Steve's Individualized Education Plan (IEP) indicated that he had a learning disability, but did not specify the extent of his disability. Steve had been in an IEP for four years and everyone had indicated they needed counseling. From conception, the goal of the counseling sessions was to provide Steve with someone to talk to because, per the IEP, Steve voluntarily isolated himself from social interactions. Things took a turn for the worse last year, when Steve showed up with increasingly poor attendance and constant arguments when he was in attendance at school. As Wood and Hollis (2000) put it, “not only are initial goals changed as treatment progresses, but other problems also emerge; clients bring these issues up for discussion, thereby broadening the scope of treatment” (p. 327). During the assessment, I met with Steve, his mother and the attendance counselor to assess the attendance problem and discuss ways to encourage regular attendance at school. At the end of the meeting, a goal of increasing attendance was set, so that Steve could improve his academic grades. Throughout our first meetings, Steve remained closed off. Steve refused to speak about the reasons for the problems at the school. Brandell (2010) stated, “Adolescents often demonstrate resistance before and during therapy because of their desire for autonomy and their fear that the therapist – an agency of the parents – will attempt to transform them…” (p. 141). This manifestation of refusal of compulsory treatment in the preliminary stages of my work with Steve provided an opportunity to actively involve him in resolving the problem in a “safe enough space”. However, it became apparent that Steve did not want to discuss poor attendance and behavioral problems because it was causing him great difficulty...... middle of paper ...... helping the student, the clinician is better able to establish the therapeutic alliance.Steve and I explored his feelings about having an IEP and in turn receiving special education classes. Throughout our sessions, Steve became visibly upset, often expressing his dislike of other children in special education. Additionally, Steve was adamant about not needing “slower” classes than other high school students. In Brandell (2010), “A confrontation of resistance should be offered in the spirit of analytical inquiry, with the clear intention of engaging the client's curiosity and self-observation” (p. 248). As part of a relational working alliance, I challenged Steve to try to promote self-awareness. Awareness of the defenses he adopted to deal with the stigma attached to special education labeling, defenses that interfered with his academic success.