Motivational Interviewing

Vocabulary flashcards covering the core principles, spirit, communication styles, tasks, traps, and practical skills of Motivational Interviewing (MI).

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

A client-centered, directive method for enhancing intrinsic motivation to change by exploring and resolving ambivalence.

Miller and Rollnick (1992)

The authors who published the first text on Motivational Interviewing as a contrast to the confrontational styles of the 1980s.

Directing (Helping Style)

A helping style where the practitioner tells the person what to do by commanding, prescribing, deciding, and telling.

Guiding (Helping Style)

A helping style where the practitioner walks alongside the client to collaborate, elicit, encourage, and offer; this is the style where MI lives.

Following (Helping Style)

A helping style where the practitioner listens and goes along to understand, be with, and value the client.

Partnership (Spirit of MI)

A collaborative interaction likened to a dance rather than a wrestling match, where the practitioner is the expert on helping and the client is the expert on themselves.

Acceptance (Spirit of MI)

Respecting the client without needing to agree, and without judging, criticizing, or shaming them.

Compassion (Spirit of MI)

An active intention, rather than a feeling, to prioritize and put the person's well-being first.

Evocation (Spirit of MI)

Drawing out the person’s own values, strengths, and reasons for change.

Ambivalence

The normal experience of feeling divided ("Part of me wants to… and part of me doesn’t") that involves both benefits and real costs, rather than laziness or defiance.

Autonomy (in MI)

Supporting the client's right to choose while staying engaged, recognizing that respecting choice does not mean agreeing with every decision.

Express Empathy

An MI guiding principle centered on communicating accurate understanding of the client's experience without judgment.

Develop Discrepancy

An MI guiding principle focused on exploring the gap between current behavior patterns and the person’s own values or goals.

Roll with Resistance

An MI guiding principle of avoiding arguments, responding flexibly, and exploring the client's perspective when tension arises.

Support Self-Efficacy

An MI guiding principle directed at strengthening the client's belief that change is possible.

Engage (Four Tasks of MI)

The foundational task of MI focused on building a trusting, respectful, and collaborative relationship.

Focus (Four Tasks of MI)

The second task of MI, involving reaching agreement with the client on the specific change topic to explore together.

Evoke (Four Tasks of MI)

The third task of MI, focused on drawing out the client's own motivations, values, concerns, and reasons for change.

Plan (Four Tasks of MI)

The fourth task of MI, involving collaboration on a realistic next step once client readiness emerges.

Change Talk

Client statements that lean toward change, reflecting desire, ability, reasons, need, or commitment/steps.

Sustain Talk

Client language favoring keeping things as they are; treated in MI as valuable diagnostic information rather than something to defeat.

Expert Trap

A communication trap where the practitioner jumps in with answers or advice before understanding the person.

Persuasion Trap

A communication trap involving trying to convince, argue with, or "sell" change to the client.

Time Trap

A communication trap characterized by rushing toward an action plan or solution too soon.

Wandering Trap

A communication trap that occurs when exploring topics without establishing a clear, agreed-upon shared focus.

OARS

An acronym representing the four practical core communication skills of MI: Open questions, Affirmations, Reflections, and Summaries.

Open Questions

An OARS skill that uses questions inviting more than a simple yes or no answer to encourage deeper dialogue.

Affirmations

An OARS skill that involves actively noticing and acknowledging a client's strengths, effort, values, or past success.

Reflections

An OARS skill where the practitioner offers statements that capture and mirror back what they hear the client saying.

Summaries

An OARS skill that gathers key points from the conversation to confirm shared understanding and maintain alignment.