Last updated on Aug 20, 2024

Your client appears disengaged during a behavior change session. How can you re-engage them effectively?

When you're in the midst of a behavior change session and notice your client's engagement waning, it can be a challenge to maintain the momentum necessary for progress. Motivational Interviewing (MI), a client-centered counseling style for eliciting behavior change by helping clients explore and resolve ambivalence, relies heavily on the client's active participation. If your client seems disengaged, it's crucial to apply MI techniques adeptly to rekindle their involvement and commitment to change.

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1 Assess Comfort

Understanding your client's comfort level is essential in re-engaging them. Maybe they're feeling overwhelmed or unsure about the changes being discussed. Take a moment to check in with them, asking open-ended questions to gauge their emotional state. This empathetic approach can help them feel heard and supported, creating a safer space for them to open up and reconnect with their motivations for change.

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Caroline Goldsmith

Consulting Clinical Psychologist
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Assess if you have in any way touched on a part of your previous dialogue that implied criticism or judgment. Nothing switches off a person faster than to imagine the person they are turning to for guidance, is not on their side.

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Saphokazi Makhetha

Senior Social Worker at Department of Social Development E.C
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One thing i will find helpful Ice breaker its very helpful maybe the client is overwhelmed,to re-gain just come up with it to refresh the client's state of mind

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2 Reflective Listening

Engaging in reflective listening is a core component of Motivational Interviewing. When your client seems distant, reflect on what they've said by paraphrasing their words back to them. This technique not only demonstrates that you're paying attention but also helps clarify their thoughts and feelings. It can encourage them to continue sharing and can deepen their understanding of their own motivations.

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3 Explore Ambivalence

Ambivalence is a natural part of the change process. When your client disengages, it may be a sign that they're experiencing conflicting feelings about the change. Address this head-on by discussing the pros and cons they perceive, and validate that ambivalence is a normal and acceptable part of making a significant life change. This can help them feel more at ease with their uncertainties and more willing to engage in the conversation.

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Neil Greco

Supporting health and wellness in all its forms one day, one moment, one interaction at a time.
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I used to work a the lot of young people with ADHD. I would call it jingling the keys and it still was true to this day. If they were too off-topic, I would simply jingle peas and they knew what that meant.Let's go back onto topic. Where is your focus? Where is your motivation? Do you still think what a week ago was as important as what is today to move forward with change. Placing your energy weathers are not will not move anything forward. Both motivational interviewing and solution focus therapy teach us this;.Stay on focus, stay where people have their energy and you will see success.They are not simply actors upon our stage, we're simply directors.Trying to see what moves them forward on their stage.

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4 Elicit Change Talk

Change talk involves the client voicing reasons for change, which can be pivotal in the process of re-engagement. Prompt your client to express why they want to change, how they might go about it, and the potential benefits they foresee. Encouraging them to articulate these thoughts can reinforce their commitment and spark renewed interest in the behavior change process.

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5 Affirm Strengths

Recognizing and affirming your client's strengths and past successes can boost their confidence and engagement. Highlighting their capabilities reminds them of their agency in the change process and can motivate them to actively participate. Positive reinforcement can be a powerful tool in reinvigorating a client's commitment to change.

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6 Set Collaborative Goals

Finally, setting collaborative goals can help re-engage a disengaged client. Work together to establish small, achievable objectives that align with their larger aspirations. By involving them in the goal-setting process, you reinforce their autonomy and investment in the behavior change journey. This collaborative approach can reignite their enthusiasm and participation.

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Cheryl Shaw, MA, NCC, COS, AHM

Program Property Manager at Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless
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One thing to consider is the clients readiness to engage in discussion on the topic on that particular day. Something may have occurred that is pressing on there thoughts. It may be helpful to ask if something is going on they wish to discuss.

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Your client appears disengaged during a behavior change session. How can you re-engage them effectively?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Assess Comfort

2 Reflective Listening

3 Explore Ambivalence

4 Elicit Change Talk

5 Affirm Strengths

6 Set Collaborative Goals

Motivational Interviewing

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Your client appears disengaged during a behavior change session. How can you re-engage them effectively?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Assess Comfort

2 Reflective Listening

3 Explore Ambivalence

4 Elicit Change Talk

5 Affirm Strengths

6 Set Collaborative Goals

Motivational Interviewing

Rate this article

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