Coaching Athletes to Be Their Best

Stephen Rollnick, PhD, is Honorary Distinguished Professor in the School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Wales, United Kingdom. He is cofounder of motivational interviewing, with a career in clinical psychology and academia that focused on how to improve conversations about change, and helped to create the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (https://motivationalinterviewing.org). He has worked in diverse fields, with special interests in mental health and long-term health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS. Dr. Rollnick has published widely in scientific journals and has written many books on helping people to change behavior. He is coauthor (with William R. Miller) of the classic work Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change, now in its third edition. He has traveled worldwide to train practitioners in many settings and cultures, and now works as a trainer and consultant in healthcare and sports. His website is www.stephenrollnick.com. 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. His website is www.jonathanfader.com. 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