A recent listserv post was intriguing. The writer wondered if she should have asked a widower how his wife died. She thought he might be offended if she did not ask. She also felt that knowing might give her some…

    What sort of person are you while you are working with a client? What characteristics are most present? What part of you is running the show? If you are like most of us, it will shift from time…

Evocation is both one of the four MI processes and an essential spirit element. It is evidenced by the clinician working to evoke the client’s reasons for change and ideas about why to change and how to do it. There…

Compassion here is not a feeling on your part. You may feel sympathy and kindness toward your client. This is not compassion. This MI spirit element is evident in your actions. You are guided by the needs of the client.…

The element of the MI spirit called affirmation consists of the overall view we take of the client. We search for what is right rather than what is wrong. We notice efforts being made, even if small. This encourages more…

  Fully accepting the autonomy of our clients is an essential element of the spirit of Motivational Interviewing. The client is the boss of herself and her family. The ultimate choices are hers. It is not your job to force…

In this element of the MI spirit, the clinician strives to understand the client’s point of view as accurately as possible before asking the client to consider change or offering anything.

In this aspect of the Motivational Interviewing spirit, the clinician conveys a belief in the inherent worth of the person. This one can be a challenge, especially if you work with clients from a large variety of backgrounds. It is…

The first element of the Motivational Interviewing spirit is partnership. The session feels like a collaboration from beginning to end. You and the client are a team working together to address the client’s problems. There is power sharing rather than…

  One of the aspects of Motivational Interviewing that makes it so powerful is the spirit. MI is not just the techniques such as open questions and reflecting. The spirit, or feel of it, is just as essential. Listening to…