3 Motivational Interviewing Techniques

Motivational interviewing (MI) is a therapeutic counseling approach in which a clinician acts as an interviewer to help clients change their behavior patterns. This effective technique is often used in a women’s motivational interviewing program and is accomplished primarily by the therapist expressing their acceptance of the interviewee without judgment.

Contact us online or call 877.920.6583 today to learn more about motivational interviewing at Greater Boston Addiction Centers. Our addiction counseling near Boston, MA may be able to help you.

What Is Motivational Interviewing?

When you speak to someone who gives you their undivided attention, obviously cares about you, truly listens, and is not judgmental, it’s more likely that you realize what you must do. You begin to understand your obstacles and see a clearer path forward. These honest and vulnerable conversations are what being in a women’s motivational interviewing program is like.

Motivational interviewing is an approach to counseling developed by clinical psychologists as a client-centered style of therapy meant to bring about a positive change in a person’s behavior. In a women’s motivational interviewing program, a therapist will attempt to achieve this by helping clients explore their ambivalence and put in the work to resolve it.

In comparison to a non-directive approach to counseling, motivational interviewing is more focused and goal-oriented. With the use of direction, therapists in a women’s motivational interviewing program actively work to be a positive influence to get clients to consider making changes in their life. Ambivalence plays a pivotal role, and the examination and resolution of it is a critical motivational interviewing technique. Your motivational interviewing counselor will purposefully direct you to pursue and achieve this goal of overcoming your ambivalence.

The Goals of Motivational Interviewing

MI is a method of counseling focused on helping clients commit to the challenging process of changing their behavior and thought patterns to better the quality of their life. This is done in two parts:

1. Building motivation to change
2. Strengthening the commitment to change

Obtain such a commitment from clients is crucial. Simply verbalizing a need or a desire to make an important change is often not enough of an impetus to see that change through to completion. It helps clients to hear themself makes a strong commitment to themselves. Their therapist will help improve a client’s ability to follow through and make the necessary changes to their thoughts, behaviors, and ultimately, their life. Essentially, our motivational interviewing clients feel as though they are being held more accountable for making these improvements.

3 Motivational Interviewing Techniques

There are motivational interviewing techniques that can lead to positive changes. These will evoke your intrinsic motivation to make a change despite your lingering ambivalence. Evoking is a central technique for motivational interviewing. Each of these skills will support and strengthen the process of eliciting significant changes from you. The role of a therapist practicing motivational interviewing is centered more on listening, meaning MI can be combined with other therapeutic interventions, such as cognitive-behavior therapy and group therapy.

Here are 3 techniques used by a MI therapist to successfully perform motivational interviewing:

1. Asking Open-Ended Questions

With the client doing most of the talking, this technique allows the therapist to understand what is important to the client or hindering them in some way.

2. Offer Affirmation

Through compliments and statements of appreciation and understanding, the MI practitioner builds a compassionate rapport with their client. This technique effectively validates and supports the client as they make the necessary changes in their lives.

3. Encourage Reflection

A motivational interviewing technique of rephrasing clients’ statements will help them understand the feelings they are experiencing and find meaning.

Learn More at Greater Boston Addiction Centers

Learn how motivational interviewing at Greater Boston Addiction Centers can be the starting point for making important changes in your behaviors. Contact us using our secure online form or call us confidentially at 877.920.6583 today.