What is Motivational Interviewing?

Motivational interviewing (MI) is a client-centered, directive counseling style for enhancing intrinsic motivation to change by exploring and resolving ambivalence.

Motivational interviewing, first described by William Miller (1983), and later elaborated in the classic book—Motivational Interviewing: Preparing People for Change (1991, 2002)—offers a practical, common sense approach for supporting clients in making and sustaining healthy behavior changes. Originally developed in the drug and alcohol field, over 70 clinical trials demonstrate the efficacy of MI across a range of populations, target behaviors, and medical conditions.

At its core, MI is not a unique or entirely new approach, but a combination of principles, skills, and strategies drawn from existing models of counseling and behavior change theory. Embracing an interpersonal style based on empathy, collaboration, and acceptance, the MI practitioner relies heavily on the use of strategic reflective listening as a means of eliciting clients’ strengths, inner wisdom, reasons for change, and ways of achieving it.

For more information about MI, visit: motivationalinterview.org