Using Motivational Interviewing for Success in Counseling.

Using Motivational Interviewing for Success in Counseling.

1.    Motivational Interviewing is not new to me, having attending several trainings provided by County Learning Partnership.  This was a good review and a good opportunity to go over the ideas that have come through the substance abuse treatment realm but now are part of therapy in the mental health side as well.  The idea behind motivational interviewing is that is a client driven focus, and you are determining the client’s readiness to change so they can direct their own willingness to be in services.  It posts five levels of change in a progressive type fashion, precontemplation, contemplation, ready for action, action and maintenance.  The four skills used are: “OARS,” Open-ended questions, Affirmation, Reflective Listening and Summary Statements.  In this context you use these skills to recognize and then tease out change-talk.  You do this by employing DEARS: Develop Discrepancy, Express Empathy, Amplify Ambivalence, Roll with Resistance and Support Self-Efficacy.