A mother brings her 4-year-old son to the PMHNP with concerns about oppositional behavior, frequent tantrums, and aggressive hitting. The child meets criteria for oppositional defiant disorder. The PMHNP refers the family for parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT). During the first phase of treatment, the therapist coaches the mother from behind a one-way mirror using a bug-in-the-ear device while the mother plays with her child. The therapist instructs the mother to follow the child's lead in play and coaches her to use specific verbal skills. The mother is told to avoid asking questions, giving commands, or criticizing during this phase. Which of the following best describes what the therapist is coaching the mother to do during this phase?