3 Ways MI Helps Prevent Burnout
Sometimes as helping professionals, we fall into the habit of thinking we need to figure out what a client needs to change, come up with motivations for them and figure out how they should go about making that change.
In the first training that I attended in Motivational Interviewing, I felt the burden of responsibility of change lift off my shoulders as I learned the MI way.
If we are truly embodying the spirit and skills of Motivational Interviewing, we are literally interviewing them about their motivations for change. We aren’t having to impart motivation or figure it out for them– we are there to partner with them as they identify their motivation.
How does this work?
- Our clients are setting their goals! We don’t have to analyze our clients to then present to them what we think they should change– we just need to get curious about the changes they want to make! We are a partner on this journey, and through reflective listening and open ended questions, we help a client identify the changes they want to make!
- Our clients are fueling their motivation for change! We don’t have to come up with motivation for our clients, they have motivation inside of them! We get to get curious with them about their motivations for change by exploring their values, desires, and need for change. Through reflective listening, we help them hear their motivations and strengthen their resolve!
- Our clients are creating their change plans! We don’t have to research and come up with a perfect change plan map for our clients– we get to ask them how they want to accomplish change! Collaboratively, we elicit their ideas on how to change while sharing resources and information when needed.
Can you feel your shoulders drop? Our job is to show up and get curious with our clients, to partner with them on their change journey.
MI Tip: There is a profound shift that happens as helping professionals as we release the burden of responsibility of change, and through Motivational Interviewing, we empower our clients into the change that they want to make. Motivational Interviewing prevents burnout!
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Hi, I’m Hillary Bolter. At MI Center for Change, Motivational Interviewing is our passion. Motivational Interviewing will help you become more effective and efficient as you support clients’ change!
