Acknowledging in Therapy

Acknowledging in Therapy

Acknowledging in therapy leads on from unconditional positive regard in that it is one step beyond. UPR sees the client in a positive light and communicates this, acknowledging is more specific. For example, UPR might be saying to a client who is struggling with a feeling of failure, “I hear you saying that your father would see this as failure, but let’s look at how you feel and how what you have experienced will affect you in the future.” Acknowledging might be saying “I hear you saying that your father would see this as failure, but I want to say that it seems to me that you have come a long way in the last year when they didn’t even want you to stay on for finals. You have a degree now and that is a good thing! So let’s look now at how you feel and how what you have experienced will affect you in the future.”

For therapists who come from a counselling background, making positive judgements like this may seem odd (for those who don’t this comment may seem odd!), but the hypno-psychotherapist’s primary role is to be the client’s number one fan. Positive reinforcement (done congruently) is paramount! If you can’t give this to a particular client then they and you are not compatible so refer on.

Acknowledging in therapy can be easier for both therapist and client, and done more powerfully, using hypnosis