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Fast Talk

353: The Power of Motivational Interviewing, with Dr. Jeff Breckon

Jan 9, 2025
Dr. Jeff Breckon, an expert in motivational interviewing and Associate Dean at Teesside University, shares insights on empowering athletes through effective communication. He highlights the importance of athlete-driven motivation and a collaborative coach-athlete relationship. Breckon discusses techniques like open-ended questions and positive affirmations to encourage self-discovery and personal growth. The conversation also addresses common communication traps in coaching, emphasizing empathy and reflective practices to foster a supportive environment for athletic development.
01:00:11

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Quick takeaways

  • Motivational interviewing empowers coaches to facilitate self-driven change in athletes by emphasizing internal motivation over external directives.
  • The five principles of motivational interviewing—engaging, focusing, evoking, planning, and maintenance—are essential for fostering athlete development and effective communication.

Deep dives

The Essence of Motivational Interviewing

Motivational interviewing is a counseling technique that focuses on helping individuals find their internal motivation to make changes in their lives, particularly in training and performance. This approach is crucial because effective change is often a self-driven process, rather than one imposed by external forces. Motivational interviewing emerged from therapeutic counseling techniques and has gained traction in the sports domain, where coaches utilize it to inspire athletes to reach their full potential. Ultimately, this method encourages athletes to uncover their motivations instead of relying solely on directives from coaches.

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