What Is A Resistant Client?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Response content resistance is

a client's attempt to restrict or control the type of information communicated to the counselor

. This may manifest itself in several different forms. Often times, clients engage in small talk about irrelevant topics, such as gossip or rumors.

What is a reluctant client?

Reluctant clients

those who really don't want to be there

. There can be a number of reasons for this. For example, they: fear the unfamiliar. are apprehensive about what is involved in any change they might make.

How do you approach a resistant client?

  1. Calm yourself. …
  2. Express empathy. …
  3. Reframe resistance. …
  4. Cultivate patience. …
  5. Seek support from your peers. …
  6. Consider terminating the relationship.

What does resistance mean in therapy?

“Resistance means

we're working on the wrong problem a problem that the client doesn't care to work on

. Counselors need to connect with the client in order to find the right problem. I suggest connecting on the basis of clients' perceived locus of control.

How do you understand resistant clients?

Such tactics that indicate a response style resistance can include: “discounting, limit setting, thought censoring/editing, externalization, counselor stroking, seductiveness, forgetting, last minute disclosure, and false promising.” Clients exhibiting this resistant behavior use guile to avoid talking about sensitive …

What does resistance look like in therapy?


When you feel like a client is not making progress

, it is a sign of resistance. They may come in regularly but they keep having the same experiences and don't show improvement. When you feel like a client is not much making much progress it is natural to feel frustrated and a bit guilty.

How do therapists deal with Silent clients?

  1. Slow the Pace and Remove the Pressure.
  2. Becoming comfortable with reflective silence through providing reflections and affirmations can help the therapist to escape a narrow definition of success as verbal engagement and active change. …
  3. Building the Confidence of the Client.

What is an example of countertransference?

Examples of Countertransference

For example,

a therapist may meet with a person who has extreme difficulty making conversation

. The therapist may begin, unwittingly, to lead the conversation and provide additional prompts to the person in treatment to encourage discussion.

How do you deal with involuntary clients?

The three most frequently identified strategies used by social workers in this study to encourage engagement with involuntary clients were

relational strategies

, motivational interviewing techniques, and a client-centered and client-controlled treatment.

How do you handle a difficult client?

  1. Choose your words carefully. …
  2. Add FroMLE to the end of ignorant statements. …
  3. Be very specific, use measurables. …
  4. Acknowledge, but don't agree. …
  5. Pin down the outcome. …
  6. Use visual reminders and document it. …
  7. Recognize a real personality conflict. …
  8. Fire them.

Why do therapists go silent?

For the specific event, therapists used silence

primarily to facilitate reflection

, encourage responsibility, facilitate expression of feelings, not interrupt session flow, and convey empathy. During silence, therapists observed the client, thought about the , and conveyed interest.

What causes mental resistance?

Examples of causes of resistance include: resistance to the recognition of feelings, fantasies, and motives;

resistance to revealing feelings toward the therapist

; resistance as a way of demonstrating self-sufficiency; resistance as clients' reluctance to change their behavior outside the therapy room; resistance as a …

What is the goal of Client Centered Therapy?

Goals of Rogerian Therapy

Rogerian Therapy tends to

increase the client's self-esteem

, learning abilities from making mistakes, trust in themselves, positive relationships, and idea of who they are. Clients should be able to express and experience their emotions better in real time as well.

Can a therapist tell if your lying?


Your therapist can't read your mind

, so they may not always know for certain when you lie. That said, plenty of cues in your speech and body language can alert your therapist to dishonesty. They might notice things like unnecessary or embellished details, or changes in your story from session to session.

How do you connect with client therapy?

  1. Help the client feel more welcome. …
  2. Know that relationships take time. …
  3. Never judge the client. …
  4. Manage your own emotions. …
  5. Talk about what the client wants from therapy. …
  6. Ask more or different questions. …
  7. Don't make the client feel rejected. …
  8. Refer to another therapist.

What may cause a client to become resistant?

The client

Clients may be resistant to the

counseling process because they have feelings of shame

. There also may be a misalignment of goals. Counselors try to move their clients towards an acceptance of responsibility while clients may be more inclined to strive for evasion of responsibility (King, 1992).

James Park
Author
James Park
Dr. James Park is a medical doctor and health expert with a focus on disease prevention and wellness. He has written several publications on nutrition and fitness, and has been featured in various health magazines. Dr. Park's evidence-based approach to health will help you make informed decisions about your well-being.