Primary care follow-up
Practice talking to a patient who stopped their blood pressure medication
A free motivational interviewing role-play. You talk with Len Kessler, played by an AI that stays in character, then get feedback on the moves you made.
Free for learners · Runs in your browser
How Len opens
“Before you start, I know what the machine said. I feel fine. Honestly, I feel better than I did on that pill.”
Your brief
Len, 61, is here for a follow-up. Six months ago he started a blood pressure medication. Today his reading is 158/96, and he told the medical assistant he stopped the pill "a while back." You have about 15 minutes.
Your goalUnderstand why Len stopped, and draw out his own reasons to care about his blood pressure, without arguing for the medication.
What tends to shut them down
Explaining that high blood pressure has no symptoms before he's been heard
Stroke statistics or scare tactics ("the silent killer")
Telling him to restart the medication
Laughing off the beet juice or the cough
"I understand, but..." or any reflection followed by a counterpoint
Repeating the number or the risks more than once
Calling him noncompliant or implying he's been irresponsible
What tends to open them up
Reflecting that he feels fine and that feeling fine matters to him
Curious, open questions about what led him to stop
Taking the cough seriously as a real reason
Affirming that he pays attention to his body and looks after his store and family
Open questions about what he wants for the years ahead
Asking permission before sharing anything about blood pressure
Saying plainly that the decision is his
Double-sided reflections that end on his reasons to change
Len also has a backstory you won't see here. In the role-play, you draw it out.
Read first
Guides on the skills this role-play asks for.
- MI guide · 6 minHow to respond to sustain talk and resistance in MIHow to respond to sustain talk and discord in motivational interviewing: spot the righting reflex, then reflect, support autonomy and reframe rather than argue.
- MI guide · 6 minChange talk vs sustain talk: examples and DARN-CATLearn to hear change talk and sustain talk in MI, with DARN-CAT examples from clinics and workplaces, and how to respond to change talk using EARS.
- MI guide · 6 minOpen-ended questions in MI: closed-to-open rewritesHow to ask open-ended questions in motivational interviewing, with closed-to-open rewrites for patient visits and one-on-ones, plus the traps that undo them.
Talk with Len yourself
The role-play opens in your browser. Type your replies or say them out loud, and finish with feedback on the moves you made.
Free for learners · Runs in your browser
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