Resistant Therapy Strategies

Differences: Strategies for Resistant Clients Unlike narrative therapy, solution-focused therapy presumes that some clients will be resistant to counselling and to change. While some clients are described as 'customers' who voluntarily want to make changes in their lives, not every client will present in this way (Corcoran, 2008). Solution-focused therapy strategizes for 'complainants', people who attend voluntarily but are convinced someone else or something outside of themselves needs to change, and 'visitors' who are non-voluntary, mandated clients whose only goal is to end therapy (Corcoran, 2008). For complainants, the social worker will employ questions and strategies that focus on coping skills. This will still provide an opportunity
for the client to see strengths and exceptions (Corcoran, 2008). For the visitor, a goal can be developed which focuses on getting the mandated agency, like probation, to ease up on them (Corcoran, 2008). Narrative therapy does not outline strategies for clients who are not open to change which is very problematic.
Differences: Normalizing, Goal-Setting, Miracle Question, Scaling Additionally, narrative therapy does not utilize specific interventions in the way that solution-focused therapy does. Social workers who utilize narrative therapy are viewed as conversational partners who guide clients, rather than intervene (Buckman et al., 2008). Conversely, solution-focused therapy uses techniques which include using normalizing, goal-setting, the 'miracle question,' and scaling. The purpose of normalizing is to assist clients in realizing that they are struggling with ordinary, common struggles instead of unsolvable problems that are too complicated (Corcoran, 2008). Goal-setting is achieved in a number of ways, one of which includes the miracle question. This encourages clients to think about their future if a miracle were to occur and their problem were to no longer exist (Corcoran, 2008). Scaling is utilized to make abstract goals more concrete by asking clients to rank themselves on a scale from 1 to 10, with one representing the problem and 10 representing the problem not being a problem (Corcoran, 2008). Social workers may use scaling to help a client see progress, set tasks, or examine close relationships in their life (Corcoran, 2008). While these techniques help solution-focused therapy clients to develop solutions by thinking differently about their problem, these are not employed in narrative therapy.
Nature of Client-Worker Relationship The nature of the relationship between the client and the social worker is similar in narrative and solution focused therapies.
In both therapies, the conversational abilities of the social worker are relied upon, while the postmodern premise of the social worker as the 'expert' about the client is rejected (Anderson & Goolishian 1988; Buckman et al., 2008; Corcoran, 2008). In narrative therapy, the focus is on collaborative conversations and hearing client stories rather than scientific methods, assessment, or interventions (Buckman et al., 2008). However, social workers are skilled in the use of questions to guide the conversation and process (Anderson & Goolishian, 1988; Buckman et al., 2008). This concept is similar for solution-focused therapy where 'joining' describes the process in which the client and the social worker develop a positive and cooperative relationship (Corcoran, 2008). In this relationship, the social worker does not intervene, rather they demonstrate acceptance of the client's perspectives and proposed solutions (Corcoran, 2008). Similarly, the social worker in solution-focused therapy is also skilled in asking questions, including the miracle question and scaling, but they are not experts about the client's life (Corcoran, 2008). The social worker uses language to influence how the client views their problem, recognizes their strengths, and understands solutions or alternatives (Corcoran, 2008). Both therapies are led by the client, thus,
the preferred narratives and solutions are the client's own. In narrative therapy, the social worker must also be respectful and non-judgemental when a client is sharing their personal narrative (Buckman et al., 2008). While these traits are important in solution-focused therapy as well, in narrative therapy they create a safe space that invites conversation and elaboration (Buckman et al., 2008). Neutrality, or 'not knowing' in both therapies allow the social worker to remain curious and results in questions about meaning and alternatives (Buckman et al., 2008). Even though social workers may have some form of bias or prejudgement, Anderson and Goolishian (1988) explain, "therapists must be able to let go of old meanings just as we expect our clients to be able to do so. Only by risking change are we able to engage in the mutual conversation and dialogue that permit new understanding to develop" (p. 379). Both narrative and solution-focused therapies are connected to family therapy strategies and are often utilized with groups of clients or families (Buckman et al., 2008; Corcoran, 2008).
However, this changes the relationship between the client and the social worker, specifically in narrative therapy. In families for instance, each individual has a personal narrative in addition to the family narrative. Furthermore, the larger cultural and societal meta-narratives affect both individuals and their families (Miller & Forrest, 2009). "The narrative family counselor's goal is to assist clients in co-constructing narratives that better fit the individual goals, while aligning with the family's goals and objectives" (Miller & Forrest, 2009, p. 159). Alternatively, in solution-focused therapy, there are strategies in place when working with groups or families whose members have different goals or willingness to change. As mentioned previously, a social worker using solution-focused therapy would incorporate strategies intended for 'complainants' and 'visitors' to address these differences (Corcoran, 2008). The ability to manage groups or families requires the social worker to be knowledgeable about the theory being used and may take
practice.