Psychotherapy with Clients with Addiction(s): A Grounded Theory Study of Effective Therapeutic Approaches

Background: addiction is a multifaceted topic with social, cultural, and political undertones and influences. It can be considered challenging to work with psychotherapeutically. Aim: to counter this pejorative conjecture, this study aimed to explore the approaches experienced therapists use in their clinical work. Methodology: to investigate what has proved important and therapeutically helpful empirically, ten qualitative semi-structured interviews were carried out with experienced clinicians of varying modalities working with addiction. Transcripts were analysed using constructivist grounded theory. Findings: one core category emerged from the data: what was revealed to be effective in working with addictions is a unique, contextualised, collaborative and creative therapeutic approach. Five sub-categories transpired: 1) contextual factors; 2) therapist factors; 3) client factors; 4) conceptualisations; 5) therapeutic work. The findings indicate that through engagement with unique psychosocial understandings of clients, therapists enhance their own understandings of the phenomenon of addiction, which then informs their therapeutic approach. It is argued that an individualised and creative approach, anchored in the particular needs, personal preferences or beliefs of the client, is given preference over rigid adherence to any particular therapeutic model.