Health Coaching Techniques & Communication Skills Flashcards
7 cards from real CCP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Health Coaching Techniques & Communication Skills flashcards as text
A health coach who consistently avoids giving direct advice and instead helps patients generate their own solutions is practicing which core coaching principle?
Answer: Autonomy support
Autonomy support respects the patient's right to self-determination and increases intrinsic motivation for lasting behavior change.
When a patient with obesity expresses shame about their weight, which response BEST demonstrates empathic communication?
Answer: It sounds like carrying this has been really painful for you — thank you for sharing that.
An empathic response acknowledges the patient's emotional experience without minimizing it or immediately redirecting to solutions.
Which of the following is an example of an 'affirmation' as used in motivational interviewing?
Answer: 'Despite everything, you've kept your appointments — that shows real commitment.'
Affirmations highlight patient strengths and efforts, reinforcing positive identity and building self-efficacy.
A health coach working with a patient in the Contemplation stage should PRIMARILY focus on:
Answer: Exploring the patient's ambivalence about changing
In Contemplation, the patient is weighing pros and cons of change, so the coach's role is to explore ambivalence and tip the decisional balance toward change.
Active listening in health coaching is BEST demonstrated by:
Answer: Nodding, paraphrasing, and asking clarifying questions throughout the conversation
Active listening combines nonverbal acknowledgment with verbal paraphrasing and clarifying questions to demonstrate full engagement.
A patient with chronic back pain says, 'I know I should stretch, but it's just too painful to start.' Which technique helps this patient overcome the 'intention-action gap'?
Answer: Help the patient create an implementation intention specifying when, where, and how they will stretch
Implementation intentions (if-then planning) bridge the gap between good intentions and actual behavior by specifying concrete situational triggers.
During a telephonic coaching session with a patient who has congestive heart failure, the coach detects significant distress in the patient's voice. The MOST appropriate next step is to:
Answer: Acknowledge the distress, assess safety, and adjust the session as needed
Acknowledging distress and conducting a safety assessment reflects trauma-informed, patient-centered care and may require escalation to clinical staff.