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.
Episodes
36 episodes
Stop Fighting Resistance: The Real Reason Clients Push Back (Motivational Interviewing)
“Clients aren’t fighting you… they’re fighting to feel understood.”In this episode of MI4Change, Dr. Monica Gilbert breaks down one of the most misunderstood concepts in therapy, ABA, and leadership: resistance.Why...
Motivational Interviewing Role Play: What It Actually Sounds Like in Real Sessions
What does Motivational Interviewing actually sound like in a real conversation?In this episode of MI For Change, Dr. Monica Gilbert walks you through a live role play using motivational interviewing techniques—fo...
Motivational Interviewing Explained: The 3 Core Foundations Every Therapist Must Know
If you’ve ever felt unsure about how to actually apply Motivational Interviewing in real sessions—this episode is your starting point.In this foundational episode of MI4Change, Dr. Monica Gilbert breaks down the 3 es...
Dale Carnegie vs Motivational Interviewing: The Difference Between Influence and True Change
In this episode of MI For Change, Dr. Monica Gilbert explores a powerful and often misunderstood comparison: Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” vs. Motivational Interviewing (MI).While both approach...
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How to Build Systems and Culture That Scale in Your Practice
In this episode of MI4Change, we explore how Motivational Interviewing can be applied beyond clinical work—into leadership, business growth, and organizational culture.If you’re a: • BCBA • Business owner • Cli...
Motivational Interviewing in Leadership: How to Motivate Staff and Build Buy-In
In this episode of MI4Change, we explore how Motivational Interviewing can transform the way you lead and motivate your team.If you’re a: • BCBA • Clinical supervisor • Business owner • Leader or manag...
Resistance vs Discord in Motivational Interviewing: How to Handle “Resistant” Clients
In this episode of MI For Change, we explore one of the most misunderstood concepts in therapy and behavior change: resistance.What if your client isn’t actually resistant?In Motivational Interviewing, what we often label a...
SLPs, BCBAs, and MI: How Better Collaboration Helps Families
What happens when two professionals want the same outcome for a child… but speak completely different languages?In this episode of MI for Change, I’m joined by Rose Griffin, a speech therapist and BCBA, to talk about one of the bi...
When Helping Too Much Backfires: Prompt Dependency in Therapy
Helping your clients sounds like the right thing to do.But sometimes… helping too much actually creates the opposite of what we want.In this episode of MI for Change, we talk about prompt dependency — a concept famil...
The Difference Between Rapport and Buy-In
You can have great rapport… and still have clients cancel, avoid homework, or “agree” without following through.So what’s missing?In this episode of MI for Change, I break down the difference between rapport
MI for Neurodiversity: What Works for Autism, ADHD & PDA (Without Pressure)
If you’ve ever felt like traditional “motivation” strategies don’t land with neurodivergent clients… you’re not imagining it.In this episode, I break down how to use Motivational Interviewing (MI) in a way that actually fits autism, ADH...
Why People Don’t Change—Even When the Help Is “Good” with Dr. Paul Gavoni
Most professionals don’t struggle because they don’t care.They struggle because the people they’re trying to help… don’t see what’s in it for them.In this episode of MI for Change, I had the pleasure to sit down with Dr. Paulie ...
Trauma-Informed Care Isn’t What You Think — How MI Restores Choice, Voice, and Agency
with clients.You’ll learn why trauma is fundamentally about loss of control, and how MI restores what trauma takes away: choice, voice, and agency — without removing accountability or direction.This episode bre...
Giving Assessment Feedback Without Triggering Defensiveness (Using Motivational Interviewing)
Giving assessment results to parents can be one of the most emotionally charged moments in clinical work.In this episode of MI for Change, Dr. Monica Gilbert explores how Motivational Interviewing (MI) can help clinicians d...
Beyond Basic Reflections — Advanced MI Skills That Create Movement
Motivational Interviewing isn’t just about being warm, empathic, and reflective — it’s about being intentional.In this first episode of Season 2, Dr. Monica Gilbert takes you beyond the basics and into the advanced, oft...
The Meisner Technique & MI Reflections — How Actors Train Us to Listen
In this episode of MI for Change, I share a surprising tool that can instantly sharpen your reflections and your ability to stay present with clients: the Meisner repetition exercise (a famous acting technique).Actor...
Softening Sustain Talk & Cultivating Change Talk With Hillary Logan
In this episode of MI for Change, I’m joined by Hillary Logan, LCSW, MINT-certified trainer and founder of MI Center for Change, for a deep, practical conversation about sustain talk—or as Hillary calls it, “stuc...
Motivational Interviewing in ABA — An Objective Behavioral Definition + OARS as Verbal Operants
In this episode of MI for Change, I’m sharing one of my favorite topics: how to translate Motivational Interviewing (MI) into ABA language—in a way that feels objective, teachable, and easier to apply in real sessions.I wal...
How to Start Using Motivational Interviewing (Even If You Feel Lost!)
If you’re new to Motivational Interviewing — or you’ve been “sort of” using the skills but still feel unsure — this episode is for you. Today, I break down the exact starting point, the 3 essential habits every beginner shoul...
How to Use OARS Across the Four Processes of MI
Are your sessions starting to feel like you’re just chatting without real movement toward change?In this episode of MI for Change, Dr. Monica Gilbert breaks down how to combine the OARS skills (Open-ended questions...
The Curiosity Mind Hack — Reframing How You Enter Sessions
What if one simple mindset shift could completely change the tone of your sessions?In this episode of MI for Change, Dr. Monica Gilbert shares a practical “mind hack” that can transform how you show up with clients, paren...
Coaching Supervisees with MI — Beyond the Sandwich Method
How do you give feedback that lands—without power struggles or performative praise? In this episode of MI for Change, Dr. Monica Gilbert shows how to use Motivational Interviewing (MI) to coach interns and supervisees mor...
Motivational Interviewing in Action: 16 Case Scenarios for ABA & Mental Health
How do you respond when a parent says, “We’ve tried that—it never works”? What about a supervisee who insists, “I already tried it,” or an intern who nods “got it” but never changes? In this MI for Change episode, Dr. Monica Gilbert wa...
MI Mailbag — Reflections, Follow-Through, Burnout & “No Time” Objections
Ever worry your reflections sound “therapist-y”? Struggle when parents say they don’t have time? Wonder how to prevent burnout, improve follow-through, or use MI with supervisees who insist “I tried that—it do...
Collaborating with Teachers Using Motivational Interviewing
Working with schools can be one of the most rewarding — and most challenging — parts of our job. 🍎 In this episode of MI for Change, Dr. Monica Gilbert explores how to use Motivational Interviewing (MI) strategie...
