What Is The Paradoxical Intention Technique?

The tools that psychologists work with are what we know as psychological techniques. These techniques should only be used by mental health specialists. A clear example of one of these techniques is the paradoxical intention technique.

Often, these techniques are useful for psychological treatment and intervention. In addition, psychological treatments may belong to different psychological disciplines. For example, cognitive-behavioral, systematic, Gestalt and psychoanalysis among others.

In this sense, psychological treatment is a professional intervention. This intervention is based on clinical psychological techniques. For example, a hospital, private consultations, support groups and centers for mental health, among others. During these treatments, a specialist seeks to eliminate a client’s disorder.

Some examples of this could be helping a person overcome depression, teaching family members to communicate better or even teaching a teenager to relate to his classmates in a less aggressive way.

A psychological treatment involves listening to what the client has to say. In addition, therapists must identify the personal, social, and family aspects that create the problem. The psychologist must also tell the client how to solve their problems and apply specific techniques.

Here are some examples of these psychological techniques:

• Breathing and relaxation exercises.

• Paradoxical intention.
• Solving interpersonal problems.
• Questioning erroneous beliefs.
• Training of social skills.

Psychological treatments must be performed by psychologists who are professionals in behavioral problems. These professionals use evaluation and treatment techniques that have been backed by scientific data.

The paradoxical technique of intention

This technique is a form of humanist-oriented psychotherapy attributed to Victor Frankl’s logotherapy (1999).

Within cognitive behavioral therapy, paradoxical intention is the cognitive intervention that is used to overcome the resistance to change.

To define this technique, we can assume that a paradox is something opposite to what we see as true. A paradox, from the Latin word,  paradoxus,  which also has Greek origins,  consists of the use of conflicting terms.

In other words, in addition to conflicting conditions, the factors presented are valid, real and possible. The paradoxical intention technique seeks to confront the client’s reason. With the application of paradoxical intention, therapy can encourage the client to do what they are afraid of (Frankl, 1984).

The overall goal of the paradoxical intention technique

The overall goal of the paradoxical intention technique is to force certain changes in the client’s attitude and their reactions to stress. This means that it seeks to eradicate vicious cycles that the client’s fears develop.

Here is an example so you can better understand this concept. A sleepless client makes an effort to fall asleep every night. With the paradoxical intention technique, the same client will now do the exact opposite. They should concentrate on trying to stay awake for as long as possible.

This allows the client to forget how difficult it is for them to fall asleep. That way, they will fall asleep because they will stop fighting to fall asleep earlier.

Why does this technique work?

Despite its effectiveness, there are no clear studies studying the cause behind it. However, there are some models that try to explain its effects.

Certain variations of this technique use control mechanisms to stimulate behavioral responses. In other cases, they try to change expectations and promote self-efficacy.

Here are some of the theoretical models that seek to describe the technique:

• Double Binding Theory (Watzlawick, Beavin, & Jackson, 1981)
• Symptom decontextualization theory (Omer, 1981)
• Recursive anxiety theory (Ascher and Schotte, 1999)
• Ironic Process Theory (Wegner, 1994)

This is how the paradoxical intention technique is used

When using this technique, clients are asked not to try to stop their symptoms and even to exaggerate them.

The procedure requires two changes in the way the client now handles the issues. The first change is that the client must stop trying to control the problem. On the other hand, the client needs to increase his symptoms and exaggerate them.

Both go against the client’s logic. The therapist must thus explain this new concept to the client in order to convince them that it will be useful for their treatment.

Procedure

• Evaluation of problems.

• Redefining the symptoms based on the data collected during the evaluation. In this step, the psychologist aims to give new meaning to the symptoms.
• Indication of the paradoxical changes depending on the problem.
• Conceptualization of the changes in relation to the paradox.
• Relapse prevention.
• Follow up.

The effectiveness of this technique

Despite its applicability, it  can be one of the more difficult techniques to use in cognitive behavioral therapy. In addition to knowing the logic behind it and the procedure, the therapist must also have enough experience to recognize the right moment to apply it.

The therapist’s communication skills and clinical experience will therefore determine the success of this treatment. The therapist’s confidence, judgment, and abilities are fundamental elements in encouraging the client to do the opposite of what their intuition tells them to do.

This technique has given good results in psychotherapy. However, it is perfect for treating insomnia.

Lastly, it is important to emphasize the importance of applying this technique under the direct guidance of an experienced therapist. If used incorrectly, the problem may get worse and become more resistant to other treatments.