Dealing with Client Resistance

Bachelors of Science in Counseling Psychology

PSY 368

Breyer State University
Professor: Thomas Schear, Ph.D.

SYLLABUS

COURSE OVERVIEW: Welcome to Dealing w/ Client Resistance a Bachelor Level course in the curriculum for the Degree, Bachelor of Counseling Psychology.  I am pleased to instruct you in this course, which will be a vital course for the remainder of your studies in the bachelor program.

This is an exciting course as it deals with a topic that is perhaps the most challenging and frustrating part of counseling clients, that is, client resistance.  The resistance may be to being in counseling in the first place or resistance to change, but resistance is there in clients.  This course is designed to help you to recognize how resistance can originate in the counselor and what you as a counselor can do with respect to your attitudes and approaches to clients to minimize your own resistance.  Additionally, the course offers specific strategies and techniques that can be used to assist you in dealing with client resistance.

I know that as you take the time to learn as much as you can about this topic it will serve you well as you contemplate providing counseling services to future clients.

TIME FRAME: This is a six-semester hour course and is allotted 10 weeks of time.  The first day of the week will begin the day that you register for the course, or the day you should notify me that your textbook has arrived.  Please be cognizant of the time frame.  It is rare that extensions of time are permitted, unless you have good justification.

TEXTBOOK: There are three (3) textbooks required for this course. 

Book 1: Compassionate Therapy. By Jeffrey Kottler. Indianapolis, IN: Jossey-Bass: 1992. ISBN # 1555424228.

Book 2: Mastering Resistance: A Practice Guide to Family Therapy. By Carol M. Anderson & Susan Stewart. New York, NY: The Guilford Press: 1983. ISBN # 0898620449.

Book 3: Overcoming Resistance in Cognitive Therapy. By Robert L. Leahy. New York, NY: The Guilford Press: 2003. ISBN # 1572309369.

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EXAMINATIONS: There are three (3) examinations for this course.  The tests are made up of between 60 and 66 multiple choice and true/false questions.  To keep you on target we recommend you hold this schedule.

The first exam is based on Kottler’s book and should be taken the end of the 4th week.
The second exam is based on the Anderson book and should be taken by the end of the 8th week.
The last exam is based on the Leahy book and should be taken by the end of the 10th week.

All exams are programmed and are located in the classroom for this course.  I will setup the program so you will have access to the test when you are ready.  Please contact me prior to the time you take the first test so I can give you specific instructions and ensure that the test is ready for you.

GRADING: The grading scale for this course is as follows:

91-100%    = A
81-90%      = B
71-80%      = C
Below 70% = Failed

COMMUNICATION: You are encouraged to communicate with me. I am available as a teacher, coach and mentor to assist you in meeting your goals for this course. Primarily, communication is through e-mail. However I am also available for conversation by telephone if you would like. Our classroom for this course has a “chat” room. I am also very willing to meet with you one-on-one in that chat realm at your request. From time to time, depending on how many students are enrolled in this course at a particular time, we will have some schedule group chats. You’ll receive more detailed information at the time such chat sessions are scheduled. Please keep my e-mail address handy so that you can contact me whenever necessary. If at any time during this course you change your e-mail address or other contact information please be sure to notify me right away.

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS: There are no written assignments for this course. There is a considerable amount of reading involved in this course, and I would prefer you spend your time with the book learning the material.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: My name is Tom Schear. I have a BA, MA and Ph.D. in social work, MA in counseling, and have taken some additional graduate level courses in business and human services administration. Finally, I am an E-Myth trained business coach and a graduate of Coach University. I have worked at all levels of counseling agencies in Iowa and Montana, including front-line counselor, clinical director and executive director. I now live in the town where I grew up, working out of my home providing continuing education courses for helping professionals, teaching online courses for virtual universities including Breyer State University, Canyon College and EarthNet Institute, and provide both online and telephone-based counseling and personal and business coaching services. In my spare time I enjoy hiking, biking, fishing, hunting and spending time with my wife, Kathy and adult children, Brian and Steven and dog, Solo.

COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

1). Have a greater understanding of how the counselor can contribute to a client’s resistance to the counseling process and how to effect attitude changes that minimizes that impact.
2). Understand and implement various strategies that can minimize the resistance that does originate in the client.

ASSIGNMENTS: For specific assignments, please click on the link “Assignments”

INFORMATION: If you have any questions regarding this program, you may contact the instructor at tschear@ccmsinc.net.

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