ABSTRACT
The “tranquilizers” represent a group of paradoxical interventions that help to calm people who report that they are “upset” (e.g., anxious, nervous, or overwhelmed) about themselves or life circumstances. They usually feel that their lives are “out of control” and that they can’t seem to calm themselves. Outside of precontemplators and mandated clients, many clients who come for treatment find themselves in such feeling states-critical incidents may have occurred, traumatic events taken place, the need for changes they are unable to accommodate become an intolerable crisis, and so forth. For all practical purposes, these clients feel immobilized. From this basic formulation, it stands to reason that treatment calls for such clients to be calmed, soothed, reassured, relieved, empathized with, and so on (because they are presenting themselves as “upset”). Indeed, many clients respond that they feel much better after a therapy session because of the soothing influence of the therapist, the therapeutic relationship, and the therapy context, namely, it is a “safe place.” But calming a client in and of itself is not an end point. Therapeutic movement cannot take place when clients feel immobilized. Indeed, if
Definition 335 Nonlinear Listening and Tranquilizers 336 Types of Tranquilizers 336
Permission 337 Postponement 341 Prohibition 344 Persuasion 347
Summary on Tranquilizers 351 Conclusion 352 Endnotes 353
clients are calmer, they can begin the process of being receptive to thinking differently and behaving more confidently.
