In this episode of MI for Change, we unpack the Transtheoretical Model of Change (Prochaska & DiClemente) and show how it fits seamlessly with Motivational Interviewing—so you can meet clients (and parents) exactly where they are and move conversations forward without pushback.

You’ll learn how to recognize and respond to each stage:

Pre-contemplation → plant seeds without pushing: use amplified reflections, rolling with resistance, and querying extremes.

Contemplation → honor ambivalence: use double-sided reflections, reframing, and agreeing with a twist to tip toward change.

Preparation → clarify goals and choose a path: offer a menu of options, set expectations, and co-design first steps.

Action → support doing: reinforce, affirm, and troubleshoot roadblocks as behaviors start to shift.

Maintenance → sustain gains: fade supports, generalize skills, and build relapse prevention plans for real-life stressors.

Relapse → normalize and re-enter: treat setbacks as U-turns, extract learning, and re-engage the cycle without shame.

You’ll hear practical language for each stage (from parent coaching to school teams and substance use), plus why pushing before readiness = more sustain talk—and how pacing your MI skills reduces clinician burnout.

Subscribe for upcoming episodes where we apply these moves to common ABA and mental health scenarios.

Learn more about Motivational Interviewing and explore on-demand courses at www.drmonicagilbert.com

Join the MI Academy for practical training and resources — and enjoy an exclusive 15% off with code MIFORCHANGE at checkout.

📲 Connect with me on Instagram: @drmonicagilbert

In this episode of MI for Change, we break down the four processes of Motivational Interviewing (MI)—a simple framework that helps structure your client and parent coaching sessions without making them feel rigid or forced.

You’ll learn how to:

• Engage: build trust, rapport, and genuine curiosity with clients and parents.
• Focus: narrow down goals and use mapping to stay on track while remaining flexible.
• Evoke: elicit motivation and solutions from clients (instead of doing all the work yourself).
• Plan: move from talk to action with small, realistic steps that create momentum.

Dr. Monica Gilbert shares practical examples—like scaling questions, agenda mapping, and double-sided reflections—that you can use right away to strengthen conversations, reduce resistance, and avoid burnout.

By the end of this episode, you’ll see how these four processes create a natural flow that feels like a dance, not an arm wrestle—so your sessions are more collaborative, structured, and effective.

Subscribe now so you don’t miss upcoming episodes where we’ll dive deeper into applying MI across real-world ABA and mental health practice.

Learn more about Motivational Interviewing and explore on-demand courses at www.drmonicagilbert.com

Join the MI Academy for practical training and resources — and enjoy an exclusive 15% off with code MIFORCHANGE at checkout.

📲 Connect with me on Instagram: @drmonicagilbert

In this episode of MI for Change, we zero in on the core aim of Motivational Interviewing: eliciting change talk—and distinguishing it from sustain talk (arguments for the status quo).

You’ll learn:

What counts as change talk (vocalizations toward change) vs. sustain talk (arguments against change).

How to categorize change talk with DARNCAT:
Desire • Ability • Reason • Need • Commitment • Action • Taking Steps.

A practical differential attention approach: reinforce change talk, acknowledge sustain talk without overfeeding it.

A scaling exercise (1–10) that shows how one question can evoke sustain talk—and a better question can unlock change talk.

Simple ways to measure progress (record, tally change vs. sustain talk as baseline and after 4 weeks).

Monica shares real-world phrasing you can steal for sessions with parents, clients, and supervisees, plus a quick template for turning “Why not higher?” / “Why not lower?” into a reliable catalyst for motivation.

Subscribe for upcoming episodes on softening sustain talk and shaping conversations that lead to action.

Learn more about Motivational Interviewing and explore on-demand courses at www.drmonicagilbert.com

Join the MI Academy for practical training and resources — and enjoy an exclusive 15% off with code MIFORCHANGE at checkout.

📲 Connect with me on Instagram: @drmonicagilbert