Motivational Interviewing

Motivational interviewing is a powerful tool in case management and therapeutic work with torture survivors and others. 

Summary

Motivation is often considered a characteristic fostered and maintained on an individual basis; we describe ourselves as being self-motivated for graduate school, inspired to learn new languages by personal drive, and guided by internal ambition when pursuing new aims. Edward Stellon challenges this notion through this webinar by introducing the concept of motivational interviewing, a tactic for helping clients overcome ambivalence and uncertainty when confronted with the tides of change. According to Stellon, motivation is not limited to the realm of the individual, but rather directly correlated to and even dependent upon external influences. In this context, Stellon offers motivational interviewing as a means by which counselors can inspire their clients to become enthusiastic about recovery and overcome resistance to change.

Stellon breaks down the concept of motivational interviewing into an easy and applicable three-step approach. The first step for those in the process of recovery is what he calls “Ready”, or being willing and able to embrace change. This concept is built around Stellon’s observation that an individual’s willingness to address and treat their symptoms is at the core of the healing process. What follows is Stellon’s second step, “Able.” In this stage a counselor focuses on helping a client feel a sense of ability, confidence, and capability for change before moving forward to the final stage, “Ready.” In this third step of the motivational interviewing process, counselors focus on helping their clients feel that now is the right time to receive treatment and embrace new beginnings. “Motivational interviewing is a measure of all three of these elements,” Stellon explains. “It is about identifying barriers, addressing ambivalence, and building confidence.”

In addition to this three-stage approach to motivation, Stellon also addresses problem-solving techniques for counselors who encounter clients who are resistant to change or defensive of their current behavior. These strategies include ask open-ended questions, listen reflectively, affirm, summarize, and elicit self-motivational statements, each of which Stellon outlines in extensive detail. By considering both tactics for encouraging clients to embrace new perspectives as well as solutions to barriers, Stellon ultimately demonstrates how counselors can successfully motivate their clients to commit to positive change.

This is a four-part series on Motivational Interviewing with Ed Stellon (MS, MA, CADC):

• Part one is an introduction to the topic. Stellon introduces the audience to the eight stages of learning motivational interviewing, and to the concept that for change to occur, the individual must be ready, willing, and able. Emphasis is placed on the spirit of motivational interviewing versus using a particular list of specific techniques. Stellon works with a volunteer to provide a quick demonstration of what motivational interviewing is NOT, and then debriefs to give a perspective of how our natural enthusiasm for change, and the “Righting Reflex”, can be damaging to motivation. He then works with another volunteer to demonstrate briefly what motivational interviewing IS. Stellon reviews the underlying assumptions of motivational interviewing. Finally, Stellon provides a tool for motivational interviewing, the “Readiness Ruler”, and demonstrates it with another example of motivational interviewing.
• Part 2, Key Concepts of Motivational Interviewing, Stellon provides a thorough explanation of the key concepts of motivational interviewing. Using examples from real life, he discusses the stages of change: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and relapse; he also examines readiness to change. Stellon reviews the four basic principles of motivational interviewing: express empathy, develop discrepancy, roll with resistance, and support self-efficacy. He introduces the concept of decisional balance, and applies it using the tool of the decisional balance worksheet.
• Part 3, Tools & Techniques, of this four-part series on Motivational Interviewing, Stellon provides several tools and techniques for effective motivational interviewing. He begins the presentation by reviewing “RULE” – Resist the righting reflex, Understand your client’s motivation, Listen to your client, and Empower your client. Stellon continues by describing and demonstrating the OARS tool: Open-ended questions, Affirmations, Reflections, and Summaries. Stellon leads the audience through an extensive application of these skills using real-life case studies and examples. He concludes the presentation with a session on identifying and evoking change talk, including providing another useful acronym with the many forms of change talk, such as desire, need, and commitment.
• Part 4, Building Readiness for Change, of this four-part series on Motivational Interviewing, Stellon works with audience members to role play two different motivational interviewing scenarios and debriefs the participants following each role play.

This presentation was recorded at the Meeting Social Services Needs in the Current Climate training institute held in Evanston, IL in August 2012.

Resources

Website with Motivational Interviewing Resources: https://motivationalinterviewing.org//

Attachment(s): 

MotivationalIntWebinar12-12-07 (3).pdf