Motivational interviewing (MI) is a person-centered method for strengthening an individual’s motivation for and commitment to change. The overall spirit or style of MI is collaborative and empathic and aims to elicit behavior change. Rather than working from a deficit model in which the therapist provides what the individual is missing (e.g., skills, insight, knowledge), MI seeks to evoke the individual’s own motivations, strengths and resources and then leverages those for change by seeking and developing change talk. Change talk is self-expressed speech that favors movement in the direction of change that expresses a client’s desire, ability, and reasons for change, conveys optimism about making changes, and states willingness and intention to change.
The Four Processes of Motivational Interviewing:
The Principles of Motivational Interviewing:
Basic Skills of Motivational Interviewing:
Visit the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers for motivational interviewing tools.