Working With “Resistance” As Protection: Reframing, Reducing Pathologizing, And Strengthening Alliance

< Back

Short Description

Reframes “resistance” as protection and survival strategy, offering concrete clinical moves that reduce pathologizing and strengthen alliance, especially in trauma and minoritized contexts.

Learning Objectives

• Identify protective functions of “resistance” (safety, dignity, autonomy, attachment).
• Practice language that names protection while inviting choice and collaboration.
• Select interventions that reduce threat and increase agency without abandoning clinical direction.

Each topic can be adapted to your audience, timeframe, and delivery format, with a minimum of 1 hour of instruction. The summary on this page is intentionally brief; detailed descriptions, learning objectives, and sample agendas are available upon request.