MI for Change: Motivational Interviewing in ABA & Mental Health

Monica Gilbert
  • 5.0 (4)
  • 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.

  1. Why Parent Sessions Feel Awkward . How a Framework Changes Everything

    6d ago

    Why Parent Sessions Feel Awkward . How a Framework Changes Everything

    Here's something almost nobody in this field says out loud. Parent sessions feel awkward. Not always. Not with every family. But often enough that you've probably rehearsed what you were going to say in the car on the way there. Often enough that you've sat across from a parent thinking what do I do if they start crying? What do I say if they push back? Do I have enough to fill this hour? Often enough that you've left those sessions feeling drained, incompetent, or convinced you said everything wrong — while assuming everyone else is walking out of their parent sessions just fine. They're not. They're coping with the same discomfort in different ways. They're just not talking about it either. In this episode, Dr. Monica Gilbert says it out loud — and then explains exactly where that feeling comes from and what to do about it. What you'll hear in this episode: Why parent sessions feel awkward — and why it's not a personality problemThe two traps therapists fall into: too rigid or too friendly — and why both come from the same root causeWhat confidence in parent sessions actually looks like (it's not charisma, extroversion, or "fake it till you make it")The Transtheoretical Model of Change: a stage-based framework that tells you exactly where a parent is and what to do about itWhy pushback from a parent is information, not failureHow to guide instead of convince — and why that distinction changes everything about how sessions feelThe questions that open ambivalence instead of shutting it downFree Live Webinar — Coming Up Monica is hosting a free live webinar where she'll model real parent sessions, show you how to evoke change talk and reduce defensiveness, and walk through the emotional accountability piece that most parent training sessions miss entirely. If this episode resonated, the webinar is the next step. If this resonated: This is episode 4 of a 6-part series. Next week Monica shares the session that changed everything — the one where she said almost nothing, asked two questions, and watched two parents build their own plan from scratch. Subscribe so you don't miss it. 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

    20 min
  2. Why BCBA Programs Never Taught You How to Work With Adults — And What to Do About It

    Jun 2

    Why BCBA Programs Never Taught You How to Work With Adults — And What to Do About It

    Go back to your BCBA coursework for a second. Data collection. Behavior analysis. Program design. Ethics. Verbal behavior. The hours were real. The training was rigorous. And it prepared you to be an exceptional clinician for the children you work with. Now answer this honestly: how many of those hours were dedicated to sitting across from a parent who's heard your advice a hundred times — who is ambivalent, resistant, overwhelmed, and has fears that have nothing to do with your program — and actually knowing what to do? For most BCBAs, the answer is zero. And yet that conversation is the hardest part of the job. It's the part that drives burnout. It's the part that determines whether the work you're doing in session ever generalizes. And nobody taught it. What you'll hear in this episode: Why the BCBA curriculum was built entirely around child behavior — and what got left outThe Toys R Us story: a real session, a real mom, ambivalence playing out in real time in the middle of a toy aisle — and what it revealed about everything we weren't taughtWhat ambivalence actually is, why it's normal, and why pushing harder against it always makes it worseThe difference between a non-compliant parent and an ambivalent one — and why that distinction changes everything about how you show up in sessionsThe first introduction to Motivational Interviewing: what it is, where it came from, and why it maps so cleanly onto the exact problems BCBAs face with parentsWhy MI isn't soft skills or intuition — it's an evidence-based method built specifically for working with ambivalent humansA direct message to every BCBA who has ever left a parent session feeling like they failed🔗 Free Resource: The AOA Approach — One-Page Guide The AOA approach is one of the most praised techniques from Monica's MI Bootcamp. It stands for: Ask what they already knowOffer information with permissionAsk what they understoodIt's a structured way to give feedback and recommendations that protects your relationship with the parent, respects their autonomy, and actually lands. Download the free one-pager in the link below. You can use it in your next parent session. 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

    14 min
  3. The Parent Is Your Real Intervention — Why Everything Else Is Secondary

    May 26

    The Parent Is Your Real Intervention — Why Everything Else Is Secondary

    Quick question: who is your client? If you said the child — you're right. And you're missing half the picture. Here's the math nobody talks about in BCBA programs: your child client spends maybe 10 to 20 hours a week in therapy. They spend 100 or more hours a week with their family. If the parent isn't carrying what you're building in session, you are fighting against 100 hours of counter-programming with 10 hours of intervention. That math doesn't work. It was never going to work. In this episode, Dr. Monica Gilbert shares two real families — one that stopped services because the behavior never generalized outside of sessions, and one that came from Ecuador with a nearly identical child profile and saw a complete turnaround in six weeks. Same diagnosis. Same presentation. Completely different outcome. The only variable that changed was the parent. Monica also names an uncomfortable truth that most people in this field already sense but nobody says out loud: most parent training sessions in ABA aren't actually parent training sessions. They're check-ins. And the difference between those two things is where child outcomes are actually determined. No frameworks yet. Just the truth about who your real intervention is — and why that realization changes everything. 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

    9 min
  4. BCBA Burnout: Why the Parent Piece Is Draining You (And What to Do About It)

    May 19

    BCBA Burnout: Why the Parent Piece Is Draining You (And What to Do About It)

    You went into this field because of the kids. The sessions with them — even the hard ones — leave you feeling something. Fulfilled. Purposeful. Like you're doing exactly what you were trained to do. But the parent sessions? That's a different story. If you've ever sat across from a parent — in person or on Zoom — and felt that slow crawl of frustration, that quiet defeat, that voice in your head saying why am I doing all of this if nothing is going to change — this episode is for you. In this episode of MI For Change, Dr. Monica Gilbert gets honest about where BCBA burnout is actually coming from. And it's not the kids. It's not the caseload. It's not even the documentation. It's the weight of carrying the entire parent piece on your back — the responsibility, the solutions, the follow-through — all of it. And nobody in your BCBA program ever told you that was happening. Monica shares a real Zoom session she sat in on with a fellow BCBA — what she watched unfold, what she was texting behind the scenes, and the moment she realized: you don't have to work this hard. 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

    15 min
  5. How to Stop Shrinking in Conversations | Build Confidence with Motivational Interviewing

    May 12

    How to Stop Shrinking in Conversations | Build Confidence with Motivational Interviewing

    Most people think confidence is something you’re born with. It’s not. In this episode of MI For Change, Dr. Monica Gilbert breaks down the real reason you feel yourself shrinking in difficult conversations—and how to finally show up with confidence, clarity, and presence. Whether you're speaking to a client, parent, boss, or team member… that moment of overthinking, second-guessing, and wanting to “get it right” can take over fast. But here’s the shift: Confidence doesn’t come from controlling the conversation. It comes from knowing how to navigate it. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why anxiety shows up in high-stakes conversationsHow the “fixing reflex” actually makes you feel less confidentThe mindset shift from control → curiosityHow to read the room using your “conversation thermometer”What to say instead of correcting, confronting, or over-explainingHow to use simple MI tools like reflections and open-ended questions naturallyYou’ll also hear a real consultation example where a clinician struggled to “confront” a client—and how reframing the approach completely changed the conversation. This episode is for therapists, BCBAs, leaders, and professionals who want to: ✔ Speak with more confidence ✔ Reduce anxiety in conversations ✔ Build stronger relationships ✔ Stop overthinking what to say Because the goal isn’t to sound perfect… It’s to connect. 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

    14 min
  6. Stop Fighting Resistance: The Real Reason Clients Push Back (Motivational Interviewing)

    May 5

    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 do parents, clients, and even supervisees push back—even when they know the intervention works? It’s not defiance. It’s not lack of motivation. And it’s not something you need to “win.” In this episode, you’ll learn: Why resistance is actually valuable informationHow ambivalence (not defiance) drives client behaviorWhy giving more advice often makes things worseHow to shift from fixing → evokingThe exact questions that help clients find their own solutionsHow to reduce burnout by working smarter, not harderYou’ll also hear a powerful strategy using future-based questions (the “miracle question”) to help parents connect present behavior to long-term goals—without confrontation. This episode is essential for therapists, BCBAs, psychologists, coaches, and leaders who want to: ✔ Improve client engagement ✔ Increase buy-in ✔ Reduce resistance ✔ Feel less frustrated in sessions Because the goal isn’t to convince people to change… It’s to help them want to change. 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

    13 min
  7. Motivational Interviewing Role Play: What It Actually Sounds Like in Real Sessions

    Apr 28

    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—followed by a step-by-step breakdown of exactly what was done and why it works. This is where theory meets practice. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to create psychological safety at the start of a conversationThe power of open-ended questions to reduce defensivenessHow to use simple, complex, and double-sided reflections effectivelyHow to navigate resistance without confrontationWhat change talk actually sounds like in real timeHow to shift from defensiveness → collaboration → opennessYou’ll hear how a resistant therapist moves from: “I don’t need to be here…” ➡️ to “Maybe this is something I could look at.” This episode is a must-listen for therapists, BCBAs, psychologists, leaders, and anyone who wants to improve real-life conversations—not just understand theory. Because knowing MI is one thing… But hearing it in action changes everything. 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

    13 min
  8. Motivational Interviewing Explained: The 3 Core Foundations Every Therapist Must Know

    Apr 21

    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 essential pillars of Motivational Interviewing in a way that is practical, clear, and immediately applicable. Whether you’re a therapist, BCBA, psychologist, coach, educator, or leader, this episode will give you the tools to transform your conversations and create meaningful change. You’ll learn:  The Spirit of Motivational Interviewing (PACE) and why it matters more than techniques  How to use OARS communication skills (Open-ended questions, Affirmations, Reflections, Summaries) effectively  The 4 Processes of MI: Engaging, Focusing, Evoking, and Planning  Why many clinicians unintentionally create resistance—and how to avoid it  How to shift from expert-driven conversations → to collaborative change Real examples you can apply immediately in therapy, leadership, and coaching Motivational Interviewing is not just a technique—it’s a way of being with people. And when done correctly, it helps clients find their own motivation… instead of relying on yours. 🎯 If you're new to MI, start here.  🎯 If you're experienced, this is your reset. 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

    20 min
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5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

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.

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