MI for Change: Motivational Interviewing in ABA & Mental Health
MI for Change is the podcast dedicated to exploring Motivational Interviewing (MI) in behavior analysis and mental health. Hosted by Dr. Monica Gilbert, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Licensed Psychologist, this show helps professionals transform client conversations — one question at a time.
Each episode delivers:
✨ Practical MI strategies you can apply immediately in sessions
✨ Real case examples that bring concepts to life
✨ Inspiring interviews with experts across ABA and mental health
Whether you’re an ABA practitioner, therapist, counselor, or student, you’ll discover how simple shifts in communication can reduce resistance, strengthen rapport, and spark lasting change.
Because parent coaching and client conversations don’t have to feel like a struggle — they can be the spark that makes transformation possible.
Subscribe today and join the journey to becoming a more effective, confident, and client-centered communicator.
This is MI for Change.
MI for Change: Motivational Interviewing in ABA & Mental Health
Stages of Change: Using the Transtheoretical Model Inside MI Sessions
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
