How to Coach Yourself and Others Empowering Coaching And Crisis Interventions | Page 47
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Motivational Interviewing Strategies and Techniques: Rationales and Examples
Sobell and Sobell, ©2008
ASKING PERMISSION
Rationale:
Communicates respect for clients. Also, clients are more likely to discuss changing when asked, than when
being lectured or being told to change.
Examples of Asking Permission
“Do you mind if we talk about [insert behavior]?”
“Can we talk a bit about your [insert behavior]?”
“I noticed on your medical history that you have hypertension, do mind if we talk about how different
lifestyles affect hypertension?” (Specific lifestyle concerns such as diet, exercise, and alcohol use can be
substituted for the word “lifestyles” in this sentence.)
ELICITING/EVOKING CHANGE TALK
Rationale:
Change talk tends to be associated with successful outcomes. This strategy elicits reasons for changing from
clients by having them give voice to the need or reasons for changing. Rather than the therapist lecturing or
telling clients the importance of and reasons why they should change, change talk consists of responses evoked
from clients. Clients’ responses usually contain reasons for change that are personally important for them.
Change talk, like several Motivational Interviewing (MI) strategies, can be used to address discrepancies
between clients’ words and actions (e.g., saying that they want to become abstinent, but continuing to use) in a
manner that is nonconfrontational. One way of doing this is shown later in this table under the Columbo
approach.
Importantly, change talk tends to be associated with successful outcomes.
Questions to Elicit/Evoke Change Talk
“What would you like to see different about your current situation?”
“What makes you think you need to change?”
“What will happen if you don’t change?”
“What will be different if you complete your probation/refer ral to this program?”
“What would be the good things about changing your [insert risky/problem behavior]?”
“What would your life be like 3 years from now if you changed your [insert risky/problem behavior]?”
“Why do you think others are concerned about your [insert risky/problem behavior]?”
Elicit/Evoke Change Talk For Clients Having Difficulty Changing:
Focus is on being supportive as the client wants to change but is struggling.
“How can I help you get past some of the difficulties you are experiencing?”
“If you were to decide to change, what would you have to do to make this happen?”
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