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How to Work with A Resistant College Student (For Therapists)

Learn Therapy Microskills

Welcome back to our series on therapy microskills, where we analyze sessions from master therapists to teach you their skills.


Today, we are analyzing another clinical breakdown from our deep dive into Tori Olds, Ph.D., focusing on a session with a busy college student and the critical skill of managing client resistance.


There are three big themes present in this video:

  1. The Four Levels of Motivation – Why identifying whether a client is in Resistance, Sustain, Ambivalence, or Action is the essential first step to choosing an intervention that actually works.

  2. Spotting the "Yes, But" Marker – How to recognize that a client is in the resistance phase even when they seem polite, and why the clinical goal must pivot from "change" to "alignment" in that moment.

  3. Reflection vs. "Doubling Down" – Why explaining your model or pushing for a technique often increases resistance, and how master-level reflection (à la Carl Rogers) can diffuse tension and get a session back on track.


Watch the Breakdown

If you want to see exactly how to identify subtle resistance and use reflection to return to attunement, watch the full analysis below.



Listen Here:

Jordan Harris Jordan Harris, Ph.D., LMFT-S, LPC-S, received his Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Louisiana Monroe. He is a licensed professional counselor and a licensed marriage and family therapist in the state of Arkansas, USA. In his clinical work, he enjoys working with couples. He also runs a blog on deliberate practice for therapists and counselors at Jordanthecounselor.com You can find him on linkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-harris-lpc-s-lmft-s-418412301/


Dr. Tori Olds Tori Olds, PHD is a licensed psychologist who has been studying experiential therapies for over twenty-five years. She specializes in the integration of experiential approaches to therapy and leads seven international training groups on this topic each week. She has a passion for translating complex psychology concepts for the public, which she does through her YouTube channel and other speaking engagements. toriolds.com/

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