The article includes many ideas that address most of the problematic points when interacting with adolescents. This collection of strategies allows professionals to prepare for most situations during consultations. It also contains several key ideas that should be considered central thoughts necessary for achieving success. First of all, it must be understood that the most critical point in dealing with such clients is establishing a trusting therapeutic relationship based on empathy (Hanna et al., 1999). The author’s categorization of strategies emphasizes this, as they aim to establish contact, acceptance and the formation of relatability. The reason for this is that in the absence of such contact, the influence of an adult will be felt by a teenager as an attempt at manipulation. It is imperative to show the client that the specialist wants to help him, and the techniques demonstrated in the article effectively reveal this.
The strategies given are formulated so that the specialist can find an approach to adolescents with different backgrounds and disorders. It is proposed to consider adolescents as a unique culture and introduce multicultural work methods (Hanna et al., 1999). For example, in the case of oppositional defiant disorder, the use of strategies will reduce the number of aggressive reactions. Adolescents with this condition often argue with those who are considered authority figures. The proposed strategies aim primarily to avoid the formation of precisely professional relationships. According to Hanna et al. (1999), such adolescents do not listen to adults because they consider them symbols of authority rather than individuals. As a result, the positioning of a specialist as a person often surprises teenagers and causes them to reconsider their attitudes. Therefore, emphasizing personal characteristics allows for a change in the client’s perception, leading to a therapeutic relationship.
Interaction with adolescents suffering from conduct disorder is somewhat more difficult due to a more violent pattern of behaviour. In the case of such clients, many of the more straightforward strategies will appear to be ineffective. The response of such adolescents to most of the counsellor’s suggestions may be aggression. However, this paper demonstrates that long-term results are much more critical in such cases. Even a sudden increase in hostility may mean that the specialist figure has become associated with more intimate people (Hanna et al., 1999). In this case, it is vital to maintain the chosen position and continue communication, analyzing all the consultation points.
Reference
Hanna, F. J., Hanna, C. A., & Keys, S. G. (1999). Fifty strategies for counseling defiant, aggressive adolescents: Reaching, accepting, and relating. Journal of Counseling & Development, 77(4), 395-404. Web.