Story Time! When Change Talk is Embedded in Sustain Talk…
OK, I obviously have some playful, kid parts inside of me.
I was reading my youngest a bedtime story one night, and realized, “OH! Change Talk! And lots and lots of Sustain talk.”
So let me back up and define Change Talk & Sustain Talk.
In Motivational Interviewing, when a client is expressing ambivalence about change, we hear two types of talk: Sustain Talk, argument for staying the same (or sustaining the status quo), and Change Talk, argument FOR the change.
Because ambivalence about change is normal, it is quite normal for us to hear a client voice both sides- Change Talk and Sustain talk.
In Motivational Interviewing, we are artfully guiding the conversation with clients to strengthen their Change Talk, while steering away from Sustain Talk.
The more people talk about change & hear their Change Talk reflected back to them, the more likely they ARE to change.
This Jon Klassen book, “This Is Not My Hat“, will make you smile. Can you catch the Change Talk embedded in lots of Sustain Talk?
Motivational Interviewing Tip of The Week: Listen for the Change Talk you hear a client say. Can you catch it? What is THEIR argument for the change side of ambivalence? In MI, our task is to reflect the change talk we hear, and get curious about ways to pull for more. Evocative questions, such as those found in my MI Cheat Sheet, can guide the way. Let me know how it goes!
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Hi, I’m Hillary Bolter. At MI Center for Change, Motivational Interviewing is our passion. Motivational Interviewing will help you become more effective and efficient as you support clients’ change!
