What method is primarily used to elicit a client's motivations to change during a coaching session?

The method primarily used to elicit a client's motivations to change during a coaching session is motivational interviewing. This technique is a client-centered, directive method that focuses on enhancing an individual's intrinsic motivation to change by exploring and resolving ambivalence. It emphasizes empathy, active listening, and the importance of the client's perspective, which allows the coach to facilitate a deeper exploration of the client's desires, reasons, and readiness for change.

Motivational interviewing is particularly effective because it encourages clients to articulate their personal motivations and goals. This process helps to build the client's confidence and commitment to making changes, thereby fostering a greater sense of agency in their journey towards health and wellness.

While change talk is an important component of motivational interviewing, as it refers specifically to the client's verbal expressions that reflect a desire or intention to change, the overarching framework within which change talk is elicited is motivational interviewing itself. Direct instruction may not provide the same level of engagement or exploration needed for motivation, and behavioral analysis focuses more on understanding specific behaviors rather than encouraging motivation for change.