Motivational Interviewing has been around a long time. There are lots of rumors and myths out there. Today, I’m going to clarify a few common myths I hear!
I recently wrote a post, 5 Facts about Motivational Interviewing. I can talk all day about what MI is! But what isn’t MI? Are there times we shouldn’t use it?
When you are new to MI, or have had someone teach you MI that isn’t grounded in the spirit of MI, the messages around MI can get pretty skewed.
So here we go!
Motivational Interviewing Myths:
- MI is a Way to Get People to Do What You Want. Nope! Sometimes, I hear people express concern that MI can be manipulative. Elements of MI can absolutely be manipulative if you use some of the techniques without the spirit. There’s even a book out there based on MI techniques called How to Get Anyone to Do Anything in Less than 7 Minutes. It makes MI trainers wince when we hear MI skills being used to manipulate people into doing what the interviewer wants them to do. The very basis of MI is grounded in the spirit of compassion- we are always working in the best interest of the client. We don’t use MI to get people to do what we want them to do. MI isn’t sales or psychological manipulation. It is a way to honor autonomy while exploring the person’s own motivation for change.
- You Can Use MI All the Time. Nope! This can be confusing- so let me explain. I strive to embody the MI spirit in all of my relationships. With my kids, my partner, my friends, colleagues, and clients. Spirit of MI? This means I approach relationships with curiosity, empathy, and genuineness. I strive to accept people for who they are and where they are in their journey. I value their ideas, values, and needs, and believe they have expertise that is essential to draw forth. I believe people know themselves better than I will ever know them. I believe I am not a savior of others and that my job is not to fix them. I believe in absolute autonomy and the inherent value of every person. The spirit is the foundation of MI, but MI is much more than spirit. MI is a conversation style used with someone experiencing ambivalence, applying the OARS skills, to guide the conversation in a particular direction. It means reflecting more than asking, listening for, and evoking change talk, and lots of other specific technical elements. That stuff doesn’t apply to every conversation with every person. Which brings me to the next point…
- MI is Easy. Nope! MI has really simple, intuitive concepts that are easy to understand and learn. But what is really hard is putting them into practice. Stopping our Righting Reflex- that tendency to tell people what to do and how to do it- is extraordinarily hard. Learning MI has been likened to learning a new language or sport- it takes time, commitment, and practice to get good at! I personally took the intro to MI 12-hour training TWICE before I was ready to move to more intermediate and advanced training. The more I practice, learn about and teach MI, the more clear it is to me just how much effort it takes to truly embody and utilize all elements of MI. And, I choose to keep walking this MI learning path because I see the tremendous benefits to my clients, as well as the relief I feel when over and over again I release the burden of responsibility for others’ change.
Motivational Interviewing Tip of the Week: I invite you to give yourself an ethics check- are you using MI techniques to get people to do what you want them to do, or what is in their best interest? How can you explore where this overlaps and may differ? Supervision & case consultation are great ways to dive into the ethics of what we do. What elements of MI do you use most frequently? Striving to embody spirit? OARS skills? And finally, what supports you best in learning and integrating new skills? My college’s motto was “Education is a journey, not a destination.” Happy journeying, folks!
