Stamina Lab Blog
Insights on solution-focused coaching, communication, and the science behind lasting patient and client outcomes.
The 2:1 Rule: Why Your ‘Active Listening’ Might Not Be Reaching the MI Standard
Most practitioners believe they’re doing MI. But the fidelity benchmarks are more demanding than the workshops let on. Here’s why the 2:1 ratio is a heavy lift — and what the Solution-Focused approach offers instead.
Ambivalence or Action? How to Choose Between Solution-Focused and Motivational Interviewing
Most health professionals have been trained in Motivational Interviewing. The key to higher follow-through isn’t just doing more MI — it’s knowing when to shift to a Solution-Focused stance. Here’s the clinical decision framework.
Stop Solving, Start Asking: Why Focusing on Problems Can Stall Patient Progress
When a patient presents a barrier, the instinct is to analyze it. But staying inside the problem story is often what causes the Conversation Gap. Here’s why focusing on exceptions — not obstacles — is the evidence-based path to follow-through.
How to Handle Problem Narratives
When a client is stuck in a problem narrative, the trained instinct is to fix it. Dr. Deborah Teplow on the three small moves that work instead: acknowledge, ask coping questions, and look forward.
The 24-Hour Win: Why Your Sessions Should End with Visibility, Not Just Commitment
Close the “follow-through gap” in health coaching by learning how to anchor every session to a visible sign of progress and an immediate next step.
When Strategy Becomes the Destination
When a client names a strategy, that is not the destination. It is the door. Here is how the Solution-Focused approach uses strategy talk as a starting point for building a real preferred future.