Motivational Interviewing

People often get stuck when they are ambivalent. They think of a reason to change, then a reason not to, then stop thinking about it. Within a supportive and empathic style, MI helps people keep on considering their own motivations for change, build self-confidence, discover the importance of their choices and feel the desire for a brighter future.

Like the person-centered method of Carl Rogers from which it emerged, MI has always been subjected to scientific verification. Statements about how and why it works are tested and replicable. There are now more than 2,000 controlled trials in the research literature from a wide range of nations and clinical concerns.   

A large research base shows that providers can develop skillfulness in MI with training and that these skills are directly related to client outcomes. MI involves four main processes, including engaging, focusing, evoking and planning, that are achieved through skills known as OARS. Beyond initial training, you can continue learning from your clients by attending to specific cues that tell you whether you’re on the right track.

Enjoying relationship with clients is why many people go into helping professions in the first place. MI is a collaborative method to build a working alliance with clients, with clear evidence-based guidelines for what to do and why. Providers tell us that it lifts the burden of trying to persuade people to change.