You are in the business of helping people change!
Yet sometimes you may inadvertently say things that contribute to client resistance to change.
Let’s take a look! I invite you to ask yourself these questions:
Do I listen more than I talk?
Or am I talking more than I listen?
When we are utilizing MI, we should be talking less than our clients. Like, less than 50% of the time. Supporting change is typically not about giving information, telling our stories, thoughts and opinions, or falling into that Righting Reflex (persuading, convincing). Create room for your clients to think out loud, explore their motivation for change, and hear themselves speak through YOUR reflective listening!
Do I normalize ambivalence in the change process?
Or am I telling them to act and push ahead for a solution?
I still remember a client I worked with that told me he had never heard a provider reflect to him that it was normal for a part of him to not want to give up drinking. When I shared with him that ambivalence to quitting drinking was normal, I visibly watched his shoulders drop, as he began releasing a bit of shame he had been holding onto. Think about it, if you believe you shouldn’t be ambivalent, then you may think ‘what is wrong with me?’ That’s another barrier to change!
Do I help this person identify success and challenges from their past, and help them relate them to present change efforts?
Or am I encouraging them to ignore or get stuck in old stories?
When people change, they need to feel it is both important to change, and have CONFIDENCE in their ability to change. We want people to feel connected to their inner strengths, past successes, and abilities AND tie these to their current challenges. What questions can you ask to elicit past success? Consider what strengths you can affirm!
There are so many more check points for MI!
I made a free download for you! Here is a MI Checkup checklist!
Motivational Interviewing Tip of the Week: What are one or two behaviors you can focus on this week that will help you help others? Is it talking less? Normalizing ambivalence? Affirming strengths? Or another from this checklist?! Have fun! Let me know how it goes!
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Love this video- 3 excellent points – I am going to share this in my MI Circle tomorrow.
Thank you!!
Great!