Group psychotherapy with mandated subsiance abus- ers is often the treatment of choice for dru addiction, but it is also % likely to encounter numerous forms of an intense resistance. The authors present a model of group work practice for overcoming re- sistance in this population. Components are worker authenticity, style, confrontation, feedback, and struc- is that clients can reorganize their norms, using group members for support during this process. Very few substance abusers seek treatment on their own initia- tive; many are mandated for treatment by the courts, others are mandated by employers, and a smaller percentage seek treatment because of family pressure. Naturally, most mandated clients have no internal motivation to change their behavior and are highly resis- tant to treatment. Thus, clinicians working with mandated sub- stance abusers must become experts on overcoming client resis-