ABSTRACT
As treatment desires come into awareness, the client naturally wonders how the therapeutic partners will achieve their goals. The therapist generates confidence when she defines each partner's roles, recommending that both partners give caring attention to feelings, beliefs, bodily sensations, and the state of the therapeutic relationship. Often clients don't believe they know how to sustain this kind of an internal focus, and they may wonder, “What does the therapist expect of me?” The therapist can point out that the client rather than the therapist holds the expectations. Trying something new and unfamiliar is poignantly vulnerable and awkward. The therapist can normalize fear reactions by saying that such an approach is new, and most people react similarly. The therapist can reassure that she will offer guidance and be an ally throughout the process. The client will not be alone.
This chapter details the subtle interweaving of two foundational phases of treatment: clarifying what the client wants in therapy and proposing a path to realize her goals. Session vignettes demonstrate a collaborative process that involves seeking consent and addressing the client's fears, doubts, and self-protective responses in a non-shaming manner.
