Your client is hesitant to delve into reasons for change. How can you help them open up?

To help a hesitant client open up about their reasons for change, create a safe, non-judgmental environment and use open-ended questions to gently explore their thoughts. Employ reflective listening to show empathy, and normalise their ambivalence by acknowledging that change can be difficult. Motivational interviewing techniques, such as discussing the pros and cons of change, can help them articulate their own motivations. This approach builds trust and empowers the client to share more openly at their own pace.

Always start and end with a place of cooperation and kindness. We are not the gate keeper. We can reflect what is presented and this should mirror the realities of the other individual. Agency and autonomy must be protected and respected.

Empathy is one of the most basic action you can take as it helps you to understand how the client is feeling about the scenario.

Approach clients with a smile and readiness to help. Explain what to expect during and after the interaction can help others to feel at ease. It gives me an oppurtunity to make a bond with the client while demonstrating my expertise in the first few second of my interaction.

I always find it helpful to validate clients’ feelings and the unsaid feelings (e.g., unsure if this is right place, worried about judgement), with normalisations. I will listen for sustain talk and try to do deep or double reflections! (E.g. I can’t do this -> you’re trying hard and can’t find a way that works for you)

Answering open-ended questions leads the client to divulge ore information. Reflect with the client and dig deeper on issues that are not clearly explained

Using open ended question instead of yes or no questions give the clint an oppurtunity to express there indepth thoughts and feelings. It give me more information about the individual, event or issue that I am investigating.

Articulating and celebrating a client’s strengths first and foremost by acknowledging their successes can help build their confidence in me. So it is a nifty tool that I use very often

Reflecting on ambivalence is a powerful tool and can clear up any misunderstandings. I like using “On the one hand, you…and on the other, you… ”. Then, I move on to the “what if” questions. “What if you snapped your fingers and made this change immediately, how would things be better?What would it look like? How would you feel?” The goal is to explore motivation and values to leverage, leading into the reasons that hold the client back.

One tip that I remember to heart: End double reflection with change talk! (E.g. You want a break and… you also want to become healthier)

Curiosamente, as raz?es mais poderosas do cliente ser?o reveladas à partir dos temas de maior tens?o ou medo. Se você foi empático (1), fez perguntas abertas (2) e refletiu as ambivalências (3), estará a um passo de identificar raz?es relevantes para a pessoa. Por exemplo, se o cliente diz ter grande angústia em alinhar a rela??o com alguém, os motivos desse grande medo será justamente as melhores raz?es para que ele aborde a rela??o. (Cliente: Tenho medo de intervir e ser desagradável ou perder a rela??o. Especialista: Se você n?o intervir, a rela??o vai deteriorar e você será desagradável ou ela vai acabar. Ent?o você tem uma boa raz?o para intervir.)

Trata-se de visualizar como o cliente acredita que será o próximo passo; como visualiza o resultado dessa a??o; como imagina os desdobramentos positivos e negativos. Sempre mantenha as raz?es dele (recompensas) em perspectiva. A medida que ele expuser suas expectativas, reforce aquilo que é saudável e realista, e forne?a recursos para a pessoa lidar com distor??es e cenários desfavoráveis. (Cliente: acredito que se eu falar sobre algo que domino, n?o será ruim. Especialista: isso mesmo, provavelmente vai ser tudo bem. C: mas se as pessoas me acharem estranho? E: tente perguntar antes para um par de sua confian?a o que ele acharia?; E mesmo se acharem estranho, vamos pensar, como você poderá lidar com isso?). Ent?o, incentive que ele aja.