TOWARD AN INTEGRATIVE PERSPECTIVE ON RESISTANCE TO CHANGE

In this article, resistance is looked at in an Integrative way that at tempts to abstract and synthesize the main assumptions made by tbe dif ferent therapy approaches. The phenomena of resistance can be seen at the behavioral, interpersonal, cognitive, and affective levels. A set of integrative working assumptions are proposed in which resistance re flects meaningful information about clients' conflicts among various a spects of themselves relating to change. In addition to this intrapers onal perspective, resistance is also seen as determined by interperson al factors, and can occur with or without conscious awareness. Integra tive approaches to working with these conflicts are described. (C) 199 6 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.