How might a counselor engage a client who is reluctant to collaborate during the assessment? 275 words 1 ref
Engaging Clients during Assessment
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Engaging Clients during Assessment
Healthcare providers often experience resistance from their clients, leading to the therapists blaming either themselves or the client. According to Muntigl et al. (2020), evidence has shown that clients and therapists, who can agree on therapy activities proposed by the care provider and actively collaborate in the activities, often have successful outcomes. Therapists can address client resistance by making their directives less likely to be rejected. For example, using a softened pitch to invite a client to participate (Muntigl et al., 2020). The therapists should orient to the client’s greater entitlement to decide over the suggested course of action. The therapist may use the pronoun “we” to show togetherness in the process.
According to Stines (2018), therapists can overcome resistance by developing rapport with the client. The inability to build a strong therapeutic relationship between the client and the therapist can contribute to reluctance. To build this kind of relationship, the therapist should manage eye contact appropriately, keep negative topics neutral, use an appropriate tone, and act interested in the patient (Stines, 2018). Furthermore, therapists must avoid imposing their agenda onto clients.
The client’s goals are to be developed based on collaboration between the client and the therapist. If the client is being reluctant or non-compliant, the issue should be discussed candidly. Sometimes the therapist should be watchful because resistance can be part of what needs to be treated. If the goals for therapy have arrived through collaboration and there is still non-compliance, then it would be addressed as part of what requires treatment (Stines, 2018). The resistance should be actively discussed with the client, without judgment or surprise. Clients might be reluctant to collaborate due to fear; hence, honest discussion can be helpful.
References
Muntigl, P., Horvath, A. O., Chubak, L., & Angus, L. (2020). Getting to “yes”: Overcoming client reluctance to engage in chair work. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 582856. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.582856
Stines, S. (2018). How to Address Client Resistance in Therapy. https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/how-to-address-client-resistance-in-therapy-1119185