A client in a group facilitated by a social worker has a red face and appears visibly upset when he talks about his current relationship with his family. When the social worker states that he can see how the client is not happy about his current situation based upon his physical symptoms, the client says, “Everything is fine.” The client is MOST likely exhibiting:

Congruence is the matching of awareness and experience with communication. It is essential that a client is able to express himself/ herself and that this communication is reflective of his or her feelings. Congruence is essential for the vitality of a relationship and to facilitate true helping as part of the problem-solving process. The client in the case vignette is saying that the relationship is “fine,” but his physical symptoms clearly indicate that it is not. This is an example of a lack of congruence in his communication