Finishing Strong:
Treating Chemical Addictions with Music and Imagery
Ruth B. Skaggs
COMMENTS FROM REVIEWERS
“This work is an insightful analysis of
how music and imagery can be focused for the therapy of painful
addictions.” Ernest Harburg, PH.D.,
Senior Research Scientist Emeritus, University of Michigan.
“A very clever and complete, as well as
practical, method and approach using music and imagery in treatment.”
“If Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) had
been available when I was the attending psychiatrist on a chemical dependency
unit I would have used it. I’m confident
that I would have seen substantially enhanced results in my patients, since GIM
offers a way of accessing psychophysiologic and psychospiritual issues that
must be addressed for the successful treatment of addiction. The conventional techniques used obviously
leave much to be desired, partly because of their lack of power to deal with
these issues.
"I strongly recommend the
book for anyone who has to deal with the tremendous problem of addiction or
would like to deepen the understanding of the power of music as a healing
modality.” O. Jack Woodard, Jr., M.D.,
Medical Director,
“This book illustrates the power of
imagination and the medium of music to create significant changes in feeling
states. Further, Ruth draws from her own
rich music background to explain and demonstrate how such healing techniques
can work. But always she is convincing
in HOW this modality impacts the world of the addict in treatment. Indeed, a lot of treatment remains too
rational, caught up in explanations about
addiction and stopping there. This book
poignantly suggests that healing happens in the experience of being
alive…experiencing the truth contained in imagery and music, in myth and fact,
and surrendering to a higher cause and a greater passion.” Larry Kennon, Director, The A.