Supervision doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth. 🦷

In this episode of MI for Change, Dr. Monica Gilbert explores how Motivational Interviewing (MI) can transform the way we communicate with supervisees and interns — turning resistance into reflection and compliance into collaboration.

If you’ve ever felt frustrated when supervisees don’t take data, follow through on feedback, or seem disengaged, this episode is for you.
Through real-world examples and practical strategies, Monica shares how to replace the “fixing reflex” with curiosity, empathy, and partnership.

💡 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

✅ How to use MI principles (open-ended questions, affirmations, reflections, and summaries) in supervision
✅ How to apply the Ask–Offer–Ask (AOA) approach when giving feedback
✅ Ways to build trust and rapport with new therapists and interns
✅ Why autonomy and collaboration matter more than control
✅ How curiosity can replace correction — and lead to real growth

💬 “If we don’t have rapport, we have nothing.”

• Learn more about MI tools and supervision strategies at www.drmonicagilbert.com ✨ Use code CHANGE15 for 15% off any on-demand course through MI Academy

💬 Join the Conversation:

How do you foster collaboration and autonomy in your supervision sessions?
Reply or share your thoughts in the comments — I’d love to hear what’s worked for you!

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

Have you ever avoided a difficult conversation with a client or parent because it felt too uncomfortable? You’re not alone.

In this episode of MI for Change, Dr. Monica Gilbert explores the “pink elephant in the room” — those unspoken issues that fill our emotional cup until it overflows.

Through a simple (and slightly wet!) metaphor, Monica illustrates how avoidance can build frustration and burnout — and how Motivational Interviewing (MI) gives us the tools to face those moments with courage and empathy.

You’ll learn:
✅ How to recognize when your “cup” is getting full and what to do before burnout hits
✅ Ways to address uncomfortable issues with clients using reflections, affirmations, and open-ended questions
✅ How to reframe confrontation as collaboration
✅ Real-life examples of boundary setting and repair from the field

💬 “When clients push back or avoid, that’s not rejection — it’s an invitation to communicate.”

If you’ve ever dreaded a hard conversation, this episode will help you build confidence, compassion, and connection — one reflection at a time.

💬 Join the Conversation:
What’s one tough conversation you’ve been avoiding — and what MI skill could help you approach it differently?
Reply or share your reflections in the comments!

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

Have you ever felt like you’re doing all the work when it comes to setting therapy goals?
You define the objectives, outline the plan, and your client (or parent) simply nods along. But what if you could create goals with them — not for them?

In this episode of MI for Change, Dr. Monica Gilbert explores how collaborative goal setting can transform engagement and outcomes in your sessions. Drawing from a fascinating single-case study by Kusheria et al., she breaks down how speech-language pathologists improved client-centered practice using Motivational Interviewing (MI) techniques and the Electronic Goal Attainment Scaling (EGAS) tool.

You’ll learn:

✅ How collaborative goal setting boosts buy-in and follow-through
✅ The impact of using OARS skills (open questions, affirmations, reflections, summaries) during goal setting
✅ What the research reveals about training, fidelity, and engagement
✅ Practical questions you can use to involve clients or parents in defining their own goals

💬 “Better engagement leads to better follow-through.”

When clients take ownership of their goals, change becomes not only possible — it becomes sustainable.

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 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

In this episode of MI for Change, we open the toolbox and put OARS + I to work—the foundational skills of Motivational Interviewing you can use in sessions today.

You’ll learn how to:

O – Open-ended questions: move beyond “How are you?” to prompts that invite real dialogue (and when to use fewer with tangent-prone clients).

A – Affirmations: spot and name authentic strengths without sounding generic—so buy-in grows naturally.

R – Reflections: from simple to double-sided and amplified, reflect meaning (not just words) to surface ambivalence and elicit change talk.

S – Summaries: tie threads together, redirect respectfully, and set the next-step agenda.

+ I – Information & Advice (AOA): Ask–Offer–Ask to share concerns and guidance with permission—reducing resistance while respecting autonomy.

Real-world stories include parent coaching and classroom scenarios, plus a memorable reflection mishap (tapas vs. topless 😅) that shows why clarifying matters. You’ll hear how these skills turn power struggles into collaboration—and why this MI approach lightens clinician burnout by shifting the responsibility for change back to the client.

Subscribe for upcoming deep dives into the Four Processes and skillful wording you can copy into 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 dive into the heart of Motivational Interviewing — the spirit and science behind the approach that transforms how we communicate in ABA and mental health.

You’ll learn how to ground your practice in PACE:

✨ Partnership — creating alignment with clients and families.
✨ Autonomy — respecting client choice to reduce resistance.
✨ Compassion — approaching every conversation with curiosity.
✨ Evocation — drawing out solutions instead of prescribing them.

We’ll also explore:

• Why ethics are at the center of MI.
• How to avoid the “fixing reflex” that increases client pushback.
• Real-world examples of MI in parent training and classroom settings.
• Why honoring autonomy and evoking solutions leads to stronger buy-in.

If you’ve ever wondered how to use MI without falling into advice-giving or power struggles, this episode will give you both the framework and practical tools to start right away.

💡 Subscribe now so you don’t miss future episodes — including upcoming deep dives into the ORS skills and other MI techniques.

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