If your work involves helping people change their behavior, you have probably encountered a “resistant” client. I put the word in quotes because it implies there is something wrong with them. They are resisting something they should want to change and it’s so very clear to you that it’s true. In Motivational Interviewing, we assume […]
Teaching Dietetic Interns What They Won’t Need to Unlearn
One of my favorite Motivational Interviewing Workshop trainings I do all year is for the dietetic interns of eastern MA. I was trained in Boston in 1971, and would have benefited greatly from a workshop such as the one I now provide. I was taught to teach the diet, and always felt like I was […]
What If You Ask for Permission and Don’t Get It?
In MI training, we emphasize asking permission, before you offer unasked for advice or change the subject. The obvious question, then is what happens if the client’s answer is NO? Here’s an opportunity to make a real connection with the client. A simple response is “Thank you, I really appreciate your honesty with me.” This […]
Why Take Time To Love Yourself?
This article is adapted from my friend and colleague, Diana Cullum-Dugan’s newsletter. You can find Diana at www.NamasteNutrition.net and email her at DianaCullumDugan@gmail.com Why take time to love yourself? The gift of you is tremendous. The richness, unique skills, and intelligence that make you are stellar. Diets fix us and stop the emotions married to […]
Using “Wiggle Words” in Motivational Interviewing
An important tenant of MI is that we do not tell others what to do. Who wants to be told what to do, anyway? Even kids don’t like it. Telling others what to do is often rude and disrespectful. Let me be very clear, however. If your job as a health care provider is to […]
