I recently heard Stephen Rollnick, co-author of Motivational Interviewing, ask this question: “What does a skilled guide do and what types of questions do they ask?” A good question might look like: “Where do you want to go today?” (finding focus in a conversation) “What is the destination where you would like to end up?” […]
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 […]
Recently in the world of Motivational Interviewing the authors of the coding system (MITI 4.2.1) are asking this question. What does “cuddling the problem” look like and how does it change the direction of the session? If a client states: “I know I should drink less, but it’s the only way I know how 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 […]
A client makes an appointment to come see you due to drinking, depression, or some other desired change and through a brief conversation on the phone you think you know what their focus is. BUT is that really their focus? Is the topic they called about really what they truly want to change in their […]