Chapter 7 - Acting As If

The "acting as if" technique asks the client to identify and act as if he or she had the skills to handle a difficult situation effectively. This technique allows the client to to think of someone who they envision having the skills to handle a given problem and then act how that person would in that situation. The client hopefully learns that they not only have the skills to handle the problem present, but that they can become a different person in the process. This type of technique can be applied to numerous situations. For instance, it can be used for a person who may be a victim or a bystander to bullying, or with a person dealing with a bad break up with their boyfriend/girlfriend. It can also be used for clients who may be struggling with low self-esteem or a negative self image to learn to gain confidence. I think that this particular technique is very helpful in a variety of situations. It can also be used in combination with other techniques such as "flagging the minefield". Once the client can identify an "old" behavior using that technique, they can use "acting as if" to correct the problematic behavior/thought process. I can definitely see myself using this as an effective problem solving counseling tool in my future endeavors.