Psychotherapy and Counseling: Dancing with Resistance

This essential guide helps you better understand and resolve client resistance in therapy and counseling contexts. The frustrating "e;Yes, but..."e; or "e;That won't work because..."e; debates are familiar to most practitioners. It's easy for the patient to be labeled as resistant or unmotivated, and therapists often respond with frustration or irritation. The approach of Motivational Interviewing offers a new perspective on resistance phenomena, understanding resistance primarily as an interactional phenomenon. Building on this, communication techniques are explained to help break down or prevent conversational blockages. Practical examples ease the transfer of these techniques into everyday professional practice.