Helping people to overcome addictions such as alcohol and drugs can be very challenging for an NLP practitioner. This article by Richard Bolstad and Margot Hamblett provides an excellent summary of some useful NLP intervention.
Transforming Recovery: NLP and Addiction | International Society of Neuro-Semantics.
The article recognizes the different stages of escaping from addiction by using a model by Prochaska and DiClemente. I have given a summary of the recommended NLP interventions below and recommend that interested readers check out the original article.
- Stage 1: Pre-contemplation
The person doesn’t consider the addiction an issue at this stage.
Intervention: Refuse to collude with the problem, and simply seek permission to give information. - Stage 2: Contemplation
The person seesaws between wanting to change and wanting to use.
Intervention: Explore values and use NLP decision-making processes. - Stage 3: Commitment
The person says they really want to change.
Intervention: Help set goals, and provide tasks for the person, to check out their intention to act. - Stage 4: Action
The person is ready to act.
Intervention: Elicit and alter their old strategy for using, and integrate the conflicting parts to resolve the problem. - Stage 5: Maintenance
Intervention: Build a new lifestyle by integrating change at the level of mission, values, and time line; and teaching interpersonal skills, state changing skills, health skills. - Stage 6: Recycling
Intervention: Future pace the person through possible future lapses to a life beyond “recovery” to ensure that they can quickly respond to any new challenges.