Strategic Responses: Agreement with a Twist


Acknowledge and essentially side with a person then suggest a different meaning or perspective.

  • Supervisee: I can’t imagine myself not smoking. It is part of who I am.
  • Staff: You wouldn’t be you without it. It is so important to you that you may just have to keep smoking no matter what the consequences are.
  • Supervisee: Everyone that I trust is in the heartless felons. I see them almost every day.
  • Staff: Much of your support system has been people in the heartless felons. I can see how that would be a concern. What else?
Other strategic response for handling resistance are amplified reflection, double-sided reflection, shifting focus, reframe, emphasize personal choice and control, and coming alongside.