Deck 3: Honoring the Clients Resistance

Question 1

Honoring the client's resistance means: ​

A)reassuring the client.
B)giving reasons for it.
C)reframing it as an adaptive response to a developmental conflict.
D)discussing it logically with the client.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

By identifying the enduring issues that arise for the client, the therapist will be better prepared to: ​

A)terminate treatment in a timely manner.
B)solve the enduring issues for the client.
C)maintain a detached position in the therapeutic relationship.
D)center treatment around these repeated themes.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

A primary treatment goal for therapists with almost all clients is to: ​

A)"hook" a client into feeling comfortable about therapy by reassuring him/her that everything will be okay.
B)help clients discriminate when certain defensive coping strategies are needed and when they are outdated.
C)help clients see that all old coping strategies are outdated and new ones need to be developed.
D)help clients avoid the shame cycle.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

​ One reason why beginning therapists are reluctant to approach their client's resistance is because of the therapist's strong need:

A)for their clients to like them.
B)to avoid difficult feelings.
C)to avoid inferring that the client's motivations are questionable.
D)all of these choices are correct.

Question 5

In order to address interpersonal conflict between therapist and client, the therapist should: ​

A)educate the client about the treatment process.
B)try to establish an important set of expectations.
C)lay the groundwork for a direct and authentic relationship.
D)All choices are correct.

Question 6

What is the four-step sequence outlined by the authors to address a client's resistance to change outdated or maladaptive coping strategies? ​

A)Label, validate, track, specify
B)Identify, validate, track, generalize
C)Identify, address, re-assess, specify
D)Label, address, respond, generalize

Question 7

Although reasons will vary greatly for each client, client resistance and defenses are driven most frequently by: ​

A)persistent anxieties about whether to address their problems
B)shame
C)denial
D)humiliation

Question 8

The most common reason clients prematurely terminate therapy is: ​

A)the therapist reminds the client of a parental figure.
B)clients are acting on rather than talking about their conflicted feelings about entering therapy.
C)client's lives are too busy.
D)the client is unable to bond with the therapist.

Question 9

A therapist usually knows when a client is resisting treatment when the: ​

A)client has difficulty participating.
B)client becomes confrontive with his/her family.
C)client displays a "moving toward" attitude.
D)client avoids eye-contact during the first session.

Question 10

An "assessment function": ​

A)creates more resistance in the client.
B)offers a way to assess a client's anxiety level.
C)assesses how much resistance the client has.
D)helps shape the treatment focus.

Question 11

Clients often interpret their own resistance as being   and want to      the topic. ​

A)normal; avoid
B)shameful; avoid
C)bad; approach
D)irrelevant; change

Question 12

Following an initial phone contact, the chances that a client will not show up for the first appointment are far greater if the therapist: ​

A)does not solicit a concrete promise from the client to show up.
B)does not specifically address the client's serious commitment to beginning therapy.
C)does not convey their suspicion that the client really isn't genuinely committed to starting treatment.
D)does not acknowledge potential indecision and uncertain commitment through non-defensive dialogue.

Question 13

Clients are often unaware of their own resistance, and may: ​

A)externalize it to others or outside events
B)terminate treatment if confronted
C)not be willing to negotiate a change in their behavior early on
D)expect the therapist to solve them as a part of their treatment

Question 14

Therapists want to respond to ambivalence about making first appointments by: ​

A)addressing it directly.
B)discouraging the client from acting on the ambivalence.
C)ensuring clients take responsibility for their decisions to enter treatment.
D)all choices are correct.

Question 15

One of the most common themes that makes therapy threatening for clients is: ​

A)"If I let myself depend on the therapist he/she might leave me, or take advantage of me, or try to control me as others have done when I needed them."
B)"I cannot ask for help or need anything from others because I must be perfect and in control all of the time."
C)"Asking for help is admitting that there really is a problem, and if therapy does not help then I surely will be hopeless."
D)All choices are common themes for clients.

Question 16

​ An effective response to a client's ambiguity in attending a first session is:

A)for the therapist to ignore the client's indecision and schedule the appointment anyway.
B)for the therapist to call the client the day before the schedule appointment and remind him/her to attend.
C)for the therapist to acknowledge the client's ambiguity and address it directly.
D)the therapist should not schedule an appointment with this client; he/she will not show up.

Question 17

After inviting clients to express their concerns about the therapist or therapy, the therapist must: ​

A)accept the validity of the client's perception.
B)interpret the theme underlying the concerns.
C)reassure the client by resolving the anxiety.
D)disclose his/her own concerns.

Question 18

When clients are threatened by conflicted feelings about continuing therapy, they: ​

A)feel blamed when the therapist inquires about resistance.
B)may begin to come late, miss appointments and drop out.
C)are concerned the therapist is angry or disappointed.
D)All choices are correct.

Question 19

Entering therapy for clients involves both______and______. ​

A)need for relief; benevolent direction
B)desire for help; fear and shame
C)pain; sorrow
D)depression; help-seeking

Question 20

According to Prochaska et al. do not "own their problems, and usually enter treatment because of pressure from others. ​

A)malingerers
B)resisters
C)problem projectionists
D)precontemplators

Question 21

Discuss how honoring the client's resistance will facilitate the therapeutic process. ​

Question 22

Explain the importance of developing a "Working Hypothesis" when dealing with client resistance. ​

Question 23

Explain the four-step sequence therapists should follow in approaching resistance. ​

Question 24

When ruptures or misunderstandings in the therapeutic alliance occur, how must the therapist view them, and subsequently address them? ​

Question 25

Explain three reasons why therapists find it difficult to approach their client's resistance. ​

Question 26

List some common behaviors clients exhibit during resistance. ​

Question 27

How should a therapist address cultural differences that may exist between themselves and the client? ​

Question 28

Define resistance and discuss the different forms it may take. ​

Question 29

When clients have difficulty in entering or continuing treatment, what are some potentially effective or ineffective therapeutic responses? ​

Question 30

Discuss the statement: "Resistance was the best possible response to an unsolvable conflict that the client had available at that point in his/her development." What are the implications for therapy? ​