Motivational Interviewing

Motivational interviewing is a psychotherapeutic approach that attempts to move an individual away from a state of indecision or uncertainty, and towards finding motivation to making positive decisions and accomplishing established goals.

At Working Minds, we use a guiding style to engage clients, clarify their strengths and aspirations, evoke motivations for change and promote autonomy in decision making.

We base it on these assumptions:

• how we speak to people, is likely to be just as important as what we say
• being listened to, and, understood is an important part of the process of change
• the person who has the problem, is the person who has the answer to solving it
• people only change their behaviour when they feel ready - not when they are told to do so
• the solutions people find for themselves are the most enduring and effective.

In addition, the four general principles of motivational interviewing:

• R - resist the urge to change the individual’s course of action through didactic means
• U - understand it is the individual’s reasons for change, not those of the practitioner, that will elicit a change in behaviour
• L - listening is important; the solutions lie within the individual, not the practitioner
• E - empower the individual to understand that they have the ability to change their behaviour.

Motivational interviewing stands apart from other schools of thought for its ability to be used in conjunction with other types of therapy. When used in combination with therapies like CBT, REBT, and other approaches, it can improve the efficacy of treatment.

Research shows that features of motivational interviewing help clients to engage in treatment and build their consistency. This is key for many in treatment but especially so for people seeking treatment for substance abuse and towards the change of recovery.