Learn How to Enjoy More Success with Your Virtual or Live Training Programs by Implementing Motivational Interviewing & Commitment Strategies

Behavior change for clients is a game we continue to play without always getting reliable results. How many times do clients drop out of programs, not rebook sessions, or ask to be referred to an alternative trainer?

One of the most stated reasons by professional trainers for a failure to perform successful services in pet training is that the client was not committed, or was noncompliant. Clients, just like all human beings, make choices that do not always align with their goals and may, at times, lack self-control. However, commitment to a training program can be resolved by unmasking and addressing ambivalence. Consequently, compliance can be sought through the implementation of commitment strategies.

As professional trainers, we may feel intense pressure to quickly prove to our clients the efficacy and effectiveness of our approach and methods. As individuals advocating for humane, effective approaches, we strive to stand out amongst the competition. Lacking speedy results, we may fear the abandonment of clients moving towards quick-fix solutions and electronic devices, many of which leave pets in peril.

While professional pet trainers are armed with the relevant academic knowledge and skills needed to train pets, their success as people trainers is predicated on changing their clients’ personal behavior in their interactions with their pets. What the pet trainer needs and what has been provided through their education is not the same. They also need up-to-date, evidence-based and innovative approaches to changing human behavior, not only for their individual case success, but also to promote the humane and ethical side of pet training.

In this short program Niki will introduce the concepts of Motivational Interviewing and Commitment Strategies. Learn how these can be used to harness a client’s ambivalence, and then use this ambivalence to provide motivation for effective behavior change. The session will also discuss various types of commitment strategies that can be used to hold clients accountable for their own words and goals.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the concepts of Motivational Interviewing and Commitment Strategies.
• Learn to be more patient and understanding of the concept of the “Two Selves” and how difficult it is for clients to match behavior with intent.
• Recognize the process of change management and how resistance to change is a biological response.
• Understand the behavior economics of Limited Resources, Fading Benefits and Temptation Options.
• Differentiate between soft and hard commitments and how to incorporate these tools into your behavioral consults.