Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC) Practice

In which counseling technique do counselors highlight mixed messages from clients?

1. Summarization

2. Confrontation

3. Transference

4. Interpretation

The correct answer is: Confrontation

Highlighting mixed messages from clients is a central aspect of confrontation in counseling. This technique involves identifying and addressing discrepancies between a client's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. By bringing these inconsistencies to the client's attention, the counselor encourages self-exploration and awareness, allowing clients to reflect on internal conflicts that may be contributing to their issues. When counselors confront mixed messages, they create an opportunity for clients to examine their beliefs and motivations more deeply. This can help clients recognize patterns in their behavior that might be hindering their progress, ultimately fostering personal growth and change. Confrontation should be done with respect and support to ensure that clients feel safe to explore these discrepancies rather than feeling attacked or criticized. In contrast, techniques like summarization involve distilling the essence of conversations, which does not specifically address mixed messages. Transference refers to the projection of feelings onto the counselor related to past relationships, and interpretation involves explaining the underlying meanings of thoughts and behaviors but does not primarily focus on highlighting inconsistencies. Therefore, confrontation is the technique most directly associated with the practice of addressing mixed messages in counseling.