How Motivational Interviewing Works: The Spirit of Empowerment

“You already have what you need, and together we will find it.”

-William R. Miller

This is part 2 in a series of 4 ‘deeper dives’ into the spirit of Motivational Interviewing. 

If you missed the first on the spirit of Compassion, check it out here (link).

So just what is the spirit of Motivational Interviewing? The spirit is the foundation for how Motivational Interviewing works. The spirit of MI is the attitude we bring to the work with our clients. It’s about our heart-set and mindset as providers. 

Here are the four components of the Spirit of MI… and today, we are doing a deeper dive into EMPOWERMENT!

Spirit of Motivational Interviewing

So first, let’s define empowerment.

The new MI book defines the spirit element of empowerment as helping people realize and utilize their own strengths and abilities. 

Empowerment in MI is not giving people something they lack, but rather helping them appreciate and use what they already have. 

I love this definition I found when I googled the word ‘empowerment’: “the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one’s life and claiming one’s rights.”

Empowerment also affirms people’s ability to make their own choices, which in MI is also called “autonomy support.” Our goal is to expand their experience of control and choice.

Each of us has an internal experience of empowerment for our clients. We also have an outward expression of empowerment.

When my advanced MI class looked at our internal experience of empowerment, some of what we found is that our own sense of wanting to control client experiences or outcomes gets in the way.  

Our inner experience includes what we believe & our attitude toward our clients. When we are sitting with someone with the intention to empower, we recognize these things (as offered by participants of my advanced MI course!):

We want clients to see their own strengths and use them; let go of assumptions that I can change people; look for their superpowers and be intentional about how we elicit strengths and abilities with them; believe our client has power to make change; empower them to recognize they are experts in their lives- I have expertise too, but they are the ultimate expert; make sure their voice is present and they are able to use it; support their right to choose; have pride in their abilities; support self-efficacy; recognize them as the captain of their ship!

We also have the opportunity to give outward expressions to relay our intention to empower.  We do this by making statements where we support their autonomy & choice, supporting our clients by exploring what they can do, providing affirmations, 

What gets in the way of you empowering your clients? Recognizing and owning their strengths? Supporting their right to choose?

The advanced class brainstormed this one! Here are their responses: Me. My fixing reflex. Worrying about patients gets in the way – my feeling of wanting them to change gets in the way. Judgement. Exasperation or loss of hope. Taking their problem home, wanting to figure out solutions to their problems. Break down of trust; my ego being attached. 

So how do we reground in the spirit of empowerment?

Keep filling up you so you don’t feel empty; Stay connected to hope; Reorient myself by remembering my limitations they are the masters of their own life; give/grant all people dignity and respect even when not receiving it; I am not their ultimate answer, my job is to guide them along the way. Find ways for growth, consultation groups, recognize judgments, 

jen- helping pt to appreciate and see their own strengths and getting them to use them.

ted- meeting clients where they are. Trust gets in the way. Reminder- patient has to come up with theirs solution. 

JC- help them to get where they want to be but they are the masters of their own life, their own reality. give all dignity and respect. I want to concede to this belief can be challenging depending on the population one is working with that need high level of care. “Leave me out of it”

We realized HOPE is a piece of empowerment.

Motivational Interviewing Tip of the Week: How does Motivational Interviewing work? It begins to work, first and foremost, by embodying the four spirit elements of Motivational Interviewing- one of which is empowerment! Motivational Interviewing is empowerment in action.  What helps you empower your clients? What helps you remember that they have the right to choose? What helps you recognize and support their own strengths and abilities?

Watch my full video here!