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Creating Behavioral Change

Alexis May

4.8

Based on 187 ratings

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Alexis May

In this course you will learn about understanding and changing mental and physical health behavior. We will examine both the historical context and the current science. Major topics will include fundamental behavioral principles and basic elements of empirically supported individual treatments (e.g., motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapies). Lectures and examples will illustrate both the theory and the practice of evidence-based approaches to behavior change. You will engage in a course-long behavior change experiment as well as brief quizzes. Please note: this course is designed to introduce you to a range of contemporary approaches to behavioral treatments; however, it will not provide the skills needed to implement psychological interventions with others (this requires years of graduate training) nor is it designed to address or resolve your own psychological problems.

For each module, students will complete 1 assignment related to their personal behavior change project and 1 quiz on the week’s material.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Behaviorism in Historical Context

Motivational Interviewing

What to Change?

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Introduces foundational behavioral principles and crucial aspects of evidence-based behavioral interventions

Involves students in a real-world behavior change experiment

Provides a solid foundation for those interested in pursuing graduate training in psychology and related fields

Offers diverse instructional materials, including lectures, examples, and quizzes

Requires students to actively engage with the course material through assignments and quizzes

Does not provide the skills necessary to implement psychological interventions with others

Is not designed to address or resolve personal psychological problems

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Reviews summary

Practical behavioral change principles

According to students, this course offers a largely positive learning experience, particularly praised for its clear and engaging lectures and the highly effective personal behavior change project. Learners appreciate how the course helps them apply scientific principles to their own lives, making the concepts truly actionable and impactful. While many find it an excellent introduction and a solid foundation for understanding behavior change, some learners with more advanced or clinical backgrounds have found the depth to be somewhat superficial, expecting more direct application for professional interventions. Overall, it's considered very valuable for those seeking to understand and apply evidence-based strategies for personal development.

Ideal for beginners, less for advanced practitioners.

"It's a good starting point for beginners, but not challenging enough for intermediate learners."

"While the theory was fine, I found it lacked actionable advice for real-world scenarios beyond the personal project."

"This course was not what I expected. Very theoretical and not practical enough for my needs as a therapist looking for new tools."

Strong emphasis on scientific principles.

"The emphasis on evidence-based approaches is a big plus."

"I appreciated the balance between theory and practical application, especially the motivational interviewing module."

"The course examines both the historical context and the current science of behavior change, which I found very thorough."

Well-structured with accessible science.

"The instructor's explanations were incredibly clear, and the real-world examples made complex concepts easy to grasp."

"The course material is well-structured, and the lectures are engaging. Dr. Smith makes the science accessible without oversimplifying."

"The content is presented clearly, and the concepts are highly relevant."

Highly effective for practical application.

"The personal behavior change project was the absolute highlight – it helped me apply everything immediately."

"The behavior change experiment was surprisingly effective and deeply personal, making the learning stick."

"The interactive elements, especially the weekly assignments tied to my own goals, made this course exceptionally valuable."

Some modules felt slow, others rushed.

"My only minor critique is that some parts felt a bit rushed towards the end."

"I felt the pacing was a bit slow in the early modules, but it picked up."

"I wished there were more in-depth case studies for professional application, as some parts felt compressed."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Creating Behavioral Change with these activities:

Read Emotional Intelligence by Goleman

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This book will help establish a solid foundation for understanding the principles of emotional intelligence and how it applies to behavior change.

View Emotional Intelligence on Amazon

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Read the book over the course of a month.
Take notes on the key points.
Discuss the book with a friend or colleague.

Read Atomic Habits by Clear

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This book will provide practical strategies for creating and breaking habits, which is essential for behavior change.

View Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build... on Amazon

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Read the book over the course of two weeks.
Identify the key habits you want to change.
Develop a plan for how you will change your habits.
Implement your plan and track your progress.

Behavior Change Experiment

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This project will provide hands-on experience in designing and implementing a behavior change intervention.

Browse courses on Behavior Change

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Choose a behavior you want to change.
Develop a plan for how you will change your behavior.
Implement your plan and track your progress.
Evaluate the results of your experiment.

Three other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all six activities

Motivational Interviewing Role-Play

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This activity will provide you with opportunities to practice the skills of motivational interviewing.

Browse courses on Motivational Interviewing

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Find a partner.
Take turns practicing motivational interviewing with each other.

Behavior Change Blog

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This activity will help you synthesize and share your knowledge of behavior change with others.

Browse courses on Behavior Change

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Choose a topic related to behavior change.
Research your topic.
Write a blog post about your topic.
Publish your blog post.

Volunteer at a Local Health Clinic

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This activity will provide you with real-world experience in applying behavior change principles.

Browse courses on Volunteering

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Find a local health clinic that offers volunteer opportunities.
Sign up for a volunteer shift.
Assist the staff with their duties.

Career center

Learners who complete Creating Behavioral Change will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Health Psychologist

A Health Psychologist studies the psychological factors that influence health and illness. They typically work in hospitals, clinics, or research institutions. This work may include conducting research, providing therapy, and developing health promotion programs. **Creating Behavioral Change** may be useful for a Health Psychologist because it helps build a foundation in understanding human behavior and how to change it. A Health Psychologist needs to have a strong understanding of how to motivate people and help them maintain healthy behaviors over time.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Psychologist

Clinical Psychologist

A Clinical Psychologist helps people with mental health issues. They typically work in private practice, hospitals, or clinics. This work may include providing therapy, conducting assessments, and developing treatment plans. **Creating Behavioral Change** may be useful for a Clinical Psychologist because it helps build a foundation in understanding human behavior and how to change it. A Clinical Psychologist needs to have a strong understanding of how to motivate people and help them maintain healthy behaviors over time.

See salaries and explore the career path for Clinical Psychologist

Behavioral Health Specialist

A Behavioral Health Specialist helps people with mental health and substance abuse issues. They typically work in hospitals, clinics, or community mental health centers. This work may include providing therapy, conducting assessments, and developing treatment plans. **Creating Behavioral Change** may be useful for a Behavioral Health Specialist because it helps build a foundation in understanding human behavior and how to change it. A Behavioral Health Specialist needs to have a strong understanding of how to motivate people and help them maintain healthy behaviors over time.

See salaries and explore the career path for Behavioral Health Specialist

Addiction Counselor

An Addiction Counselor helps people with substance abuse issues. They typically work in hospitals, clinics, or community mental health centers. This work may include providing therapy, conducting assessments, and developing treatment plans. **Creating Behavioral Change** may be useful for an Addiction Counselor because it helps build a foundation in understanding human behavior and how to change it. An Addiction Counselor needs to have a strong understanding of how to motivate people and help them maintain healthy behaviors over time.

See salaries and explore the career path for Addiction Counselor

Public Health Educator

A Public Health Educator develops and implements health education programs for communities. They typically work for government agencies, non-profit organizations, or schools. This work may include teaching classes, developing educational materials, and conducting research. **Creating Behavioral Change** may be useful for a Public Health Educator because it helps build a foundation in understanding human behavior and how to change it. A Public Health Educator needs to have a strong understanding of how to motivate people and help them maintain healthy behaviors over time.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public Health Educator

Mental Health Counselor

A Mental Health Counselor helps people with mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, and addiction. They typically work in private practice, community mental health centers, or hospitals. This work may include providing individual or group therapy, as well as conducting assessments and developing treatment plans. **Creating Behavioral Change** may be useful for a Mental Health Counselor because it helps build a foundation in understanding human behavior and how to change it. A Mental Health Counselor needs to have a strong understanding of how to motivate people and help them maintain healthy behaviors over time.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mental Health Counselor

Health Coach

A Health Coach helps people with health and wellness goals. They typically work in private practice, community centers, or corporate wellness programs. This work may include providing one-on-one coaching, leading group programs, and developing educational materials. **Creating Behavioral Change** may be useful for a Health Coach because it helps build a foundation in understanding human behavior and how to change it. A Health Coach needs to have a strong understanding of how to motivate people and help them maintain healthy behaviors over time.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Coach

Registered Dietitian

A Registered Dietitian helps people with nutrition and weight management. They typically work in hospitals, clinics, or private practice. This work may include providing nutrition counseling, developing meal plans, and teaching cooking classes. **Creating Behavioral Change** may be useful for a Registered Dietitian because it helps build a foundation in understanding human behavior and how to change it. A Registered Dietitian needs to have a strong understanding of how to motivate people and help them maintain healthy behaviors over time.

See salaries and explore the career path for Registered Dietitian

Developmental Psychologist

A Developmental Psychologist studies the psychological development of children and adolescents. They typically work in research institutions, universities, or hospitals. This work may include conducting research, teaching classes, and providing consultation. **Creating Behavioral Change** may be useful for a Developmental Psychologist because it helps build a foundation in understanding human behavior and how to change it. A Developmental Psychologist needs to have a strong understanding of how to motivate people and help them maintain healthy behaviors over time.

See salaries and explore the career path for Developmental Psychologist

Physical Therapist

A Physical Therapist helps people with physical disabilities or injuries to improve their mobility and function. They typically work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, or sports medicine clinics. This work may include teaching patients exercises, providing manual therapy, and developing treatment plans. **Creating Behavioral Change** may be useful for a Physical Therapist because it helps build a foundation in understanding human behavior and how to change it. A Physical Therapist needs to have a strong understanding of how to motivate people and help them maintain healthy behaviors over time.

See salaries and explore the career path for Physical Therapist

School Counselor

A School Counselor helps students with academic, social, and emotional issues. They typically work in elementary, middle, or high schools. This work may include providing counseling, teaching classes, and developing school-wide programs. **Creating Behavioral Change** may be useful for a School Counselor because it helps build a foundation in understanding human behavior and how to change it. A School Counselor needs to have a strong understanding of how to motivate people and help them maintain healthy behaviors over time.

See salaries and explore the career path for School Counselor

Exercise Physiologist

An Exercise Physiologist helps people with physical fitness and exercise. They typically work in fitness centers, gyms, or hospitals. This work may include developing exercise programs, providing fitness assessments, and teaching exercise classes. **Creating Behavioral Change** may be useful for an Exercise Physiologist because it helps build a foundation in understanding human behavior and how to change it. An Exercise Physiologist needs to have a strong understanding of how to motivate people and help them maintain healthy behaviors over time.

See salaries and explore the career path for Exercise Physiologist

Occupational Therapist

An Occupational Therapist helps people with physical, cognitive, or developmental disabilities to improve their ability to perform everyday activities. They typically work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, or schools. This work may include teaching patients how to use adaptive equipment, developing exercise programs, and providing support and counseling. **Creating Behavioral Change** may be useful for an Occupational Therapist because it helps build a foundation in understanding human behavior and how to change it. An Occupational Therapist needs to have a strong understanding of how to motivate people and help them maintain healthy behaviors over time.

See salaries and explore the career path for Occupational Therapist

Speech-Language Pathologist

A Speech-Language Pathologist helps people with speech, language, or hearing disorders to improve their communication skills. They typically work in schools, hospitals, or private practice. This work may include conducting assessments, developing treatment plans, and providing therapy. **Creating Behavioral Change** may be useful for a Speech-Language Pathologist because it helps build a foundation in understanding human behavior and how to change it. A Speech-Language Pathologist needs to have a strong understanding of how to motivate people and help them maintain healthy behaviors over time.

See salaries and explore the career path for Speech-Language Pathologist

Health Educator

A Health Educator teaches people about health and well-being. They typically work in community settings, such as schools, hospitals, or clinics. This work may include teaching individuals or groups about healthy behaviors, such as nutrition, exercise, and smoking cessation. **Creating Behavioral Change** can be useful for a Health Educator because it helps build a foundation in understanding human behavior and how to change it. A Health Educator needs to have a strong understanding of how to motivate people and help them maintain healthy behaviors over time.

See salaries and explore the career path for Health Educator

Reading list

We've selected ten books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Creating Behavioral Change.

Changing for Good

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Provides an overview of the transtheoretical model of behavior change, which widely used framework for understanding and changing health behavior.

Creating Behavioral Change

Here's a deal for you

What's inside

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Save this course

Reviews summary

Practical behavioral change principles

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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