Highlighting Change and Sustain Talk

Under each statement, identify whether Bob is using change talk, sustain talk, both change talk and sustain talk or neutral speech.

Red Text = Sustain Talk
Green Text = Change Talk
Black = Neutral Speech

Bob: I’m still not leaving the apartment except when I have to attend an appointment. Though I’m actually glad to be here today. Just to get away from my wife for a little while. She has been on my case all week, nagging me about my health, and complaining about every little thing. I told her not to even bother coming with me today because I need a break from her so called “support”.








 

Bob: Well, I have been taking all my medication like I’m supposed to, I started exercising at home and I’ve been walking around my apartment building every day since we last met. Except for today and I still feel pretty lousy. Nothing I do seems to make any difference.
 








 

Bob: Maybe lousy is too strong a term, I don’t know anymore. I mean I do feel better when I get out of my apartment these days, even though it’s usually just to go for my daily walk around the building or to a doctor’s appointment but this doesn’t last forever, sometimes only for an hour – it partly depends upon how long it takes before my wife starts nagging me again about my health and all the things I should do, must do, but don’t do. Still, even when she isn’t bothering me, I can’t even seem to concentrate on my favourite TV shows anymore. I seem to have the attention span of a flea. I try to make myself a snack but that usually doesn’t do much because I’m not very hungry these days, really I could care less about food. Maybe it’s the meds? And my sleep is also getting screwed up. Sometimes I have trouble falling asleep, and I can’t stay asleep very long on other nights. So much for getting better.








 

Bob: Wow, I wish my wife was hear now to hear you tell me that I am not a failure, that my daily walks are a good thing and that even if I did decide to ask for some more info about going to Pulmonary Rehab – and what exactly would I be getting myself into. It’s only because I’m starting to see it as a way to get a break from her and build more peace and quiet into my day.