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Effective Techniques for Dealing with Highly Resistant Clients

CE Hours 3

About this course

The successful management of resistance is the pivotal point of effective therapy. It is also a critical component in alleviating therapists’ stress. Although most therapists have been trained extensively in theoretical approaches, few have had extensive training in dealing with resistance. This is a fast-paced, highly practical webinar designed to teach innovative approaches and ideas to prevent, avoid, and resolve resistance. These techniques are applicable across a wide array of clients and problems and can be integrated with all theoretical approaches. Emphasis will be on “how-to” aspects of resistance management, though the theory behind each approach is provided. Specifically, this webinar will first present definitions and a model for resistance that empowers therapists in managing the problem. This is followed by a discussion of common mistakes therapists make that promote resistance and a discussion of the general principles for dealing with resistance. More specific approaches and techniques are then presented with particular attention given to utilizing the inherent power of language to circumvent resistance. Common client impasses such as “Yes, but…” responses will be addressed. Upon completion of the training, participants will have a broad array of techniques to add to their repertoire and to aid in reducing the stress that accompanies their most frustrating clients.

Learning Objectives

  • Differentiate between conventional and modern definitions of resistance and be able to conceptualize resistance in a manner that empowers therapists to avoid, circumvent, and utilize it for client benefit.
  • Describe and understand the most common errors therapists make that foster and promote client resistance.
  • Explain the pitfalls of over-questioning when working with resistant clients and how to employ more effective alternative approaches.
  • Describe methods for dealing with common difficulties such as “Yes, but…” responses.
  • Identify basic, overriding principles for dealing with resistance in therapeutic environments and explain the importance of tending to each principle in therapeutic relationships in order to tactfully manage resistance.

Learning Levels

  • All Levels

Target Audience

This self-paced course is intended for mental health professionals, including Psychologists, Social Workers, Counselors, MFT's and Addiction Professionals.

Course Instructor(s)

  • Clifton Mitchell Ph.D.

    Clifton Mitchell Ph.D. is an international clinical trainer and keynote speaker with over 30 years of training experience. He delivers practical information in a uniquely entertaining, fast-paced style that is filled with humor and illuminating examples. His trainings are based on his books, Priming: Programming the Mind for Habit Change and Success and Effective Techniques for Dealing with Highly Resistant Clients. He has also trained thousands of mental health professionals in the management of difficult, perplexing legal and ethical issues in an entertaining, dynamic game show format.

    He is a contributing author in therapy books and published in numerous professional journals including the Psychotherapy Networker, Psychotherapy in Australia, and Journal of Personality Assessment to name a few. Dr. Mitchell is currently a professor Emeritus at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN, where he was awarded Teacher of the Year in 2002.

Disclosure

DISCLOSURE OF RELEVANT FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS CE Learning Systems adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity ― including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others ― are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (formerly known as commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity. The following relevant financial relationships have been disclosed by this activity’s planners, faculty, and the reviewer: PLANNERS AND REVIEWER The planners of this activity have reported that they have no relevant financial relationships. FACULTY The faculty of this activity have reported that they have no relevant financial relationships.

References

  • Asay, T. P., & Lambert, M. J. (2006). The empirical case for the common factors in therapy: Quantitative findings. In M. A. Hubble, B. L. Duncan, & S. D. Miller, (Eds.). The heart and soul of change: What works in therapy (pp. 23-55). Washington, D. C.: American Psychological Association.
  • Austin, S. B., & Johnson, B. N. (2016). Stop, drop, and roll (with it): Addressing “realistic” resistance with internalizing clients. Psychotherapy Bulletin, 51(4), 43-46.
  • Cowan, E. W., & Presbury, J. H. (2000). Meeting client resistance and reactance with reverence. Journal of Counseling and Development, 78(4), 411-419.
  • Ellis, A. (2002). Overcoming resistance: A rational emotive behavior therapy integrated approach. New York: Springer Publishing.
  • Hays, P. A. (2002). Addressing cultural complexities in practice: A framework for clinicians and counselors. Washington, D. C.: American Psychological Association.
  • Kaplan, E. P. (2001, March). Prescription for motivating the unmotivated client. Training seminar, Knoxville, Tennessee
  • Miller, W. R., and Rollnick, S. (2002). Motivational interviewing: Preparing people for Change (2nd ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.
  • Mitchell, C. W. (2018). Priming: Programming the Mind for Habit Change and Success, Johnson City, TN, Mind Management Publishing.
  • Mitchell, C. W. (2014) Managing therapeutic resistance improves patient care outcomes. Case In Point: Advanced Care Coordination, 12(1), 15-16.
  • Mitchell, C. W. (2013). Reducing resistance in psychotherapy. In Koocher, G. P., Norcross, J. C., & Greene, B. A. (Eds.), Psychologists’ Desk Reference. (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press
  • Mitchell, C. W. (2013). Is resistance dead? Psychotherapy Networker, 37(3), 18-23 & 60-61.
  • Weinrach, S. G., & Thomas, K. R. (2004). The AMCD multicultural counseling competencies: A critically flawed initiative. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 26(1), 81-93
  • Urmanche, A. A., Oliveira, J. T., Gonçalves, M. M., Eubanks, C. F., & Muran, J. C. (2019). Ambivalence, resistance, and alliance ruptures in psychotherapy: It’s complicated. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 36(2), 139–147. https://doi.org/10.1037/pap0000237
  • Ucar S (2017) Reluctance and Resistance: Challenges to Change in Psychotherapy. Journal of Psychological Clinical Psychiatry 7(6): 00464. DOI: 10.15406/jpcpy.2017.07.00464
  • Vontress, C. E., & Jackson, M. L. (2004). Reactions to the multicultural counseling competencies debate. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 26(1), 74-80.
  • Schwartz, R. A., Chambless, D. L., Milrod, B., & Barber, J. P. (2021). Patient, therapist, and relational antecedents of hostile resistance in cognitive–behavioral therapy for panic disorder: A qualitative investigation. Psychotherapy, 58(2), 230–241. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000308
  • Pucci, A. R. (2001). Helping difficult and challenging clients: A cognitive-behavioral approach. Training manual that accompanied seminar of same title. Cross Country Seminars, Nashville, Tennessee.
  • Prochaska, J. O., Norcross, J. C., & DiClemente, C. C. (2005). Stages of change: Prescriptive guidelines. In G. P. Koocher, J. C. Norcross, & S. S Hill (Eds.), Psychologists’ desk reference (2nd ed.) (pp. 226-231), New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Patterson, C. H. (2004). Do we need multicultural counseling competencies? Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 26(1), 67-73.
  • Moursund, J., & Kenny, M. C. (2002). The process of counseling and therapy (4th ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
  • Weinrach, S. G., & Thomas, K. R. (2004). The AMCD multicultural counseling competencies: A critically flawed initiative. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 26(1), 81-93.
  • Vontress, C. E., & Jackson, M. L. (2004). Reactions to the multicultural counseling competencies debate. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 26(1), 74-80.
  • Bhardwaj, A. K., Allsop, D. J., Copeland, J. et al. (2018). Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) of cannabinoid replacement therapy (Nabiximols) for the management of treatment- resistant cannabis dependent patients: a study protocol. BMC Psychiatry 18(140) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-1682-2
  • Di Bartolomeo, A. A., Shukla, S., Westra, H. A., Shekarak Ghashghaei, N., & Olson, D. A. (2021). Rolling with resistance: A client language analysis of deliberate practice in continuing education for psychotherapists. Counselling & Psychotherapy Research, 21(2), 433– 441. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12335

CE Process Info

Content

  • Materials
    2 parts
    • Webinar Recording
    • Handouts

CE Approvals

  • American Psychological Association (APA)

    CE Learning Systems, LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. CE Learning Systems maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

  • Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)

    CE Learning Systems, (Provider #1020), is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 02/23/2022 – 02/23/2025. Social workers completing this course receive 3 continuing education credits.

  • National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)

    CE Learning Systems has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5951. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CE Learning Systems is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Make An Impact is a service division of CE Learning Systems.

  • New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work (NYSEDSW)

    CE Learning Systems SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #0060.

  • New York Education Department Board of Creative Arts Therapy (NYSEDCAT)

    CE Learning Systems (d/b/a CE-credit.com), is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed creative arts therapists. #CAT-0008

  • New York Education Department for Licensed Mental Health Counselors (NYSEDLMHC)

    CE Learning Systems, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0072.

  • New York Education Department Board for Licensed Psychoanalysts (NYSEDLP)

    CE Learning Systems, LLC dba CE-credit.com & AddictionCounselorCE.com is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychoanalysts #P-0031.

  • New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology (NYSEDPSY)

    CE Learning Systems dba CE-Credit.com & AddictionCounselorCE.com is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0016.

  • New York State Education Department's State Board for Marriage and Family Therapy (NYSEDMFT)

    CE Learning Systems dba CE-Credit.com & AddictionCounselorCE.com is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Marriage and Family Therapy as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0045.

FAQs

  • Course Completion
    To complete the course, review the course objectives, then review the material, and then pass the exam with a score of 70% or greater and lastly complete an evaluation. Your certificate will be available to download immediately when you pass the course exam and complete the evaluation.
Effective Techniques for Dealing with Highly Resistant Clients
You Have Completed This course
$57
You are enrolled
  • CE Hours
    3
  • Type
    Self-Paced
  • Publication Date
    Feb 7th, 2024

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