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 […]
Have you ever wondered what the spark is that shifts our clients towards change after a visit? Is it the professional’s training, level of education or years of experience? It turns out that education, experience and training have zero effect on outcomes! Miller and Moyers book is set to come out soon: “Effective Therapists: Clinical […]
You are sitting across from a client who looks depressed, doesn’t have much energy and is not sure if their life is worth participating in. Sound familiar? Are they motivated or not? How do you unpack whatever motivation is there? If someone is alive and breathing in front of you there is some level of optimism […]
While in Ireland last month for the MI forum Bill Miller gave a talk on “MI and Social Dominance.” He begged the question “why does MI work at all?” How is it that a relatively brief conversation can trigger change in behavior that has sometimes persisted for decades? He offered an explanation by Bill Neto, […]
Your client who comes in weekly is stuck in ambivalence. HOW do you help them get out of the quicksand and have a different kind of conversation? One thing we teach in Motivational Interviewing is WHAT to reflect. Are you reflecting the ambivalence, or the vision of your client? How do you cherry pick the […]