Clinicians cannot escape eventually working in challenging client situations or with challenging clients. Personality disorders, substance use, suicidality, and boundary issues can be common sources of stress and uncertainty for some clinicians. This webinar will introduce key factors that can make cases and clients challenging and introduce learners to strategies to manage themselves in the face of client resistance and other difficulties. Explore the use of Motivational Interviewing skills to “roll with resistance”, the power of validation and empathy, and how clinicians demonstrating mastery of their own internal experience with challenging clients is pivotal to building confidence and success. The reality of imposter syndrome will be shared to encourage learners to adopt more balanced viewpoints of their skills, contributions, and work.

Upon completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Explain behavioral patterns and core characteristics of challenging clients.
• Appraise one’s own style of managing clients who are silent, manipulative, resistant, and demanding.
• Identify at least two areas for professional growth in working with challenging clients.
• Describe common unhelpful and helpful clinician responses to challenging clients.
• Evaluate strategies that are useful in working with clients who have personality disorders, are suicidal, or have substance abuse issues.
• Discover new confidence and skills in managing imposter syndrome and appropriately handling challenging clients and situations.