Highlighting Change and Sustain Talk

Bob's Third Visit

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.