Module 9: When Clients Aren't Sure About Change

Question 1

The question-answer trap

Answer 1

• Evaluation - conversation is just question-answer
• Can make the client feel judged or to lose focus
• Avoid this is by using a pre-appointment questionnaire

Question 2

The expert trap

Answer 2

• Offering unsolicited advice - can lead to sustain talk or the client agreeing w/ no intent to follow the advice.
• Ask permission to share some suggestions or ask what they would feel comfortable changing

Question 3

The scare tactics trap

Answer 3

• Trying to scare the person into changing.

- This could lead to the client having low self-efficacy or response efficacy

Question 4

The cheerleading trap

Answer 4

• Cheerleading can lead to them being hesitant to share their struggles.
• Can lead to them feel less accomplished if they didn’t do as well as when you cheered them on

Question 5

The information overload trap

Answer 5

• Giving too much information about a condition or recommendations.
• Can lead to them becoming overwhelmed with information and not making any real changes.
• We can avoid this by using elicit-provide-elicit.

Question 6

The Jump-to-Planning trap

Answer 6

• Moving to the planning phase before the client is ready.
• Even if they immediately ask for meal plans, this doesn’t mean they are ready.
• They still need to express a strong motivation to change in order to move to planning.

Question 7

The chat trap

Answer 7

• Making small talk, many practitioners try to use small talk to build rapport
• Leads to an abrupt transition to talking about why they are there.

Question 8

List the 4 Process Categories of resistance

Answer 8

• Arguing
• Interrupting
• Negating
• Ignoring

Question 9

Describe the 4 Process Categories of resistance

Answer 9

• Arguing: Client argues with you, you argue back
• Interrupting: Client interrupts you – often because they are arguing or don’t want to listen
• Negating: Client blaming others for them not wanting to change, reluctance or pessimism about changing
• Ignoring: Client doesn’t respond to what you are saying, sidetracking – changing the subject to distract from the conversation

Question 10

List the 6 Advocacy Responses to resistance

Answer 10

• Arguing for change
• Assuming the expert role
• Criticizing, shaming, or blaming
• Labeling
• Being in a hurry
• Claiming preeminence

Question 11

Arguing for change

Answer 11

• Arguing with client about why they should change

- Arguing with the client can make them feel defensive even if they know you are right, they won’t listen to you.

Question 12

Assuming the expert role

Answer 12

• Telling the client what they need to do without discussing changes with them
• This could make the client feel like you don’t care about what they think, or feel like you are bossing them around

Question 13

Criticizing, shaming, or blaming

Answer 13

• Criticizing, shaming, or blaming them for not changing behavior
• This can reduce their self-efficacy and make them not want to try to change or have another appointment with you

Question 14

Labeling

Answer 14

• Labeling them as “a diabetic” or “a cancer patient”

- This can make the client feel like you only see them as having their condition but it’s only part of their life

Question 15

Being in a hurry

Answer 15

• Rushing the appointment to get to the next client
• This can make the client feel like you don’t care about talking to them or that they shouldn’t ask more questions or discuss struggles because you want to be done

Question 16

Claiming preeminence

Answer 16

• “I am the expert; you need to do this”

- This can push them to feel defensive and feel like you are patronizing them

Question 17

Describe appropriate counselor responses to resistance

Answer 17

• Roll with resistance
• Take a step back, use reflective listening, and shift their focus to something they want to work on or that they are willing to do