Start Where the Client Is: Assessment to Support Behavior Change

Abstract

do I start? ” This might be a common question you ask yourself when a client ac-knowledges trouble beginning and sticking with healthy behavior change. Although health coaches are not like mechanics who look at a sluggish engine and know which tools they ’ ll need, there are specific skills that can be used to help clients make sustainable lifestyle changes. The purpose of this article is to help you fill your toolbox with practical behavior change strategies. To continue with the theme of beginning, this inaugural article will cover assessment tools from a behavioral perspective. My early training as a clinical social worker provided simple wisdom for helping foster change, that is, to start where the client is. We can discover this starting point through conducting a comprehensive assessment. Client assessments help identify the scope of the problem, potential barriers, and motivation for change. The information gained directs us to the most appropriate intervention setting and strategies, measurable anchors for goals, and methods to monitor accomplishments and evaluate effectiveness.