Working as a mental health professional, you will see a lot of challenging cases. One of the most frustrating cases can be working with a client who does not see the harm of their actions and does not want to accept help or let go of the habits that are negatively impacting their life.
What Causes These Behaviors?
A client reaching these levels of disassociation may either be refusing help in the first place or may be reaching recovery burnout. If this is a new client who is refusing help, they may not understand the reason they need help. They may also be in denial of how their addiction is negatively impacting their everyday life.
The first step to recovery often requires admitting you have an addiction. If the individual is unable to admit or see that they have an addiction, they may not be ready to work through the recovery process. Addictions come into play due to the reinforcement of a specific behavior or use of a substance. This action becomes part of the routine and can be hard to recognize as a problem behavior once it is established.
As for individuals who have previously been responsive in recovery and have reached the point of recovery burnout, they may be experiencing a lack of motivation for a variety of reasons. The following obstacles, for example, may make the recovery process seem impossible to work through:
- Reoccurring failures or relapses
- Inability to picture future success
- Lack of support system
- Lack of motivation
- Inability to follow current recovery plans
- Dishonesty of status in recovery
Any of these obstacles can push a client to the point of giving up and refusing to keep trying. These behaviors are important to watch out for and counteract as soon as possible to prevent your client from giving up on their recovery.
How Can I Motivate My Client?
Motivating a client who either refuses to see that they have an addiction or does not believe they can succeed at recovery can be a challenge. We all have behaviors we take part in that we don’t exactly love. It is hard for anyone to admit that the activities they engage in may be taking a toll on their overall well-being, and it can be difficult to change our habits even when we recognize their harm. If your client is resistant to change, they need to be motivated now more than ever. The initial buy-in to their success can help them want it and work toward sobriety.
Motivational Interviewing
This technique involves a conversation with your client, focusing on raising awareness of the client’s current behaviors through motivational interviewing.
- Partnership: Allow yourself to be empathetic with your client. Create a safe space for them to open up and show that you want to be part of their support system. Let the client guide the conversation and listen to what they have to say.
- Acceptance: Accept your client’s thoughts and feelings even if you have differing opinions. Give them affirmation in their thought process.
- Compassion: Prioritize the client’s needs. Help them understand the difference between their wants and needs.
- Evocation: Explore what currently gets the client motivated. Use these factors and relate them to the process of recovery. This can be done through a reward system.
To initially motivate a client, you may need to focus on external factors as rewards and not rely on recovery as a reward in itself. Over time, you will be able to show your client how their recovery is positively affecting their life as a whole.
Avoid Recovery Burnout
There are many things you can do as a mental health professional to keep your clients on track through their recovery and help them avoid reaching burnout. Following up with them on their progress is important to keep their plan in check. Offer to review their recovery plan and check in often to see if any changes need to be implemented. Watch for the signs of burnout recovery in your clients and address them if you find any to occur consistently.
Use the client’s strengths to help maintain their motivation. It is easy for individuals in addiction recovery to feel down after a relapse or small setback. Reminding them of the amazing work they have already done and pointing out their strengths can help them to avoid this negative self-talk.
Help your clients to clarify their goals. See if they will communicate aspects that are holding them back. Go over the steps that need to be taken for your client to accomplish their goals and follow up on their progress every session. Ensuring your client feels supported is the most beneficial thing you can do to motivate them in their recovery.
Motivating a client that is refusing help can feel like a never-ending cycle of obstacles. Your clients may lack motivation due to recovery burnout and the desire to give up or due to denial of their addiction as a whole. Individuals need to understand why they are in recovery and set goals that motivate them to continue their progress. Reestablishing these goals and making personalized rewards can help a client refocus on recovery. Motivational interviewing is a technique used to help the client feel safe and open up about their thoughts. Through relating to them and understanding, you can show how their addiction impacts their thoughts. Working with clients who do not want to open up can take a lot of patience. To learn more about how to motivate these clients, reach out to Dream Recovery today at (949) 732-1960.