Using the Octaband with People with Substance Abuse Addictions

At the American Dance Therapy Association conference last week, Mindy Bocko reported on how she's been using the Octaband:

“I used the Octaband 2 ways with adults who have substance abuse addiction issues and one way was based on something that someone was demonstrating when I came to your booth at the expressive arts conference (IEATA) and that was to have them pick an arm and say the different substances they use each time they pick an arm but to pull on one especially hard and to say which one pulls on them the most. I enjoyed that.

But what I almost enjoyed more was a spontaneous way of using this that a client came up with. And that was all of us were standing around holding an arm and he said ‘Just pass it to the person next to you.’ But  thinking of directives, I said ‘as you pass it to the person next to you, please tell them what you’ve enjoyed about them in the group.’ Boy, that went around 6 times, with people hearing positive affirmations about themself in their presence and then we circled it back in the other direction.

I loved that spontaneity. The client thought it up and it was great.”

These images of the Octaband being used are not with people with substance abuse addictions, but rather an international peace education training. Still it can give you an idea of what the Octaband looks like in action.