The Myth of the
“Resistant” Teen:
Case Studies and Solution-Focused Principles for Working with Youth

Description

There is no such thing as a resistant client, only a resistant therapist who refuses to learn from their client’s “resistance.” The SF tenant is that “cooperation is inevitable.” While the SF practitioner can comfortably hold this perspective, it can be hard for the other adults in the adolescent’s life (e.g., parents, teachers, probation officers, and other therapists) to see anything but resistance through not cooperating, bad attitudes, unwillingness to open up, and problematic behavior. Through two case studies of classically “resistant” teenagers, Sherman, who for 10 years worked with court-ordered youth and their families, will demonstrate five SF principles that help therapist and teen find the path to cooperation.

In this engaging presentation, a licensed marriage and family therapist with 30 years of experience shares valuable insights and strategies for working with resistant and 'troubled' teenagers. The speaker highlights the importance of solution-focused therapy, emphasizing that there's no such thing as a resistant client, only resistant therapists. Through compelling case studies and personal anecdotes, the speaker demonstrates the power of building trust, understanding the client's perspective, and finding entry points to make meaningful connections. Practical techniques such as the Miracle Question, scaling, and exception finding are explored, offering listeners a comprehensive toolkit for fostering cooperation and positive change in adolescents.

• 00:00 Introduction and Speaker Background

• 00:58 Engaging with the Audience

• 01:58 Understanding Resistant Teens

• 02:47 Solution-Focused Therapy Principles

• 04:02 Case Studies and Real-Life Examples

• 06:20 Building Trust with Resistant Teens

• 15:43 The Power of Patience and Persistence

• 24:57 Exploring Growth

• 26:02 Understanding Resistance as Instruction

• 27:08 The Power of Exceptions in Therapy

• 28:15 Building Rapport with Teens

• 29:38 Finding Entry Points Through Interests

• 32:35 Turning Dreams into Therapeutic Goals

• 37:48 Fostering Change Through Small Steps

• 40:41 Navigating the System: The SFG Group

• 46:05 Reflecting on Effective Teen Engagement

Audience: Therapists and Parents

Given at a professional therapy conference, however, parents of teens will also find the content relevant and relatable.

Included:

• 48-minute workshop video.

• PDF Handouts of slides.