Most helpers face a wide variety of customers in their employment, and the primary purpose of a helper is to understand how to create contact with persons whose behavior differs from those who want aid and want to be helped. Often, when things do not go as planned in sessions, it is simply a mismatch – whether there are personality or philosophic issues. Occasionally, clients may make things rather tough deliberately or by mistake. The therapy may become unpleasant if a client does not want to be there, is argumentative, or pushes the therapist’s boundaries.
I find the most challenging clients to be those that come involuntary and demonstrate resistance to treatment. Involuntary clients are those who have been coerced into therapy (Conerly et al., 2021). It is a primary responsibility of a helper to convince customers that they require assistance, and how the helper approach such consumers will influence the degree to which they will be cooperative (Conerly et al., 2021). The therapeutic objective with these individuals is to motivate the client to improve.
Another category of challenging clients in treatment is those that disobey boundaries. Empathetic therapists may find it challenging to establish limits with needy or hostile clients (Conerly et al., 2021). These clients contact the helper between sessions, throughout the night, or via social media. Their incorrect acts generate apprehension and tension even if they have no malicious intentions. In these situations, if established ethical boundaries have been crossed, it is recommended to be forceful about ethical commitments as a therapist and politely explain them to the client.
In my opinion, these choices reflect my hesitance to work with people that may become hostile. It is possible that due to miscommunication specific clients may act in a negative manner towards helper and become agitated towards violence. Nevertheless, when clients are difficult to handle or help, it is crucial to demonstrate empathy, remain calm, and attempt to understand the cause of their anger, which may help de-escalate them and get treatment back on track. Regardless of who the client is or what category they fit into, listening with respect will go a long way in establishing connection. When a helper establishes proper understanding with the clients, it may transform tough clients into individuals with whom they can collaborate to achieve their objectives.
Reference
Conerly, T. R., Holmes, K., & Tamang, A. L. (2021). Introduction to sociology 3E. OpenStax, Rice University.