Interviewing Resistive Client - Research Paper Example

Interviewing Resistive Client Introduction Resistive clients demonstrate the will to engage in counseling sessions. They are outwardly receptive but they exhibit certain characteristics and qualities that hinder effective progress towards the achievement of their self-identified goals. In an interview, resistive clients welcome the interactive session but are adamant when it comes to taking the necessary actions. According to Edelwich and Brodsky(1992), a resistive client possesses fear, mistrust and inertia. Resistive client is afraid that he or she will be looked down upon as a failure in case he or she complies to the demands of the medical practitioner. Moreover, he or she exhibits attitudes and dispositions emanating from the fear that he or she might succumb to coercion into something against his or her will. In this paper, I will explore the processes involved in interviewing resistive clients. Discussion During professional counseling, the counselor may follow the stipulated procedures as per the counselor training programs when interviewing a client. However, despite the use of best efforts by the interviewee, the client may fail to act according the counselors’ expectations and more so respond negatively to interventions used. Such clients are labeled oppositional, noncompliant, unmotivated, and intractable. The behaviors demonstrated by the difficulty clients are generalized as resistance (Edelwich and Brodsky 1992). According to clinicians who interview resistive clients, resistance is the process of diminishing or avoiding self-disclosing information requested by interviewer because of its capability to make the interviewee anxious or uncomfortable. Moreover, it is an active process with the potential of escalating into a basic obstacle to counseling outcomes. Resistivity interferes with the perceived efficacy of the counselor, impedes the motivation of the client, and undermines the process of change (Edelwich and Brodsky 1992). In order to mitigate resistance from clients, it is important for the counselors to recognize the expectations that the clients have when they are seeking counseling. Among majority of the clients, the process of counseling is quite daunting. As these clients are unsure of what to expect, they enter into a work relationship that is based on intimacy and trust with the counselor, whom they might have met for the first time. During the session, they are expected to explore issues that are personal, which they might not have shared previously with close friends or even members of their families. Other clients may be faced with the situation whereby the choice of seeking counseling help does not depend on them but rather depends on their relatives. These clients might have been coerced into undergoing the treatment, which might have made them lose the will to fully offer commitment to the process (Harris and Watkins 1987). Due to the unique dimensions that the counseling process is associated with, it is quite natural for some of the clients in counseling to develop some form of resistance towards the process. Counselors are supposed to acknowledge the resistance as it is evidenced by the formulation of over 400 theories of psychotherapy and counseling, which acknowledge that resistance is a common experience in therapeutic experiences and in client responses. A vivid understanding of the conceptualization of resistance in a variety of theoretical frameworks may help a counselor to have a better understanding of the difficult demeanor assumed by a client during counseling (Harris and Watkins 1987). Earlier postulates on resistance majored on the role of resistance as a form of defense mechanism for the individual. Psychoanalytic approach became widely recognized in the 1900s as a dominant theoretical framework for explaining resistance. In psychoanalysis, resistance was seen as the attempt to repress or block memories that provoked anxiety. Client resistance was an adaptive and self-protective process, which functioned to preserve the core attitudes of the particular client. In these approaches, resistance was deemed to occur at unconscious cognitive levels (Harris and Watkins 1987). Contrary to the early views about resistance, contemporary behavioral theorists have come to view resistance as non-compliance from the client. Behaviorists have the believe that a client exhibits resistive behavior in case he or she lacks the relevant knowledge or skills that are needed in order to keep track of behavioral assignments. He or she has negative beliefs or expectations concerning counseling outcomes, especially when the client is subjected to environmental conditions that are undesirable. In general, client’s resistance is viewed as an obstacle or an obstruction towards success in attaining goals (Harris and Watkins 1987). During the 1940s and 1950s there was the development of client-centered approaches, which subsequently changed the view of resistance. The new humanistic approaches conceptualized resistance as avoidance of dangerous and unpleasant feelings with the potential of becoming permanent blocks towards awareness and the impairment of holistic functions. Clients are usually reluctant to engage in processes that might alter their comfort zone. Moreover, clients feel that in case they allow negative feelings into their consciousness, then their self-concept and self-efficacy would be greatly diminished (Moyers and Rollnick 2002). A medical practitioner can help address the problems that are faced by resistive clients by fostering a warm and inviting climate that makes them feel comfortable. Most of the clients who become resistive acquire the traits as a result of some unbecoming behavior from the clinicians who instead of empathizing with them, become impatient with them hence causing tension. Medical practitioners who are interviewing the resistive clients should demonstrate concern and sincere interest alongside respecting the patients’ privacy. Moreover, resistive clients require honest, reliable, and appropriate services for them to get a comprehensive treatment. Conflicts of interests between the interviewer and client should be avoided for optimal results (Moyers and Rollnick 2002). Failure to listen to the problems faced by the client maybe another source of resistance from clients. Clients demand a lot of attention so that they can give more information about themselves. Hence, the interviewer needs to create a strong bond with the client. Failure to properly counsel the client is another source of resistance. The client may feel that his or her needs are not being listened to and this may aggravate the situation (Moyers and Rollnick 2002). Perspectives and Concepts of Resistant Behaviors Contemporary theories approach resistance from clients from a different perspective called systems. Theorists on family systems view resistance as an unconscious attempt to offer protection to other family members through avoidance of disturbance to dedicate homeostatic balance in which growth and change become associated, albeit unconsciously, with betrayal, disloyalty, and loss. Clients develop reluctance to change their behaviors and beliefs for they fear that by doing so they will have a negative impact on other family members. These changes might be in the best interests of the clients but clients tend to place family welfare ahead of their own welfare (Moyers and Rollnick 2002).   Factors that Contribute to Resistance Client resistance is an unproductive and inappropriate activity. Although this may be true, in most situations, counselors should learn that the resistance might emanate from outside the client. Attempts to understand resistance from the client must incorporate the fact that clients, counselors and the social environment of the client have the capability to enhance resistance. The Client The clients may resist counseling processes in case they have feelings of shame. This resistance might also be fuelled by misalignment of the client’s goals. While counselors are trying to move the clients towards acceptance of responsibility, clients may have a high inclination to evade responsibility. Client may not move readily to the direction that their counselors wish to take them and this contributes to resistant. Moreover, some clients maybe resistant in case the benefits of maintaining dysfunctional behaviors and beliefs outweigh the benefits accrued upon overcoming them. These clients enjoy the attention and support received in a mental facility and may be unwilling to lose the benefits associated with being patients. In other cases, the clients may resist change as they view that change is a frightening and daunting prospect (Cowan and Presbury 2000). The Counselor Counselor can contribute to client resistance either consciously and unconsciously. Counselors may fail to establish the right bond with the client. Moreover, counselors may have misguided expectation of client roles and behavior. In addition, the counselor may expect a client to respond in particular way and in case the client fails, then he or she is labeled resistant. Techniques and interventions assumed by the counselors may contribute to resistance. Counselors need to recognize and be fully aware of the interventions they use by ensuring that the interventions are appropriate for client in the particular moment. Counselors also need to assign homework assignments that are relevant to issues at hand and issues that are not time consuming (Cowan and Presbury 2000). The Social Environment Client resistance maybe fuelled by sources that are outside the relationship between the counselor and the client. These sources emanate from changes in the living situation of the client such as marriage, address, or divorce. Clients are also capable of experiencing sabotage from other people. Individuals in the social circle of the client may find an advantage in fostering the current illness of the client to foster their own gains. This sabotage may be an unintentional result of the interaction of the client in their social circle (Harris and Watkins 1987). Dealing with Resistance in Interviews In addressing client resistance, counselors need to understand that it is normal for clients to react through resistance. The presence of resistance in a counseling session should be expected. After counselors become familiar with clients’ resistance and its extent, they begin to assess it from its therapeutic value. Client resistance signifies that the client brings a distressing issue into the limelight. This issue might be core to the work that the client and the counselor are trying to achieve. Instead of avoiding the issue, researcher suggests that there is the need to address client resistance. There are a number of strategies that are employed in order to succeed in the client’s therapy (Cowan and Presbury 2000). The client should be educated on resistance and its attributes. There should be the use of the Socratic Method in order to question the extent to which the client is suffering. The client should be allowed to have a choice and help in providing the direction for the process of counseling. Moreover, there is the need to foster collaboration between client and counselor. In addition, the counselor should brainstorm with the client on the pros and cons of maintaining the resistive behavior (Cowan and Presbury 2000). Conclusion In summary, resistive clients exhibit characteristics and qualities, which hinder effective progress towards the achievement of therapeutic goals. Resistive clients are oftentimes adamant when it comes to applying the counselors’ advice by taking the necessary action. In this paper, I have explored the issue of resistive clients and how the problem can be addressed. In addressing resistive clients, it is important for the counselors to understand that it is normal for clients to be resistive given that they may be facing issues that compel them to adopt the resistive behavior. There is also the need to educate the client on resistance and its shortcomings. References Cowan, E. W., & Presbury, J. H. (2000). Meeting Client Resistance and Reactance with Reverence. Journal of Counselling and Development, 78(4), 411-419. Edelwich, J., & Brodsky, A. (1992). Group counseling for the resistant client: a practical guide to group process. New York: Lexington Books . Harris, G. A., & Watkins, D. (1987). Counseling the involuntary and resistant client. Alexandria: American Correctional Association. Moyers, T. B., & Rollnick, S. (2002). A Motivational Interviewing Perspective on Resistance in Psychotherapy. Psychotherapy in Practice, 58(2), 185–193. Read More