Decisional Balance

Question 1

Describe Decisional Balance?

Answer 1

To help individuals better understand their motivation behind continuing or discontinuing a particular behaviour

Question 2

What are the four basic principles of Decisional Balance?

Answer 2

1: Empathy
2: developing discrepancy
3: acceptance or “rolling with resistance “
4: Client autonomy

Question 3

Explain “Empathy”

Answer 3

The counsellor seeks to view the issue from the frame of reference (or point of view) of the client.

Question 4

Explain “developing discrepancy “

Answer 4

The counsellor helps clients explore the gap between how they would like their life to be (the ideal) and their current behaviour (the actual)

Question 5

Explain “acceptance or “rolling with resistance”

Answer 5

The counsellor does not try to pressure the client to make a decision, but instead accepts that a reluctance to change is natural and invites exploration of the resistance.

Question 6

Explain “client autonomy”

Answer 6

The counsellor respects the client as someone who has the capacity to arrive at the right decision for him or her in the present circumstances.

Question 7

What are the two aims of Decisional Balance?

Answer 7

1: for the client to see that they get some benefits from their risky behaviour / problem
2: that there will be some costs if they decide to change their behaviour.

Question 8

What is the purpose of questions in the Decisional Balance tool

Answer 8

The counsellor can do a Decisional balance exercise with clients simply by asking them open questions related to costs and benefits if their risky / problem behaviour and what it would take to change their behaviour.
“What are some of the good things about ……. ?”
“Ok, on the flip side, what are some of the things you don’t like about …….. ?”