How to Handle Resistance in a Counseling Group
- 1). Create a formal agreement that must be signed by all participants. This contract should state that each participant agrees to commit to a certain number of sessions. At the end of this time he may choose to leave or continue. Many clients will experience the most resistance at the beginning of therapy, and will therefore have an instinct to simply not come back when it does not turn out how they hoped or expected. Sometimes it takes several sessions before a client can open up to the group and the process. This agreement will prevent resistance from ending a client's chance of growth, before it starts.
- 2). Pay attention to group dynamics, alliances and group mentality. If one member proves to be particularly resistant to the group process, it is possible for several other members to subconsciously shift in the same direction. Working with a particularly resistant member and making him feel safe enough to participate can have a positive effect on the group as a whole.
- 3). Actively work with the resistance, instead of hoping it will go away. Work at the surface level and examine the resistance itself -- instead of pushing forward toward the deeper issues that are being resisted. For example, if a participant is resistant to opening up about his struggles with alcohol abuse, do not badger him to talk about how hard his addiction must be. Instead, explore why he doesn't want to talk about it in the group. Ask if he distrusts the group, is having a bad day or thinks therapy is a load of crap. Getting a member to open up about his resistance can lead to it dissolving.
- 4). Work with the transference issues that come up in group therapy. For example, if you are a middle-aged or older man who is running the group, several participants may project the image of their father onto you, or even a more general authoritative figure. Participants with these projections who have had negative experiences may have a natural and stubborn resistance to working with you. Instead of resenting this inconvenience, regard it as fodder for growth. This can simultaneously lead to exploration of relevant issues, while demonstrating that you are not the projection they see.
- 5). Pass out assessment sheets to the members of the group on a regular basis -- perhaps once a month -- and collect them at the end of a session. This is an excellent way to gauge the group's satisfaction and change your strategies to prevent future manifestations of resistance. It also gives members an opportunity to express their sentiments without having to explicitly put themselves out there. Notable issues of concern can be brought up by the therapist and then discussed by whoever in the group wishes to verbally speak to it.
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