporary pain management, from interpretation
of tests, giving informed consent for interventional
procedures, to patients’ compliance with treatment
recommendations. These images can powerfully affect the
brain’s pain and pleasure systems, and Dr. Bresler will
offer a variety of suggestions designed to optimize to
power of the mind/body connection.