Overall Feedback
Kai felt open to hearing what his options are.
The provider focused on his safety and function, and avoided creating additional conflict. Kai felt like she was listening and on his side, which left him feeling calm and willing to consider what she was saying. He is ready to move onto the Facilitate step.
Let’s take a closer look at how the provider used MI techniques in partnership with the CAF steps.
Techniques Feedback
Empathy: Andrea affirmed, validated, and normalized Kai’s feelings to show understanding.
She said, “I want to understand more about those bad days you mentioned. I’m here to listen and help, not to judge,” which showed Kai she was there to help him solve problems, not add to them.
This was part of the Calm step and helped the provider decrease the emotional intensity of the situation.
Open-Ended Questions
The provider asked questions that helped Kai share more about his experiences which helped her understand where he’s coming from.
She said, “I know this system isn’t ideal, but can you tell me more about your concerns with working?” which was an open-ended question that helped Kai open up and focused the discussion on problem solving.
This was part of the Assess step. This clear language helped the provider get at the root cause of Kai’s problems
Recommendations
In future conversations with clients, remember you can use both the CAF (Calm, Assess, Facilitate) model and MI (Motivational Interviewing) to discuss sensitive topics and address emotions in a way that helps de-escalate the situation.
CAF Model:
Calm: Decrease the emotional, behavioral, and mental intensity of the situation.
Assess: Determine an appropriate response based on the facts and on the individual’s willingness to discuss.
Facilitate: Promote the most appropriate resolution based on information gathered by discussing next steps.
MI:
Express Empathy: Affirm, validate, or normalize the individual’s feelings and show them you understand.
Open-Ended Questions: Help the individual share more about their experiences and help you better understand where they’re coming from.