Paradoxical intention in Adlerian therapy involves:

• A. Forcing immediate behavioral change through exposure
• B. Helping the client invoke exaggerated negative thoughts to make them aware of behavior and consequences
• C. Reframing thoughts with positive affirmations
• D. Medical treatment to reduce anxiety

Answer: (B)

Paradoxical intention hinges on making the feared outcome come to mind on purpose in a controlled way. In Adlerian therapy, the client is guided to deliberately engage with the fear, often by exaggerating the thoughts or symptoms, so the power of the fear diminishes and the client can see they can tolerate it. This helps break the pattern of avoidance and reduces anxiety because the fear loses its grip when it’s confronted in a exaggerated, non-threatening form.

So, encouraging the client to invoke exaggerated negative thoughts aligns with this approach: by amplifying the feared thoughts, they gain insight into their behavior and consequences, and realize they can handle the situation, which reduces the fear. Exposing through direct, forced behavior without the paradoxical framing, or relying on positive affirmations, or turning to medical treatment, would belong to other therapeutic strategies.