Questions

Answer the following questions.

1. What is the difference between confrontation and empathic confrontation? 

2. What counseling skills are essential when utilizing empathic confrontation? 

3. In what circumstances might you use empathic confrontations with a client? Give a specific example. 

4. You have been seeing your client, Jax, for four months now. One of their most important goals since starting therapy with you has been to quite smoking and replace this with a healthier coping strategy. Since seeing you, Jax has not smoked in the past two months. However, in the last three sessions with Jax, they share that they have begun smoking again but only with their new friends. Their new friends smoke often and Jax tells you that when they smoke with them, it is “not a big deal.” You have a strong Helping relationship with Jax and are feeling concerned. As the Counselor, provide a dialogue utilizing an empathic confrontation that you would say to your client Jax: 
“____________________________”