Why do clients lie in therapy?

Blanchard and Farber (2016) found that 93\% of clients report lying or otherwise being dishonest to their therapist in psychotherapy. Client lying behavior largely stems from feelings of shame or embarrassment, making disguising or hiding the truth easier than confronting the truth straightaway.

Why is silence powerful in therapy?

For the specific event, therapists used silence primarily to facilitate reflection, encourage responsibility, facilitate expression of feelings, not interrupt session flow, and convey empathy. During silence, therapists observed the client, thought about the therapy, and conveyed interest.

What are the possible reasons when a client is silent?

Silence also enables the client space to process their thoughts and feelings without distraction. This helps them gain clarity on the difficulties they face and consider a possible way forward….Benefits of Silence to Clients

• Making Connections.
• Nurturing Feelings.
• Fully Engaging with Emotions.
• Enabling Client Processing.

Why do therapists sit with clients in silence?

This removes the pressure of talking and communicates acceptance of the ambivalence. Once a therapist reframes the silence as confirmation of a strong therapeutic alliance, it’s easier to become comfortable sitting with the client in silence.

Why are we stuck with clients going nowhere in therapy?

Another reason we remain stuck with clients going nowhere in therapy is that most of us keep “progress notes” instead of tracking outcomes. I confess to this habit, especially when it came to a couple I’d been seeing for several years.

How do you deal with a stuck clinical relationship?

The key to dealing constructively with stuck cases is to treat the clinical relationship pattern first, and only then to consider alternative treatment strategies. The following three steps detail a process I’ve developed, including the words I tend to use, for gently dislodging stuck clinical relationships, without lurching.

How do you deal with ambivalence in therapy?

One strategy for resolving ambivalence is to view the silence as confirmation of strong therapeutic alliance, meaning that the therapist is providing enough warmth and acceptance to allow the client to be comfortable sitting in silence with the therapist. Consider when you are comfortable with silence.