Resistance in Therapy
No matter how good a practitioner is or how well the prepared their client, there will be the possibility of resistance. Of course, if one does a good preparation this situation should not arise very often. However, it is best to be aware of the possibility.
Resistance can take many forms; resistance to the hypnosis itself, suggestions, other therapeutic processes, or self-sabotage. Examples of the latter may be being late for sessions or forgetting appointments.
Yapko has 13 responses to resistance. They are as follows:
Ignore
Examine
Encourage
Prescribe
Confuse
Dissociate
Associate
Intersperse
Deflect
Diffuse
Confront
Redefine
Interpret
Whichever response you choose will depend on the client and the situation. It is important to always remember that resistance with a client is far more often than not an unconscious process which can be looked at and improved using a process like hypno-psychotherapy.
