Providing a good rationale for role-playing exercises is important because many clients may initially feel uncomfortable or vulnerable when asked to act out interpersonal situations.
First, explain to clients that role-playing is a very useful way for clients to begin experimenting with different ways of interacting in relationships in a safe environment.
Second, role-playing allows clients to receive immediate feedback from the therapist on how they interact with others.
Finally, role-playing gives the therapist and clients a shared sense of what a particular situation is actually like much more effectively than just talking about the situation.
