Analysis of the type of imagery and imagery themes from Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) sessions with adults in chemical dependency treatment

Substance use disorders have a significant impact on individuals, families, and communities worldwide due to their impact on relationships, health, work and productivity, and crime. Over 300 million adults worldwide use illicit drugs, creating a heavy disease burden and costing countries billions of dollars annually. The complex nature of addiction warrants a holistic treatment approach that addresses the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual impacts. This secondary analysis examines the types of imagery and analyzes the imagery themes of ten adults who participated in a series of GIM sessions while in inpatient addiction treatment. This secondary analysis included analyzing 66 transcripts from their individual GIM sessions. Analysis of types of imagery indicated that participants most frequently experienced visual imagery, then affect imagery, kinesthetic imagery, body imagery, interaction imagery, and memory imagery. Through analysis of the participants’ imagery, nine themes emerged: stuck, fear, loss, anger, letting go, moving on, discovering inner strength, transformation and hope. Participants’ experiences of these six types of imagery represent the multi-faceted nature of GIM that fosters exploration, engagement, and expression in these nuanced ways. The imagery themes indicate a process of change and transformation that participants’ experienced through their series of sessions.