Marital and Family Therapy

Category - Assessment

Robert has been referred to you for anger management counseling. As a teenager, he is being confronted with many issues at school. For the first six sessions, Robert has sat with you in silence. Even after your prompting, he does not say anything. What does this nonverbal communication most likely demonstrate?
  1. A sense of helplessness
  2. A fear that he will be misunderstood
  3. There is a lack of trust; this will be a tough case to join with
  4. Not knowing where to begin
Explanation
Answer - C - Adolescents always know where to begin, especially if it’s about one of their triggering issues. Silence could indicate not knowing where to begin, but the assumption is that as the therapist, you have assisted him with that. He likely feels like he doesn’t need help and is managing just fine. Still, he is most likely silent because he hasn’t been able to build enough trust with you to share what’s really going on.
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