What is Motivational Interviewing?

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative counseling approach designed to help clients explore and resolve ambivalence toward change. It emphasizes empathy, respect, and empowerment — guiding individuals to discover their own motivation for growth.

Core Principles of MI

• Express Empathy: Understand and reflect the client’s perspective without judgment.
• Develop Discrepancy: Help clients recognize the gap between current behavior and desired goals.
• Roll with Resistance: Avoid confrontation and adapt to client defensiveness with compassion.
• Support Self-Efficacy: Empower clients to believe in their capacity to change.

Techniques Used in Motivational Interviewing

• OARS Model: Open-ended questions, Affirmations, Reflective listening, and Summaries.
• Scaling Questions: Measuring readiness, importance, and confidence for change.
• Decisional Balance: Evaluating pros and cons to enhance awareness.
• Change Talk: Encouraging dialogue that favors movement toward positive change.

Applications of Motivational Interviewing

• Addiction and substance abuse recovery
• Mobile and social media addiction
• Health behavior modification (e.g., diet, exercise)
• School and adolescent counseling
• Career and performance coaching

Learn MI with Emocare

Emocare offers comprehensive MI certification and workshops designed for psychologists, counselors, and students. Develop deep empathy, communication excellence, and practical skills to empower clients.