Evoking Skills
This type of question draws out the client’s own reasons, desire, or hopes for change.
What is an evocative question?
This acronym helps us remember the main types of change talk.
What is DARN-CATS?
MI Spirit includes Partnership, Acceptance, Compassion, and this final element.
What is Empowerment?
When you hear sustain talk, the best response is to ignore it.
What is false?
In MI, planning should stay this, not directive.
What is directional?
This MI strategy uses a 1 to 10 scale to explore importance or confidence and then follows with “Why not one number lower?”
What are scaling questions?
“I want to fix the damage my drinking has done to my relationship.”
What is Desire?
The MI Spirit can be demonstrated by what we say and do. True or false?
What is true?
This type of reflection turns up the intensity slightly to help the client hear their own sustain talk differently.
What is an amplified reflection?
Planning too early can lead to this.
What is discord?
In MI, these three communication tools can all be used to evoke change talk.
What are open questions, affirmations, and reflections?
“I got rid of all the liquor in my apartment.” Is an example of which form of change talk?
What is Taking Steps?
This element of MI Spirit is reflected when we avoid judgment and respect where the client is right now.
What is Acceptance?
This reflection acknowledges both sides of ambivalence in a single response.
What is a double-sided reflection?
What are 3 signs that a client may be ready to move from evoking into planning
Increased CT, Diminished ST, Taking Steps, Resolve, Envisioning, Questions about Change
A client says, “I want to feel like I used to before I started drinking all the time.” A response like “Tell me more about how you felt before you started drinking” is an example of an evocative question.
What is an evocative question?
“I’m ready to look into inpatient programs.” Is an example of which form of change talk?
What is Activation?
A client says, “I don’t want to be here.” Respond in a way that demonstrates Partnership or Compassion.
Example: “How could we make this time useful for you?” or “It feels frustrating to be pushed into this.”
A client says, “Coke helps me get through work and it’s fun with friends.” Give one MI-consistent response that softens sustain talk.
Example: “You don’t want to lose what it does for you, and part of you is noticing the cost.”
What MI strategy is used to preserve collaboration when sharing suggestions/information?
What is Ask-Offer-Ask?
A client says, “I used to run every morning, but these hangovers made that impossible.” Give one MI-consistent response that evokes change talk.
“What did you like about those morning runs?” or “You miss feeling active and healthy.”
This category of change talk is especially important because it often suggests readiness to move toward planning.
What is mobilizing change talk?
A client says, “I’m only here because my parole officer told me I had no choice.” A response like “You’re not thrilled to be here right now” demonstrates this spirit element.
What is Acceptance?
A client says, “Using coke is harmless for me. I only do it when work gets busy.” A response like “You don’t think your use is a problem, and getting caught hasn’t been a great experience” is this kind of reflection.
What is a double-sided reflection?
You begin planning with a client, but they respond:
“I don’t know… this is starting to feel like too much.” Which Task(s) should we return to?
What is returning to Evoking (or even Engaging)?