SC22 – Priming: The Hidden Key to Successful Therapeutic Outcomes
Location: Grand Peninsula A-D
Research has confirmed that we are controlled by an unconscious behavioral guidance system more than previously conceived (Bargh & Chartrand, 1999). Further, once covertly activated, unconscious goals are just as powerful as or more powerful than conscious goals. To the surprise of many, goals do not require an act of will to be acquired. These findings confirm that the techniques of Erickson that form the foundation of Brief Therapy are validated by the priming research of the last 20 years. This all suggests that the hidden key to effective therapy may be the meticulous and artful use of semantic priming in the therapeutic dialogue.
This presentation will introduce participants to the concept of priming, review selected research, and demonstrate its implications in resolving therapeutic roadblocks and creating therapeutic movement. Implications relative to the management of resistance will be a predominant theme. Ultimately, attendees will learn what priming is, the theory behind what occurs in the brain when priming occurs, and how to incorporate priming into the therapeutic dialogue to minimize resistance and create movement. An added bonus will be a discussion on how to incorporate the same scientific principles into your personal life for self-improvement and habit control. The ideas and methods presented are readily integrated into all theoretical approaches and client problems.
Educational Objectives:
- Define what priming is and describe how and why it has such a
significant impact on mental processing. - Describe and incorporate priming principles into the therapeutic dialogue in order to
circumvent resistance and increase the impact of the therapeutic dialogue.