Coaching Athletes to Be Their Best Motivational Interviewing in Sports

The measure of a great coach is bringing the best out of athletes. This is the first guide to motivational interviewing (MI)--the proven approach to harnessing the power of conversations to build relationships and trust--for coaches, sport psychologists, training and rehabilitation specialists, and other affiliated staff. Revealing why conventional ways of giving feedback and addressing conflict are often counterproductive, the book presents tried-and-tested methods for getting through to athletes and helping them to thrive. Leading sport psychologists and MI experts--including MI cofounder Stephen Rollnick--provide effective strategies to fire up motivation, promote ownership of personal goals, address problem behavior on and off the field, enhance performance, and improve teamwork. Included are step-by-step examples and inspiring stories from coaches at all levels. Purchasers get access to a Web page where they can download and print the book's reproducible quick-reference sheets on key MI skills.
 
This book is in the Applications of Motivational Interviewing series, edited by Stephen Rollnick, William R. Miller, and Theresa B. Moyers.

Stephen Rollnick, PhD, is Honorary Distinguished Professor at the Cochrane Institute of Primary Care and Public Health at Cardiff University, United Kingdom. He is a codeveloper of motivational interviewing (MI) and a cofounder of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. Dr. Rollnick practiced as a clinical psychologist in primary care and mental health settings for more than 30 years, with special interests in addiction, anxiety problems, long-term medical conditions, and HIV/AIDS. He currently provides consultation and training in the areas of motivation, change, teamwork, and MI. He is coauthor (with William R. Miller) of the classic work Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change, now in its third edition.
 
Jonathan Fader, PhD, a clinical and performance psychologist, is cofounder of Union Square Practice, a mental health center, and SportStrata, a performance coaching group, both in New York City. He regularly works with professional athletes in Major League Baseball and the National Football League, and spent 11 combined years with the New York Mets and the New York Giants. Dr. Fader also works with performing artists,entrepreneurs, businesses, schools, health care professionals, and first responders, and speaks to groups on the topics of motivation, improving performance, stress reduction, improved communication, and team building. He is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers.
 
Jeff Breckon, PhD, is a Chartered Sport and Exercise Psychologist and member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. Based in Sheffield, United Kingdom, he provides MI training to organizations across the United Kingdom, Europe, and North America; has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles; and presents internationally on the role of MI in sport, exercise, and health contexts. Dr Breckon has worked clinically in sport and health contexts since 1992. His main area of interest is the role of MI in building a therapeutic alliance between practitioners and clients. He has played cricket in India and South Africa and played and coached volleyball and soccer in the United Kingdom and United States.
 
Theresa B. Moyers, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of New Mexico, where she conducts research on treatments for addictive behaviors, with a focus on motivational interviewing (MI). Her primary interests are identifying the active ingredients of MI as well optimal methods for disseminating it in addictions settings. Dr. Moyers has published more than 35 peer-reviewed articles and has presented on MI and addictions treatment in 16 countries. She is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. In addition to her academic pursuits, she trains and competes with her border collie in the sport of dog agility.
 

I. Motivational Interviewing
1. A Different Approach
2. Mindset
3. Method
4. Skills
5. Affirming
6. Rolling with Athlete Resistance to Change
II. Toolbox
7. Connecting Rapidly
8. Lifting Motivation: Three Strategies
9. Setting Goals and Making Plans
10. Giving Advice and Feedback
III. Around the Field
11. Teamwork 1: Developing Social Skills
12. Teamwork 2: Making Decisions as a Unit
13. Changing Behavior and Lifestyle
14. Coaching in Poor Communities, with Rob Maitra
15. Connecting and Culture Change
IV. MI Playbook
1. Coaching Mastery. A Guide for Parents, Fellow Coaches, and Support Staff
2. Relationships: The Foundation of Masterful Coaching
3. Empathy: Becoming a Better Coach
4. Overview of Motivational Interviewing
5. MI Mindset
6. Learning MI
7. Useful Questions
8. Listening: Getting the Basics Right
9. Summaries
10. Teamwork 1: Improving Social Skills
11. Teamwork 2: Making Decisions as a Unit
Appendix: Resources
References