a collaborative, person-centerd form of guiding to elicit and strengthen motivation for change

"Motivational interviewing is a collaborative conversation to strengthen a person's own motivation for and commitment to change."

"Motivational interviewing is a person-centerd counseling method for addressing the common problem of ambivalence about change."

Motivational interviewing is a collaborative, goal-oriented method of communication with particular attention to the language of change. It is designed to strengthen an individual's motivation for and movement toward a specific goal by eliciting and exploring the person's own arguments for change

Develop discrepancy

the client is acknowledging that something is not right in their world, but spending serious energy in session disavowing that they really need to change. Thus, your job becomes that of helping them think about change.

"How important do you think it is for you to change right now, on a scale of one to ten?"

Tell me some good and not so good things about your behavior.

reflective listening skills

recognizing and verbalizing where the client is "of two minds"

"Is it ok if we talk about ______ now?"

increase confidence, which helps to enhance self-efficacy: the person's belief that they can achieve their goal.

a felt need to work harder to persuade the client, to let them know that they are wrong

Ask permission: "If you're interested, I have a recommendation (idea/suggestion/tidbit) for you to consider. Would you like to hear it?"

It's ok if you don't want to quit; it's your choice

"It seems as though you have put a lot of thought into these goals"

Content reflection: you simply feed back to the client the main content of what was said. This is the simplest response to resistance: non-resistance. You are merely repeating what the client has said in a neutral form. It acknowledges and validates the client's perspective and shows that you are listening:

Precontemplation: "I won't change . . ." or "I don't know I need to change . . ."

Ask evocative questions: that is, open questions, the answers to which are likely to be change talk.