Confrontation involves addressing discrepancies in a client’s statements or behaviors when those discrepancies would hinder progress. This is often a challenge for counselors. When done therapeutically, it opens a space for the client to acknowledge the barrier to progress and view it from a more helpful perspective. When done poorly, it creates defensiveness and may cause the client to regress further.
In this example, a client with severe alcohol problems wants to end counseling after only one month, stating she doesn’t have a problem with alcohol because she had one instance of success. The unskillful counselor confronts her in a way that appears aggressive and makes the client shut down. The skillful counselor confronts the client more subtly using motivational interviewing skills, leading her to recognize the incongruence in her statements