Why Parent Sessions Feel Awkward . How a Framework Changes Everything
Show notes
Here's something almost nobody in this field says out loud.
Parent sessions feel awkward.
Not always. Not with every family. But often enough that you've probably rehearsed what you were going to say in the car on the way there. Often enough that you've sat across from a parent thinking what do I do if they start crying? What do I say if they push back? Do I have enough to fill this hour? Often enough that you've left those sessions feeling drained, incompetent, or convinced you said everything wrong — while assuming everyone else is walking out of their parent sessions just fine.
They're not. They're coping with the same discomfort in different ways. They're just not talking about it either.
In this episode, Dr. Monica Gilbert says it out loud — and then explains exactly where that feeling comes from and what to do about it.
What you'll hear in this episode:
- Why parent sessions feel awkward — and why it's not a personality problem
- The two traps therapists fall into: too rigid or too friendly — and why both come from the same root cause
- What confidence in parent sessions actually looks like (it's not charisma, extroversion, or "fake it till you make it")
- The Transtheoretical Model of Change: a stage-based framework that tells you exactly where a parent is and what to do about it
- Why pushback from a parent is information, not failure
- How to guide instead of convince — and why that distinction changes everything about how sessions feel
- The questions that open ambivalence instead of shutting it down
Monica is hosting a free live webinar where she'll model real parent sessions, show you how to evoke change talk and reduce defensiveness, and walk through the emotional accountability piece that most parent training sessions miss entirely.
If this episode resonated, the webinar is the next step.
If this resonated: This is episode 4 of a 6-part series. Next week Monica shares the session that changed everything — the one where she said almost nothing, asked two questions, and watched two parents build their own plan from scratch. Subscribe so you don't miss it.
Learn more about Motivational Interviewing and explore on-demand courses at www.drmonicagilbert.com
Join the MI Academy for practical training and resources — and enjoy an exclusive 15% off with code MIFORCHANGE at checkout.
📲 Connect with me on Instagram: @drmonicagilbert
All episodes of MI for Change: Motivational Interviewing in ABA & Mental Health