Many of us went into the helping profession since we want to help others achieve health and well-being. Unfortunately, this “helper instinct” as Bill Miller (co-author of MI) states can get in the way of that goal. Although we want the best for our clients, we must learn how to evoke in them what will […]
What IS the difference between being directive versus directional in your conversations with clients? In the latest Motivational Interviewing Forum co-author of MI Bill Miller discussed how essential directional statements are to change. In motivational interviewing we try to stay neutral in giving “directions” toward a specific outcome as it is human nature not to […]
If you could be a fly on the wall, what would you like to hear your client reveal to their friends about your session with them? Do you want to be seen as helpful and empathetic or someone who was trying to fix their situation? In Motivational Interviewing we call this the “righting reflex.” Bern Williams […]
Do you ever wake up in the morning with a heavy responsibility of solving the world’s problems? Clients comes to you in distress and are in want of help, answers, and direction or are they? What are they really needing from you? Do they really want advice and direction? Bernard Williams states unsolicited advice is […]
We are trained as professionals to see and pay attention to what’s wrong and help with change. Unfortunately this way of being can actually make clients less likely to change. In the spirit of Motivational Interviewing we are instead paying close attention to what a client is striving for their strengths, efforts and values – […]