In psychoanalysis, the client's unwillingness to share feelings or to make changes that would allow progress is known as what?

• A. Projection
• B. Regression
• C. Resistance
• D. Sublimation

Answer: (C)

Resistance in psychoanalysis refers to the client's unconscious defense that blocks discussion of painful feelings or interfering with making the changes needed for progress. This often shows up as avoiding certain topics, steering away from emotional content, arriving late, or intellectualizing conversations. Recognizing resistance helps the therapist understand that anxiety about the material is at play and guides the work toward gradually exploring the underlying conflicts rather than forcing progress. It differs from projection, where someone attributes their own unacceptable feelings to others; from regression, which is a retreat to earlier, less mature behaviors under stress; and from sublimation, which redirects impulses into socially acceptable and constructive channels. The presence of resistance signals that meaningful issues are surfacing and require careful, patient handling.