Motivational Interviewing (MI)

“MI is a collaborative, goal-oriented style of communication with particular attention to the language of change. It is designed to strengthen personal motivation for and commitment to a specific goal by eliciting and exploring the person’s own reasons for change within an atmosphere of acceptance and compassion.”  (Miller & Rollnick, 2013, p. 29)

Fundamental Processes of
Motivational Interviewing  

Motivational Interviewing focuses on 4 fundamental processes, which are used to create a flowing conversation. The processes do not have to be linear, and it is normal to go back and forth between the processes as needed.

  1. Engaging
    Engagement is the core foundation of MI. The goal is to establish a productive working relationship between therapist and client through active listening, accurate reflection of the client’s experience, affirming strengths and supporting autonomy.

  2. Focusing
    This process creates a roadmap / sets goals agreed upon by both client and therapist, to give sessions a shared purpose allowing therapists to move into a directional conversation about change.

  3. Evoking
    The therapist assists the client in building and understanding their “why” of change through exploration of underlying motivations and ideas behind the desired change.

  4. Planning
    Planning explores the “how” of change. The therapists supports the client in creating a commitment to the desired change and develop a plan based on the client’s insights and expertise.

Core Elements of Motivational Interviewing

Motivational interviewing..                                                                         

  • Is a collaborative process fostering a partnership, acceptance and compassion.

  • Respects a person’s right to make informed choices about changing or not changing.

  • Acknowledges that people have the resources and skills needed for change within themselves.

  • Utilities counselling core skills of OARS:

    • Open questions

    • Affirmation

    • Reflections

    • Summarizing

Motivational Interviewing is currently utilised by our therapists: Stacey Henderson, Jumh Tantri, Leon Chng & Anne Ueberbach

Motivational Interviewing is is an evidence-based approach to behavioral change often described as a guiding style of communication. Motivational Interviewing utilizes active listening and sharing of information to allow client’s to make informed decisions. The goal of motivational interviewing is to empower client’s to change through understanding their meaning, importance and ability for change, while honoring client’s autonomy. It is viewed as being particularly useful for clients who are reluctant to change or who are ambivalent about changing their behaviour.

Unlike other therapy approaches, Motivational Interviewing requires the therapist to work with clients in an equal partnership. Confrontation, instructing, unsolicied advice, and directing is avoided, as it is seen as not cultivating change.

Motivational Interviewing is particularly useful to help clients examine their situation and options when any of the following are present:

  • Ambivalence is high and people are stuck in mixed feelings about change

  • Confidence is low and people doubt their abilities to change

  • Desire is low and people are uncertain about whether they want to make a change

  • Importance is low and the benefits of change and disadvantages of the current situation are unclear.