Show Notes
Episode 83 – MI with couples
Glenn and Sebastian welcomed Tyrel Starks, PhD, onto the podcast to discuss his work on MI with couples. A South Dakota native, Dr. Starks studied two years at Oberlin Conservatory before returning to the University of South Dakota to complete his undergraduate degree in psychology. He earned his PhD in child-clinical psychology from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2009. After a post-doctoral fellowship at Hunter College, he returned to join the faculty of the Psychology Department in 2014 and is now a professor. For more than 15 years, he has studied relationships and health, particularly substance use and HIV-related health in sexual minority men. The development of motivational interviewing with couples has been at the heart of this work. A licensed clinical psychologist and member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers, he is active as a trainer and clinical supervisor.
Episode index:
Motivational Interviewing with couples
Tyrel Starks explores Motivational Interviewing with couples and the distinctive challenges that arise when a practitioner is working with two people in the same conversation. He discusses relationship functioning, finding common ground and balancing the couple’s shared goals with each person’s autonomy.
The conversation considers evoking change talk without forcing consensus, practitioner language and communication within relationships. These themes connect with Partnership, Change Talk and Reflective Listening.
In this episode
0:00 – Opening and episode preview
04:42 – Tyrel’s journey from music to MI
13:15 – Intersection of HIV and substance use
21:25 – Early days of Tyrel’s work with couples
26:50 – MI with couples
31:10 – Relationship functioning before talking about change
38:00 – Balancing seeking consensus with evoking change talk
50:30 – Unique shifts for the practitioner: Introspection and use of language
57:20 – How might communication within the couple change?
1:12:20 – Future directions for MI with couples
1:15:45 – Cultivating common ground from political disagreements
1:21:59 – End of episode
Contact info and related links:
Email: [email protected]
Learn more about Dr. Starks’ research and team: https://www.hunterrhrt.org/
Read Dr. Starks’ blog about LGBTQ+ relationships:https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/queer-relationships-no-straight-lines
Learn more about MI with couples:https://global.oup.com/academic/product/motivational-interviewing-with-couples-9780197549643?cc=us&lang=en&
MI in Groups: https://www.guilford.com/books/Motivational-Interviewing-in-Groups/Wagner-Ingersoll-Contributors/9781462507924
Listen to Episode 83
Contact Talking to Change Podcast: [email protected] Glenn: [email protected] Sebastian: [email protected]
BlueSky:
@talkingtochange.bsky.social
@glennhinds.bsky.social
@sgkfromnc.bsky.social
For all previous episodes CLICK HERE
Support the podcast
GBP
All Episodes
The post Ep 83 – MI with Couples appeared first on Glenn Hinds Motivation & Coaching Consultants.
More from Talking To Change - A Motivational Interviewing Podcast
How can Motivational Interviewing work in a busy community clinic? In this episode of Talking to Change, Dr Takeshi Shimada joins Glenn and Sebastian to explore brief healthcare consultations, the value of slowing down and the influence of Japanese culture on MI practice.
In Episode 97 of Talking to Change: A Motivational Interviewing Podcast, Glenn Hinds and Sebastian Kaplan welcome Douglas C. Smith, Ph.D., LCSW, to discuss Motivational Interviewing with families. The conversation explores what changes when MI moves beyond a single client and a single target behaviour, including working with change talk across family members, balancing autonomy and practitioner direction, and avoiding what Doug describes as the “superfluous engagement trap”.
Talking to Change: MI Practice Companion
Glenn and Sebastian welcomed back Katie Hartlieb, PhD, RDN, to discuss advancing MI practice through coding and coaching. The conversation explores how structured feedback can support deliberate practice in Motivational Interviewing, how MITI and MI fidelity can help practitioners understand their developing skills, and the role of coaching and mentoring in strengthening MI practice over time. Dr. Hartlieb is a professor and program director of the Master of Science in Functional Nutrition at Parker University, in Dallas, Texas, for professionals seeking to create holistic, science-based health partnerships for optimal patient wellness. She has been an active member of MINT for over 15 years and was named a Pediatric Obesity Subject Matter Expert by the Commission on Dietetics Registration. Her research interests include improving health behavior change conversations and family empowerment to achieve healthy lifestyles.
Episode 94 – MI in Leadership and Organizations – Part 2