Archive for January, 2010

What is motivational interviewing?

According to Stephen Rollnick, Ph.D., & William R. Miller, Ph.D., (1995) motivational interviewing is ‘a directive, client-centered counselling style for eliciting behaviour change by helping clients to explore and resolve ambivalence’.

So, what does that mean?

In motivational interviewing, the examination and resolution of the internal conflict between two courses of action (ambivalence) is the central purpose, and the counsellor is intentionally directive in pursuing this goal.

What is the therapists role?

• Seeking to understand the individuals own internal frame of reference, particularly by the utilisation of reflective listening or ‘accurate empathy’ (Rogers 1951).

• Expressing acceptance and affirmation toward the individual.

• Eliciting from the individual and selectively reinforcing the individual’s own self motivating statements, recognition of problems, desire and intention to change, and the actual ability to change.

• Ongoing monitoring of the client’s readiness to change and the degree of such readiness.

• Constantly affirmation of the client’s freedom of choice and self-direction.

How does MI differ from other models of therapy?

When we compare motivational interviewing with completely nondirective models of counselling, it will be seen that it is a more focused and goal-directed application.

Efficacy

According to Burke, Arkowitz and Menchola in the Journal of Counselling and Clinical Psychology (2003, Vol. 71, No. 5, 843–861), in clinical trials MI has shown improvements in the client base of between 51% and 56% in both substance use reduction and abstinence.

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Source URL:http://ezinearticles.com/?Motivational-Interviewing—A-Brief-Overview&id=3724182