Bill Miller & Motivational Interviewing as a Way of Being

I was recently chatting with someone about Motivational Interviewing as a way of being.

A way of being?

I thought it was a skill set? An Evidence-Based Practice?

Motivational Interviewing is actually all of the above. 

Co-creator of MI, Bill Miller, has called Motivational Interviewing a “way of being.” And it isn’t for the faint of heart! Practicing this way of being in a relationship takes constant course correction, as we strive to stay out of our Righting Reflex, away from persuading, imparting, directing and falling into the expert trap. It ain’t easy!

MI is a way of being with someone, AND a way of talking with someone to evoke their intrinsic motivation for change.

It just happens to be really, really effective (hence, the evidence-based practice bit).

So let’s break it down: Way of Being, Skill Set, Evidence-Based Practice.

The way of being means we enter the relationship with curiosity, acceptance, and positive regard.

It means our aim is to work in partnership with someone, to collaborate and draw forth their wisdom and expertise over imparting our own. It IS a way of being in relationship with others. (I actually have a short 1 hr course just on this! Check it out!)

Here’s how I conceptualize it:

Like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, where safety is the basis of all else, in Motivational Interviewing, the spirit is the basis of all else. That’s what Bill Miller means by way of being. 

Then, the Motivational Interviewing OARS skills set gets added to this.

The OARS skills (Open Ended Questions, Affirmations, Reflections & Summaries) are essentially the “microskills” of Motivational Interviewing. They are the tools that guide the conversation. (On my YouTube channel, I have specific video playlists that go more into each of the OARS skills!)

Finally, at the tippy top of our Hierarchy of Motivational Interviewing is Change Talk.

Change Talk in Motivational Interviewing is the talk a client shares about their motivation for change (not our motivation FOR them!). There are specific methods we use to build Change Talk with clients, but it must be done in the context of the MI spirit to be MI! (Otherwise, it’s manipulation!)

As we approach clients embodying the Spirit of MI, rowing with our OARS, we are rowing in a specific direction toward the change our clients are seeking. 

Motivational Interviewing Tip of the Week: Consider your way of being as you approach those you work with. Those you live with. Those you care for. Can you take a pause to course-correct with compassion, curiosity, evocation? If you’re rocking with MI spirit, then adding on the OARS and Change Talk components are next! Let me know how it goes!

Watch my full video here!