About Motivational Interviewing

What is Motivational Interviewing?

Motivational Interviewing - also referred to as Motivational Enhancement Therapy - is a client-centered, directive method for enhancing intrinsic motivation for change. Motivational Interviewing features an empathic counseling style coupled with proven strategies to manage resistance and help people commit to change.

Why learn Motivational Interviewing?

Initially developed to help people change addictive behavior, MI has been shown to be effective for a wide range of problem behaviors including addictions, health-related lifestyle behavior, and treatment adherence. Motivational Interviewing and Motivational Enhancement Therapy are generally used as a brief intervention to increase motivation to change a specific behavior or to enhance treatment engagement and outcome. MI and MET can be used effectively as a stand-alone brief intervention, as a prelude to treatment, or as an adjunct to treatment.

How can I learn Motivational Interviewing?

Learn MI conveniently from home! Click here for more information about interactive small-group teleclasses. Introductory and advanced courses begin in April 2007.

I work closely with clients to develop on-site workshops tailored to a specific setting, population, and training goal. I also provide individual tutoring in MI. Since 1998, I have provided MI workshops and consultation to addictions, health care, and mental health professionals addressing diverse populations and target behaviors. Read more about my training workshops or contact me for a free consultation.

What kind of Motivational Interviewing training is best?

Bill Miller and his colleagues at the University of New Mexico recently compared several Motivational Interviewing training workshop formats. According to their report in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, they found that:

• Substance abuse treatment professionals who simply read a treatment manual and viewed training videos did not, on average, improve their MI proficiency.

• Substance abuse treatment professionals who attended a 2-day introductory skill-building workshop achieved significant improvements in MI proficiency, assessed immediately following the workshop.

• Graduates of the 2-day workshop who received ongoing feedback and/or coaching regarding their real-world use of MI maintained their MI skills better over time than those who did not receive any follow-up training.

• The CLIENTS of those who received the full training package (workshop, feedback, and coaching) showed the most significant changes in how they responded in counseling sessions: an increase in “change talk” and a decrease in resistance.

To summarize: reading about, and watching examples of, MI is probably not enough. As with any skill, the best way to learn is through guided practice. Furthermore, follow-up training focused on implementing MI in the real world can help you maintain new skills – AND can make a difference in how your clients respond to counseling.

Contact me to discuss how best to facilitate successful application of MI skills in the real world. Some options include teaching “self-supervision” skills in the initial workshop, individual or group feedback and coaching, MI supervisory training, follow-up workshops, and consultation on creating an MI-friendly work setting.