1. Resistance Making Sense Out of Resistance
Presenter Mark Lowis, LMSW, MINT President, MML Consulting

2. Key Questions
What is the difference between a Character Trait and an Interpersonal State?
Between the two where do you find Resistance?
How could interpersonal activity ignite resistance when a behavior is judged to be a character Trait?
How does the labeling of persons character based on resistance limit the effectiveness of the counselor?
How does understanding the resistance change the approach of the counselor?
How does understanding the resistance change the direction or target of the counseling?
How does understanding the resistance lead to behavior change?

3. Truth Table With profession comes the insinuation of authority
With authority comes the impulse for controlling behaviors
With control comes enforcement
With enforcement comes need for consequences
Because counselors have no real authority what evolves is pseudo-authority (judging, blaming, labeling the client) to reduce frustration
People (clients/consumers) try to reduce consequences
If not ready to change reducing consequences becomes resistance
Controllers evoke resistance, confront, evoke more, confront more…
What is the most effective replacement for authority with regard to evoking behavior change?

4. Judging Wrong behavior Wrong lifestyle Illegal Incapable Offensive
Irresponsible
Immoral

5. Judging Evokes Fixing Removing the ability to resist Righting Response
Lecturing
Parenting
Policing
Investigating
Confining
Controlling
Institutionalizing

6. Not Judging Evokes Curiosity
What is the behavior (resistance) for?
How does the resistance make sense?
How do we shift to help with the issue that makes the resistance necessary to the person?
How do we gain simple conversant trust?
How do we use the simple conversant trust to develop an opportunity for amelioration of the reason for resistance?

7. Removing the Barrier
Shift focus from the treatment goal to the reason for the resistance
Gain trust and focus on the relationship
Target the reason for resistance and assist/collaborate with the client to resolve the reason
Increase readiness (DARNC) for change by ameliorating barriers to readiness
Emphasize Choice and Control of the client and position yourself as the collaborative/Assistive partner

8. Following the Client Watch for effect of your utterances on the client
Adjust your approach/utterances based on the client’s reactions
Openly address resistance when you see it from a desire to understand remain helpful (empathy)
Watch your own reactions
Avoid operating on the client to make yourself feel less frustrated with their resistance
Apologize for errors in approach
Reassure genuine intentions
Back up and start again
Ask the client to teach you what you didn’t understand

9. The Search for Intrapersonal Fuel
How does the client work the world (find out but don’t judge)
What matters to the client
How can you help them achieve what they care about?
What do they already know, have tried, have been told
Work with them
Avoid “trying to get them ta…!”

10. IDDT Team Meeting Facilitated activity Case Discussion Formula
What was Last contact for?
What did we do?
What did they Do?
What was outcome?
Based on that, what will the next contact be for?
What will our interventions be?
Who will do that?

11. Resistance Making Sense Out of Resistance
Presenter Mark Lowis, LMSW, MINT President, MML Consulting