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Client Resistance
Sometimes during the counselling process it can seem as if clients are working in opposition to their therapists. The clients may not want to explore particular issues, change a particular behaviour or challenge some long held belief. In counselling this is known as client resistance. This behaviour may seem like a blockage to progress but it isn’t necessarily. Resistance doesn’t mean the client doesn’t want to change or won’t do what the therapist thinks they should do. it just means the client perhaps needs a little more time to explore what change is, what it looks like, how it feels. It may mean looking at a long held belief or value in a different light.
Exploring the resistance can be quite revealing about the client, their attitude towards change, their relationship with their therapist and their frame of reference and so on. An example of resistance I often use is one about old leather. Old leather is one of the most comfortable hings we’ll ever wear. It fits us perfectly and is molded to our body perfectly. It slips on so easily sometimes we forget we’re wearing it at all. However like most things leather wears out. It’s no longer fit for purpose, it lets the rain in and looks shabby. The thought of wearing new leather, which is warm, smells nice and keeps the rain out is too difficult because new leather is stiff, awkward and uncomfortable to get used to. It just feels easier to wear the old.
As this resistance is explored it can actually strengthen the therapeutic relationship, the need for change or indeed whether or not change is necessary. Being open and empathetic the therapist can begin to better understand the obstacles to change with the client’s frame of reference. The client on the other hand can feel more accepted and valued in the absence of being judged and therefore feel more comfortable to explore the uncomfortable. As the client leads the therapist can facilitate whatever change may be needed. Working together the counsellor and the client can devise appropriate interventions that can help move the client toward growth.
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This article was written by sentientcounselling