When you set your sights on a healing course, trying different therapeutic techniques to understand your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors gives you a strong advantage. This approach helps you design a purposeful life in recovery and all other aspects of your life. If you have yet to try motivational interviewing, there are many benefits you might find helpful.
What is Motivational Interviewing?
According to the Center for Evidence-Based Practices (CEBP), motivational interviewing (MI) is a conversational therapeutic approach that helps people identify their readiness, willingness, and ability to change. MI is particularly effective when people might have uncertainty about or resistance to making major changes in their lives, such as overcoming addiction, managing chronic conditions, or adopting healthier habits.
CEBP indicates that “ambivalence occurs because of conflicting feelings about the process and outcomes of change. Although ambivalence is natural, many of us are not aware of it.” So by using MI, the organization states you might achieve the following benefits, which we provide verbatim:
- Discover your own interest in considering and/or making a change in your life (e.g., diet, exercise, managing symptoms of physical or mental illness, reducing and eliminating the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs)
- Express in your own words your desire for change (i.e., “change-talk”)
- Examine your ambivalence about the change
- Plan for and begin the process of change
- Elicit and strengthen change-talk
- Enhance your confidence in taking action and noticing that even small, incremental changes are important
- Strengthen your commitment to change
Using these action steps is just another tool to help you make important behavioral modifications from a true place of understanding and internal motivation.
How to Use MI Benefits to Your Advantage
If you’ve used other types of counseling before, one major difference you might notice with MI is that it’s more of a collaborative approach with your therapist. The process of MI doesn’t tell you how to feel or what to think—you’re encouraged to explore personal motivations, strengths, and goals for change.
For example, many people often struggle with the decision to pursue sobriety. Do they really want to? What fears create obstacles to success? Are they willing to fully accept there’s a problem? Motivational interviewing helps them identify what they want and assists them in reaching that goal. This approach is also empowering to someone beaten down by the “shoulds”: “I should quit drinking.” “I should want to quit drinking.” Through collaboration with a qualified MI therapist, it’s easier to create the healthier life they wish for and deserve.
So here are some aspects of MI that are vital to your success:
- Be honest and open. Share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences honestly with your interviewer. Open communication helps them understand your perspective and provide better support.
- Explore ambivalence. Acknowledge any mixed feelings you have about change. Discussing these openly allows you and your therapist to address potential barriers and find solutions.
- Reflect on your goals. Think about what you truly want to achieve and what changes you need to make to reach those goals. Consider how your current behaviors align or conflict with these goals.
- Engage in the process. Actively participate in the conversations. Ask questions, seek clarification, and express your concerns and ambivalence about making changes.
- Take small steps. Work with your interviewer to set small, achievable goals. Focus on incremental changes and celebrate your progress, no matter how small, to build confidence and momentum.
MI is often part of many progressive substance use disorder, mental health, and alcohol use disorder treatment programs. In fact, it’s a primary component of Willingway’s Tactical Recovery program—a Veteran-Ready, culturally sensitive treatment initiative for current members of the military, Veterans, first responders, and law enforcement personnel. MI is a powerful tool when addressing matters of addiction, PTSD, and other issues with these special populations.
If MI doesn’t sound like any other therapy you’ve tried, this might be a good thing, as it opens the door to a greater potential of realizations you might not have experienced in previous counseling sessions. This video is a small demonstration of how motivational interviewing might work for you.
Find More Progressive Solutions at Willingway
The board-certified professionals at our Georgia and Florida addiction rehabilitation locations strive to provide individualized treatment solutions for every person. A cookie-cutter approach simply doesn’t create lasting wellness. Learn more about our evidence-based approach by talking with a member of our admissions team. We’re happy to answer any questions you have about customized care.