How Motivational Interviewing Can Help You Make Change
Motivational interviewing (MI) is a counseling technique that helps individuals explore and resolve ambivalence about making changes in their lives. It helps individuals identify their own reasons for change, rather than imposing change on them. The reality is that we all have behaviors that we want to change. We all have behaviors that we have talked about changing for a long time without actually following through. Some examples of this might be: wanting to stop biting your nails, wanting to eat healthier, wanting to get into an exercise routine, or wanting to reduce your alcohol intake. In this blog post, we will explore how motivational interviewing can help you make change in your own life. When you work with a therapist who is trained in motivational interviewing, they will help you work through each of these steps.
Identify your reasons for change.
One of the key aspects of MI is helping individuals to identify their own reasons for change. We sometimes have other people in our lives who want us to change, but it’s important that we are interested in making change in order for change to occur and stick. If you are thinking about making an important change (such as quitting smoking, starting therapy, eating healthier, etc.), it’s important that you understand the reasons you are interested in changing.
Address your concerns and objections.
Another important aspect of MI is addressing concerns and objections. If we’ve been talking about making a change for a very long time and have yet to make that change, there’s likely a reason. It’s important to understand the reasons that you have not yet made the changes you desire. What are you getting out of your current behavior? Dig deep. There’s always a reason. For example, I might want to quit smoking, but I have yet to do so because smoking helps me relax, and I don’t have any other strategies that help me feel so relaxed.
Develop a plan of action.
Once you have identified your reasons for change and addressed your concerns and objections, the next step is to develop a plan of action. You and your therapist can work on action planning and goal setting. This is an important step as we often want to jump right into action once we’ve decided to make a change. Failing to create a plan before jumping into action can often mean that our actions don’t work out in the long run. Know that it’s important to create a good plan of action.
Believe in your ability to change.
Finally, it's important to believe in your own ability to change. When you work with a supportive and encouraging therapist, they already believe in your ability to make change. As you begin to take small steps, you will build your own self-efficacy, the belief in your own ability to do something.
Motivational interviewing is a powerful tool that can help you make change in your own life. By identifying your reasons for change, addressing your concerns and objections, developing a plan of action, and believing in your ability to change, you can take control of your own life and create the change you want to see.
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Our therapists who offer Motivational Interviewing in Maryland
Interested in Motivational Interviewing for Motivation, Mindfulness, Anxiety, and/or Stress Management?
If you’re a Marylander who knows that counseling is the direction you need to take, the therapists at LifeSpring Counseling Services are here to help. We offer online counseling services for mindfulness, depression, anxiety, trauma, and grief and loss. We also offer Brainspotting as a specialized service, and Brainspotting can be done online, too!
Here’s how you can get started! Motivational Interviewing for motivation, mindfulness, anxiety, and stress aren’t the only services offered at our Maryland office
The counselors and social workers at our Maryland office also offer counseling services for trauma, grief and loss, boundary setting, communication skills, and difficult life transitions. We also offer specialized counseling services including Brainspotting and spiritually-integrated counseling. Because we are located next to several local universities, we also work with college students and international students.
