The important balance of challenge and support in therapy

Many learning experiences incorporate a balance between challenge and support.
The Theory of Challenge and Support, developed by Nevitt Sanford in 1966, states that “for growth to occur, a person needs a balanced amount of challenge and support as appropriate for the task.

Sanford (1962) found that college students go through significant personal growth and development, much of which is influenced by the college environment itself (including what goes on in the classroom as well as what goes on outside of the classroom). He believed that for growth and personal development to occur, a person needs a balanced amount of challenge and support as appropriate for the task.

The same can be said of therapy. People usually come to therapy to explore life difficulties – relationship problems, anxiety about life, a lack of energy, motivation or confidence, a crisis where they feel they can’t continue the way they have been.

A therapists’ role is to support them through these difficulties while also challenging them to face painful truths, to find the inner resources they need to break unhelpful patterns of behaviours, to overcome fixed ideas about themselves and their potential.

Challenge (also known as ‘confrontation’) is an advanced skill in the therapeutic relationship. Although these terms may sound at odds with how counselling is thought of, it can be useful for the client to recognise a mismatch – say between thoughts, feelings and behaviours, or between words and body language.

The word ‘challenging’ in its everyday use can imply an aggressive stance. In the therapy context, however, challenging comes in many forms ranging from robust, congruent confrontation at one end of the spectrum to tender, compassionate, empathic exploration. Challenges can be subtle or they can be provocative – just receiving the therapist’s silent, caring gaze can be a massive challenge for some. For others it might be pointing out an incongruency that they are saying one thing while doing something very different.

Getting the balance right is difficult, but results can be very rewarding if it is done with care and considered thought.