“All the suffering, stress, and addiction comes from not realizing you already are what you are looking for.”
– Jon Kabat-Zinn
To understand addiction, one must understand the destructive thought process every person possesses known as the “critical inner voice.” The role of this “voice” in addiction is incredibly powerful as it is much like a sadistic coach in people’s heads that first lures them into self-destructive behavior but then punishes them for being “weak” or a “failure.” Most people can identify how this inner critic punishes them for messing up or indulging in addictive behavior, but they don’t realize just how sneaky it can be in terms of offering seductive and soothing-seeming messages that entice them to indulge in a substance or behavior that destructively influences their life.
In this Webinar, Dr. Lisa Firestone will explain how to fully face, fight and treat an addiction, one must come to know their critical inner voice. Individuals must learn what they are telling themselves both before they engage in addictive behavior and after. Increasing their awareness of this critical voice and how it operates is an essential first step to resisting an addiction.
The presentation will introduce a method for individuals to separate their real self (their true wants, goals and values) from their anti-self (the side of them that is self-critical, self-sabotaging and self-destructive). Dr. Firestone will explain the steps of Voice Therapy, a cognitive, affective and behavioral approach to challenging one’s core negative beliefs about themselves. She will help individuals and therapists working with clients learn ways to overcome the thought processes that drive addictive behavior. Dr. Firestone will further emphasize the importance of helping individuals struggling with addiction to strengthen their sense of self and start to refrain from addictive urges.
Length: 90 Minutes
