What is Motivational Interviewing?
Motivational interviewing (MI) is an approach to treatment that, as its name suggests, is built around motivating participants to make positive changes in their behavior. If someone has mixed feelings about altering their current situation, motivational interviewing can push them to make that positive change.
There can be conflicting desires to make a behavioral change. For example, you may want to make a change but feel that you’re not ready at the moment to make that positive alteration to your behavior. Motivational interviewing aims to clear up that perspective. Its main aim is to resolve that ambivalence and push you towards change.
As a client-centered therapy type, motivational interviewing sees a therapist help you explore your ambivalence and resolve it successfully. They will also promote self-awareness and growth at the same time. This is done by empowering you to take responsibility for your recovery and self-improvement.
Atlantic Behavioral Health:
Motivational Interviewing Massachusetts Specialists
Atlantic Behavioral Health specializes in motivational interviewing techniques and methods. By helping patients change behavior over the years, we understand what it takes for this treatment type to be effective. Our therapists are not just driven to produce results, but they are also committed to providing treatment in a welcoming, comfortable space.
This is matched up with our medical center. Our modern facility in Massachusetts provides you with the right launchpad for your motivational interviewing process. The first session is built around us learning more about your priorities and what you hope to achieve. We then go from there to improve your mindset and make the behavior change you desire.
At Atlantic Behavioral Health, we offer a range of services as part of our intensive outpatient services for people aged 18 or above. As a result, we can support your motivational interviewing with other methods if necessary. This allows us to maximize results and ensure you get the right treatment for your needs.
Ready to make a commitment to change? Start today by getting in touch and seeing how motivational interviewing can alter your life for the better. You must already have a primary diagnosis and be moving either up or down in levels of care, e.g., from acute hospitalization or other outpatient facilities.
Are you struggling with with your mental health?
If you’re wondering about that, call us today. A member of our team will take your call and listen to your concerns and help you understand your options and whether you qualify for our mental health or psychiatric services.
The Principles of Motivational Interviewing
There are three core principles that must be followed with motivational interviewing. By making this a reality, we are able to provide treatment that is both effective and maintains a client-centered style. These principles are:
- Collaborative
- Evocative
- Client autonomy
Let’s go over each of these points in a little more detail:
The Collaborative Process
It’s true: there are certain therapeutic approaches that go with an imposing, confrontational style from the counselor. However, motivational interviewing goes in the opposite direction. Rather than aggression from one side, this therapy method places an emphasis on collaboration.
This collaboration results in you and your therapist establishing a partnership. Your experiences and points of view are the basis for this partnership, and it allows you to develop rapport and an understanding between each other. This results in a trusting relationship that is often more fruitful than therapy in a more hostile environment.
Evoking a Response
Again, there are other therapy methods that result in the counselor imposing their own thoughts and opinions. With motivational interviewing, the aim is to evoke a response from you, where you express your own ideas and motivations.
Yes, we want to change your behavior for the better. However, that will only occur if you want it to become a reality. That’s why it is our task to effectively “draw out” your true motivations – without any influence from our side – for this positive behavior change.
By identifying these motivators, you have the foundation to progress. It gives you the added push to continue with your change, where you’re less likely to fall back into old routines and settle on your current behavioral structure.
Autonomy Rather Than Authority
Motivational interviewing doesn’t place us on a pedestal where we act as an authority figure. Rather, it goes with an autonomy approach, where the power of change rests solely with you. We cannot force this change out of you – it’s your task to make it happen.
More responsibility is placed on your shoulders to put in the work and take the necessary actions to change. However, this self-efficacy is empowering. It supplies you with personal responsibility for what you’re doing. That control and self-evaluation can be key in making the behavior changes you desire.
Motivational Interviewing Techniques
To get the most out of motivational interviewing, therapists will use a collection of techniques that help elicit change talk and get their clients to explore how they feel and uncover their true motivations. These are the four tactics we employ:
One of the most important motivational interviewing skills we utilize is open-ended questions. These questions encourage you to dig deeper when discussing an answer. A simple “yes” or “no” will not suffice.
To get more out of you with your answers, we start questions with words such as “what” and “how”. By doing so, you are more likely to reveal more information about yourself, and that’s key for us when helping people change.
By asking questions like, “How did you previously try to change your behavior?” it gives us valuable insights into a client’s behavior. We can then use this as the building blocks to ask further open-ended questions and provide confidence-building comments.
Ask any therapist, and they will tell you that one of the most crucial skills for the job is reflective listening. That’s no different with motivational interviewing. A demonstration of reflection shows that we are actively listening and taking in what you have to say. It also gives us the opportunity to express empathy and build this therapeutic relationship.
Even when we attempt to understand your point of view, we might not always get it right. This is another reason why reflective listening is important. This is because you have the ability to change any misunderstandings from our side, as well as elaborate and clarify on any topics you bring up.
Even when we attempt to understand your point of view, we might not always get it right. This is another reason why reflective listening is important. This is because you have the ability to change any misunderstandings from our side, as well as elaborate and clarify on any topics you bring up.
Extending on from reflective listening, summaries are also used by a therapist to demonstrate they’ve been listening and interpreting what you’ve talked about. These summaries will be utilized throughout a session, and it ensures the conversion flows and more details can be extracted from you.
There are various techniques used for summarizing. One is “collecting”. This is where we reinforce what you’ve told us. For instance, after you have discussed a certain topic, we can respond with something like, “Let me summarize to see if I’ve correctly understood what you have said…” This not only shows we are listening, but you can also clarify if necessary.
Another technique is “transitioning”. This is useful for moving on to a new topic or ending a session. As an example, we could say, “The last time we met, you said… How do you feel about this situation today?” This technique assists with getting the conversation going while also connecting other parts of your discussions for greater relevance.
Extending on from reflective listening, summaries are also used by a therapist to demonstrate they’ve been listening and interpreting what you’ve talked about. These summaries will be utilized throughout a session, and it ensures the conversion flows and more details can be extracted from you.
There are various techniques used for summarizing. One is “collecting”. This is where we reinforce what you’ve told us. For instance, after you have discussed a certain topic, we can respond with something like, “Let me summarize to see if I’ve correctly understood what you have said…” This not only shows we are listening, but you can also clarify if necessary.
Another technique is “transitioning”. This is useful for moving on to a new topic or ending a session. As an example, we could say, “The last time we met, you said… How do you feel about this situation today?” This technique assists with getting the conversation going while also connecting other parts of your discussions for greater relevance.
How Motivational Interviewing Helps
Originally, motivational interviewing had a primary focus on substance abuse treatment. The reasons are that it helps a person address the negative consequences associated with substance abuse, including the damage it can do to themselves and their loved ones.
With the right motivational strategies that are built around enhancing a client’s self-efficacy, individuals are able to identify the underlying causes behind their addictive behaviors and gain the confidence to change. This information also allows them to lower the possibility of relapse while also enhancing their quality of life,
While it remains an effective method for helping those with substance use issues, this treatment has extended into other areas where it has proven to be a beneficial intervention strategy.
Motivational interviewing can be useful for the following conditions and behaviors:
- Physical health conditions
- Smoking cessation
- Diet and preventing obesity
- Diabetes control
- Sexual behavior
Motivational interviewing works in combination with other treatment options. For example, as part of our cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), we can use motivational interviews as a supplemental treatment. This is particularly helpful when helping those overcome post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety, or a generalized anxiety disorder.
The Benefits of Motivational Interviewing
We only use mental health therapies that are proven to supply an assortment of benefits. That is the case with motivational interviewing. Here are some of the key advantages you can experience with this form of treatment:
Client-Friendly Therapy
Motivational interviewing is one of the most accessible forms of therapy available. Its client-friendly nature means that people are open to participating, sharing their thoughts openly, and being receptive to their treatment.
As therapists are not controlling and give the lead to clients, this counseling method is less intimidating than alternatives that are available. Yet it remains a practical, effective treatment, which makes it a suitable choice for those apprehensive about working with a therapist.
Builds Self-Confidence
A positive health behavior change that comes from motivational interviewing is enhanced self-confidence. Those who are undecided about making behavioral changes will often suffer from low self-esteem. With this therapy, one of the main tasks is to build confidence while they take responsibility for their desired changes.
As these changes happen, and as they see the positive results gained, this boosts confidence levels. For example, if someone is successful with their weight loss goals, this can help improve their self-esteem, pushing away negative thoughts and behaviors at the same time.
Self-Reliance and Responsibility
With motivational interviewing, it is ultimately down to the person’s motivation to change. While a therapist will provide guidance and support, the responsibility rests solely with the client. While this may seem like an insufficient approach at first, it is one that can deliver healthier long-term results.
By changing behaviors this way, where you learn and accept to make positive alterations to your lifestyle, you are less dependent on other treatments. For example, the use of medication alone is often not supportive of long-term success. By taking responsibility and making lifestyle changes based on your own motivations, you become self-reliant and enjoy a more positive approach to life.
Lifestyle Changes for the Better
There are various high-risk lifestyle behaviors that can be averted with the use of motivational interviewing. This includes those who are faced with substance and alcohol abuse issues. Trying to move on from these habits is notoriously challenging. Plus, while they may be motivated to change, going into drug or alcohol rehabilitation may be viewed negatively.
Motivational interviewing can give them both the necessary push and confidence to actively engage in treatment. It is a more accessible and positively viewed form of treatment. Additionally, it can tip the balance in favor of those undecided about changing for the better, giving them the structure to reduce – and ultimately keep away from – their high-risk behaviors.
Start Your Motivational Interviewing Journey Today
Do you want help with your mental and behavioral health? Perhaps you want to free yourself from anxiety and depression? Maybe the aim is to finally stop smoking. Maybe you have a gambling addiction. With motivational interviewing, it is possible to treat various conditions and behaviors effectively.
If you have done enough reading about this treatment and the benefits it supplies, now is the time to take the first step toward change. Rather than imagining what life would be like with a change in behavior, you can experience it first-hand, and Atlantic Behavioral Health is here to help you throughout the journey.
