Order Description
Do you worry about working with reluctant and resistant group members? Chapter 9 has a good section that addresses how to work with people who are less than excited to be in your group. Please read the section called “Working with Reluctant and Resistant Group Members during the Middle Phase” on pages 287-290, watch the short YouTube clip, and complete the discussion questions below.
This short video explains an example on how to approach people who appear to be ambivalent, reluctant, or resistant to change. The key is to identify how the change will benefit the person, how much effort is required to make the change, how much risk is involved, and the benefits of not changing.
1. Ambivalent clients are not sure they want or need to change, reluctant clients are hesitant to jump off the diving board into the water of change, and resistant clients have their heels dug into the ground and are not moving(or, at least, that is how they appear!). Describe one or two fear or worries you have about working with ambivalent, reluctant, or resistant clients.
2. Now let’s normalize the experience of being ambivalent, reluctant, or resistant by recognizing that all people, at one time or another, act in a manner that is ambivalent, reluctant, or resistant. Briefly share an experience where YOU were ambivalent, reluctant or resistant. Include how you acted and how others responded to you.
I want you to think about the experience you described above and keep in mind that when you have a client that is less than agreeable, there is always a reason for their behavior and their attitude. Part of being a professional social worker is being able to work past our initial emotional reaction to someone and assess the client’s behavior in light of their environment, their strengths, and possible reasons for their behavior and attitude.
3. Can you think of someone (this can be yourself) who seems to be ambivalent, reluctant, or resistant to change? Briefly describe the situation and identify at least one possible reason for their behavior and/or attitude that follows the chart described in the video embedded above. This could be how making the change will or won’t benefit the person, how much effort is required to make the change, how much risk is involved, and the benefits of not changing.
” Required Textbooks: Toseland, Ronald W., and Rivas, Robert F. (2012). An Introduction to Group Work Practice, 7th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. I uploaded chapter 9 ”
“https://youtu.be/hcz1aZ60k7w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcz1aZ60k7w&feature=youtu.be “
