Promoting Self-Efficacy

A client may be afraid of change or may feel habitually trapped in the situation she or he is presenting to you. As a result, it might prove challenging as you guide your client into some action or movement. This is why it is particularly important for psychotherapists to promote self-efficacy in their clients and help clients recognize their strengths. Psychotherapists can enhance their patients' self-efficacy by using active listening and reflection skills, which can help empower clients to take action.

To prepare for this Discussion, consider clients you have worked with or clients you have read about in case studies, and think about the array of presenting issues. Select a specific presenting issue and consider how the interventions gleaned from this week's resources might have worked with that particular client.

With these thoughts in mind:

 brief description of the selected presenting issue from a client or case study. Then, describe at least one strategy you might use to enhance the client's self-efficacy and empower this client to take action. Finally, describe at least one challenge you might encounter with this client, and explain how you would address it. Be specific. Be sure to protect the identity of any real persons used in the example. No identifying information should be used.