In addressing a client who minimizes or rationalizes behavior, which approach is therapeutic?

• A. Agree with the client.
• B. Blame the partner.
• C. Summarize and refocus toward the client's own behavior and goals.
• D. Demand immediate changes.

Answer: (C)

When a client minimizes or rationalizes their behavior, the best therapeutic move is to reflect and redirect rather than agree or blame. Summarizing what the client has said and then refocusing onto the client’s own behavior and goals keeps the conversation collaborative and client-centered. It validates the client’s experience while gently highlighting inconsistencies and guiding them toward self-directed change. This breathes space for ambivalence, which is what motivational interviewing aims to resolve by eliciting the client’s own reasons for change.

Agreeing with the minimization would reinforce avoidance and reduce motivation to change. Blaming the partner shifts responsibility away from the client and tends to provoke defensiveness. Demanding immediate changes ignores autonomy and often triggers resistance. By summarizing and refocusing on the client’s behavior and goals, you maintain rapport, encourage self-reflection, and support intrinsic motivation for change.