Gratitude is the feeling of appreciation for something. It emerges naturally when we are glad for something we have received. It implies acceptance.

This Tip is a continuation of a theme begun in Tip #173. Here we take a slightly different perspective.

  I am often asked how to use the effective skills and spirit of MI in brief health settings. In Tip #126, I shared a simple format based on MI called Brief Action Planning. This format keeps you focused and…

(This is a revision of Tip #83, first published in 2009) Nobody’s perfect. We have all goofed at times and regretted something that cannot be taken back. Some examples: You gave the wrong information to a client. You double-booked or…

We often hear very critical self-talk from our clients: “I am so stupid.”  “I’m a pig.” “I’m lazy,” “I was bad this week,” “I hate that I ate that ice cream,” or “I should have stopped at one serving.” It’s…

Wanting to change a behavior generally begins with disliking or even hating the behavior. This often gets mixed up with hating ourselves. Ironically, hating ourselves does not support the process of change. It has the opposite effect and keeps us stuck.…

  When health professionals take on the process of motivational interviewing, we enjoy the client-centered paradigm. As we use the skills within the spirit of MI, the client takes a more active role, and therefore change is more likely.  We…

  Sustain talk is anything the client says about not making the change you are talking about. This might be, “I can’t do that.” Or “I don’t want to join a gym.” Or “but that won’t work.”

We all have good and bad days. Think of those days when you feel alert and focused, confident in your ability to help your clients, calm and ready for whatever comes in that day. Then there are the days you…

  A successful nutrition counseling session flows naturally through stages. In motivational interviewing, these are called the four processes. They are somewhat linear. A skillful counselor will circle back and move forward as needed. This deliberate shifting from one process…