ABSTRACT
The central paradox of psychotherapy defined as those clients who seek help to overcome their psychological difficulties, and then apparently resist the attempts of the therapist to help them make this goal. The concept of resistance in therapy derives from the psychodynamic literature involving a client's opposition to the therapist's attempts to make her unconscious wishes and impulses conscious. Leahy defines client resistance in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) as anything in the patient's behaviour, thinking, affective response, and interpersonal style that interferes with ability of that patient to use the treatment and to acquire the ability to handle problems outside of therapy and after therapy terminated. Tackling these issues can start with the therapist having regular supervision with a competent supervisor which includes listening to lots of digital voice recordings (DVRs) of his therapy sessions, and reading to increase his understanding of resistance, his own and his clients.
