Table 3.

Four-step patient empowerment counseling model^∗

Step	Question to ask patient
1. Help patient identify diabetes-related problems and issues on which they want to work.	What problem are you having with diabetes that you want to work on?
2. Help patient identify thoughts and feelings associated with an issue.	What are you thinking and feeling when you are struggling with the problem?
3. Help patient identify health-related attitudes and beliefs underlying the problem and establish diabetes self-care goals.	What deeper attitudes and beliefs lead you to think and feel as you do when you are struggling with a problem?
	What is your ultimate goal for dealing with the problem?
4. Help patient develop and commit to a plan for achieving their goal.	What would be the steps, one by one, that would lead to you reaching your goal?

∗Reprinted with permission from the American Association of Diabetes Educators (5).