Adolfo García de Sola
Andalusian Health Service. National Health System
Dr. Adolfo García de Sola is a Clinical Psychologist, member of the Spanish Association of Neuropsychiatry and the Spanish Association of Hypnosis. He has published several writings about Psychotherapy, Hypnosis,Traditional Healers and Immigration.His current position is in a Therapeutic Community for Psychotic patients belonging to the Spanish National Health System
This workshop shows the group work made with people diagnosed with psychosis using techniques related to the management of consciousness states.
We know, dealing with psychosis, conventional psychotherapeutic approaches, often are not too successful and medication, even if it helps, does not get optimum results and causes significant side effects.
So, thinking about other more effective ways, we have seen that throughout history and in different cultures different methods have been used to modify the state of consciousness for therapeutic purposes.
Analyzing these methods in detail, we have created a type of groups with a very specific setting, being aware that the therapists who use them, must have a broad knowledge of psychopathology and a strong background in psychotherapy.
In our groups, interventions are flexible, always following carefully the development of the session, and the suggestions of the people or the rhythm they mark. It is very important to listen to the other. This flexibility is essential.
There are some key recommendations to consider: for example, and for obvious reasons closely related to paranoid symptoms, not to require the person to do something without being able to resist the order. In my experience it is better to make use of inductions related with relaxation instructions.
There are also some lines that help to open the way through different states of consciousness other than ordinary, such as talking about dreams or remembering what a person feels and lives when hallucinating, or in the middle of a delusion, or recalling situations in which they felt particularly good, getting in and out of the induction, etc.
In this approach, the concept of 'dissotiation' is fundamental for the understanding and the management of consciousness states as a healthy instrument.
Results are presented and discussed from the outlook of improvement and adaptation to daily life.
