Author(s): Allan Abbass

Psychology

About half of all psychotherapy clients have little to no response or can even worsen in treatment. Why? They unknowingly use treatment-defeating behaviors, or resistances, that prevent emotional closeness and successful collaboration with the therapist.Reaching through Resistance will help you-Detect treatment resistance from the first client contact-Understand the emotional factors behind resistance-Discern various degrees and forms of resistance-Recognize signs of anxiety in the body-Activate and monitor unprocessed, unconscious impulses and feelingsturn a client against his/her long-held defeating behaviors-Regulate intense anxiety when emotions are activated -Mobilize the client's unconscious wish to become well -Recognize signs of a powerful healing force: the unconscious therapeutic allianceBy detecting avoidance patterns and using specific interventions developed to handle them, you can empower a collaborative, vigorous treatment alliance with your client.