A direct confrontation with the contradiction between the client's wish to change and the defenses that maintain the problem; used more moderately in STPP than in ISTDP.
Step-by-step guide
- Name the wish for change
- Name the blocking defense
- Show the contradiction
- Ask whether the client wants to keep the pattern
- Return to the central conflict
When to use
- When resistance is persistent
- When alliance is strong enough
- When gentle clarification has not moved the work
Key phrases
Part of you wants change, and part of you protects the old pattern.
Follow-up questions
Can you see this contradiction?
Which side do you want to support today?
Alternative phrasings
This is not criticism; it is the conflict in action.
The defense is costing you the very thing you want.
Warnings
- ⚠️ Use less intensively than Davanloo-style ISTDP
- ⚠️ Do not attack the client
- ⚠️ Avoid if the client is fragile or ashamed
Source: Malan, D. Davanloo influence in short-term dynamic therapy
Materials are informational and educational and summarize publicly available scientific sources. They are not medical or psychological advice, are not intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment, and do not replace consultation with a qualified professional.