Author Archives: Eunice Okumu

Reflections are probably the most fundamental skill to learn if you are using a client-centered counseling approach. However, there are many other MI skills that complement reflections and are used throughout the 4 processes of MI. And the one we are focusing on today is not only used throughout all...

One of the best outcomes in our work is when a client talks themselves into the change they want to see in their lives. It is often the case that when someone hears themselves speak about change, and when they are in the presence of another, that they are more...

How many of you know people who do everything their doctor tells them to, no questions asked, just because “they’re the doctor”? Even in less extreme situations, most interactions in healthcare settings have a flavor of that dynamic where the provider or counselor is the expert and the patient or...

Even though there may be numerous reasons for the client to make a change, there will almost always be reasons for the client to continue making similar choices related to a particular behavior. Ambivalence, or having conflicting motivations at the same time, is a normal process when one is considering...

In Motivational Interviewing, whenever we open a conversation, share information, or ask questions of our clients, a respectful way to do this is by Asking for Permission. In addition, when speaking with a client, we want to focus on using autonomy-supportive language as much as possible. When our communication has...

The definition below highlights the importance of not only the techniques and processes of MI but also the atmosphere for a supportive and productive session. Motivational Interviewing is a person-centered counseling style for addressing the common problem of ambivalence about change. It is designed to strengthen an individual’s motivation for...

When we ask the client what matters most to them, it can be a good way to continue building rapport. This conversation can explore what the client really cares about and how these goals and values may guide their lives. And we also know that goals and values are aspirations,...

The first approach we will explore together is Querying Extremes. This technique is designed to elicit change talk by asking the client to talk about the extremes of their (or others’) concerns or potential consequences about their particular condition or behavior. As well, it also asks the client to describe...

We know that adopting new behaviors, or changing old ones, can result from motivation (importance) and self-efficacy (confidence) as well as an individual’s personal characteristics and social and environmental factors. Exploring these factors with a client allows us to learn about facilitators and barriers and can help us guide the...

As clinicians, we are usually thinking about how to have the most effective conversations with our clients. And even with putting our best effort and best intentions forward, sometimes these conversations can be messy. One thing we know about MI is that there is not one formula that works for...

As a helping professional or clinician, there are times when we witness our clients making choices that we believe are not in their best interests and will not support them in reaching their desired goals. And in many cases, it can be extremely challenging to allow these behaviors to continue...

I believe it is important to start by discussing how Motivational Interviewing initially thought about disharmony between a client and a clinician as they explored change. When the first edition of Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change by Miller and Rollnick was released, the term “resistance” was chosen to represent the...