Approaches to Dealing with Resistive Clients

What are resistive clients? Those willing to engage in counseling and appear outwardly receptive but who exhibit various qualities or characteristics that hinder progress toward their self-identified goals Those willing to engage in counseling and appear outwardly receptive but who exhibit various qualities or characteristics that hinder progress toward their self-identified goals Might welcome the interaction but resist taking action Might welcome the interaction but resist taking action

What causes resistive clients Fear, inertia, mistrust Fear, inertia, mistrust Some might envision all financial professionals as disdainful and self-righteous in dealing with other’s $ Some might envision all financial professionals as disdainful and self-righteous in dealing with other’s $ Afraid they will be looked upon as failures Afraid they will be looked upon as failures Admission of failure or guilt Admission of failure or guilt Don’t want to face fixing their problem Don’t want to face fixing their problem Fear they will be coerced into something they don’t want to do Fear they will be coerced into something they don’t want to do Dispositions and attitudes Dispositions and attitudes Don’t want to share financial matters Don’t want to share financial matters

Overcoming normal resistance Warm inviting atmosphere Warm inviting atmosphere Sincere interest and concern Sincere interest and concern Respecting right to privacy Respecting right to privacy Providing appropriate, reliable, and honest service Providing appropriate, reliable, and honest service Avoiding apparent, actual, or potential conflicts of interest Avoiding apparent, actual, or potential conflicts of interest

Legitimate sources of resistance Counselor not listening Counselor not listening Counselor not properly counseling client Counselor not properly counseling client Financial counseling does not fit the client’s need Financial counseling does not fit the client’s need Client participation is coerced Client participation is coerced

How to avoid legitimate resistance Avoid things that might attract or cultivate legitimately resistive clients Avoid things that might attract or cultivate legitimately resistive clients Proper labeling, describing, and marketing what your counseling program offers Proper labeling, describing, and marketing what your counseling program offers Program flyers and brochures should make clear the types of clients and problems your programs serves. Program flyers and brochures should make clear the types of clients and problems your programs serves.

How to avoid legitimate resistance “Client Dumping” “Client Dumping” Clients are automatically and indiscriminately referred to another service provider Clients are automatically and indiscriminately referred to another service provider Rationalized on the grounds that almost anyone can benefit from financial counseling Rationalized on the grounds that almost anyone can benefit from financial counseling This practice can generate an excess of resistive clients This practice can generate an excess of resistive clients Will take time, energy, and resources from others who will use it Will take time, energy, and resources from others who will use it

Mechanisms to discourage indiscriminate referrals Contact the agency and work out an agreement for making appropriate referrals Contact the agency and work out an agreement for making appropriate referrals Insist that appt. requests be made by the clients themselves, not by someone acting on their behalf Insist that appt. requests be made by the clients themselves, not by someone acting on their behalf Screen applicants when they call by asking them if the counseling is something they want to do someone else wants them to do it Screen applicants when they call by asking them if the counseling is something they want to do someone else wants them to do it

Don’t turn suitable clients into resistive clients due to improper treatment Provide good analysis Provide good judgments Provide good guidance Provide good options

Keys to avoiding legitimately resistive clients

Avoid the attraction and referral of resistive clients by Clearly labeling and describing nature of services Clearly labeling and describing nature of services Not accepting involuntary and indiscriminate referrals Not accepting involuntary and indiscriminate referrals Discouraging clients without purposeful agendas Discouraging clients without purposeful agendas Insisting that all clients be willing participants Insisting that all clients be willing participants Referring clients with serious disorders Referring clients with serious disorders

Avoid creating resistance in normally disposed clients by Not prejudging or categorizing any client Not prejudging or categorizing any client Listening carefully and openly to each client Listening carefully and openly to each client Basing counseling on what each client Basing counseling on what each clientwants Providing remedies specifically fitted to each client Providing remedies specifically fitted to each client Accepting and enabling a client’s self- determination Accepting and enabling a client’s self- determination

Guidelines for dealing with resistive clients Do not make quick assumptions Do not make quick assumptions Place the responsibility of the client’s success on the client Place the responsibility of the client’s success on the client If progress slows down or appears hopeless, restate what the client wants to achieve If progress slows down or appears hopeless, restate what the client wants to achieve Don’t get sidetracked by the small stuff Don’t get sidetracked by the small stuff Don’t aim to cure the client but the client’s situation Don’t aim to cure the client but the client’s situation Don’t attempt to make every conceivable change that could benefit the client Don’t attempt to make every conceivable change that could benefit the client