Therapeutic Techniques & Counseling Flashcards

Which technique involves the therapist intentionally saying the opposite of what they mean to reduce client resistance?

Answer: Paradoxical intention

Paradoxical intention, developed by Viktor Frankl, directs clients toward their feared behavior or symptom to reduce its power.

In Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), the term 'dialectical' refers to the balance between which two concepts?

Answer: Acceptance and change

DBT's dialectical philosophy synthesizes acceptance of the client as they are with the need for change.

A counselor who uses the 'empty chair' technique is most likely practicing which therapeutic approach?

Answer: Gestalt therapy

The empty chair is a hallmark Gestalt technique used to facilitate dialogue between parts of the self or with significant others.

What is the primary purpose of a 'mood check-in' at the start of a CBT session?

Answer: To track symptom severity and link mood to cognitions

Mood check-ins in CBT provide quantitative tracking and create a springboard for connecting current mood to automatic thoughts.

When a client says 'I feel like nobody cares about me,' a counselor using motivational interviewing would most likely respond with:

Answer: Tell me more about that feeling

Motivational interviewing emphasizes reflective listening and exploring the client's perspective without confrontation or premature advice.

In psychoanalytic therapy, 'working through' refers to:

Answer: Repeatedly exploring unconscious conflicts until insight produces lasting change

Working through is the repeated examination of unconscious material that allows insight to become integrated into lasting personality change.

Which of the following best describes the technique of 'externalization' used in narrative therapy?

Answer: Separating the problem from the person's identity

Externalization in narrative therapy treats the problem as a separate entity from the person, reducing shame and increasing agency.