Review of Lifestyle Change

Frustrated with patients who persist in unhealthy lifestyle behavior? This pocket guide to behavior change counseling can help. Geared toward busy health care professionals, this slim volume spends just a few pages on rationale and underlying concepts before getting down to the business of skillful behavior change consultation. The authors present a model that includes 3 steps: raising the subject and getting going, exploring importance and raising confidence for change, and discussing action options and closing. Most of the book is devoted to general strategies and simple, structured techniques to engage patients in a brief yet constructive conversation about change. Additional chapters highlight areas of specific interest including medication adherence. Finally, there are a few pages on theory and empirical evidence supporting the approach.

Deborah H. A. Van Horn, Ph. D. - July 23, 2004