Motivational Interviewing
Change isn’t easy, especially when things are unclear or if you’re stuck between paths. Motivational interviewing addresses where you are at the moment, helping you understand why you feel stuck and how to move forward without judgment or pressure. Through a guided conversation, it empowers you to find your motivation.
What Is Motivational Interviewing?
Motivational Interviewing is a client-centred directive approach to facilitate change by helping individuals resolve ambivalence and find intrinsic reasons to change behaviours.
This technique was originally designed for those with substance use disorders; however, now it is used broadly across healthcare as an intervention for presenting concerns such as anxiety, depression, family conflict, and self-harm behaviours.
Key Aspects Of Motivational Interviewing
Non-Confrontational
Avoids arguing or pressuring clients into change during the sessions. This is achieved by rolling with any initial resistance towards change, and the utility of therapy.
Strength-Based
Focuses on building autonomy and confidence. This is achieved by supporting the self-efficacy of clients to make positive changes which they believe in.
Client-Centred
Emphasises empathy and respect, allows clients to lead the conversations. This is achieved by creating a space to better appreciate their circumstances by enhancing empathy.
Goal-Oriented
Clarifies personal values and aligns behaviours with those values. This is achieved by developing the discrepancy between their current state and their ideal state of living.
Principles Of Motivational Interviewing (RULE)
Resist the fixing reflex; an instinct to jump in and fix when we are confronted with someone struggling, such as offering solutions.
Understand the individual’s motivation for change. In Motivational Interviewing, we do not assume a person’s motivations to change; we are curious about them.
Listen with empathy. We are curious and listen to what you tell us, with empathy to understand your perspective.
Empower you to own the change you want.
Core Skills Of Motivational Interviewing (OARS)
Open-ended questions invite others to tell their story without directing them in a specific direction.
Affirmations are statements and gestures to recognise clients’ strengths and acknowledge behaviours indicative of positive change. Affirmations are used to build confidence in the client’s ability to change.
Reflective Listening is the path to engage others in relationships, trust and fostering motivation to change. It is important to learn to think reflectively.
Summaries are an application of reflective listening which are particularly helpful at transition points, such as after a person has spoken about a specific topic.
How Does Motivational Interviewing Work?
There are two goals to the process: the first is to increase the individual’s motivation, while the second is to have the individual commit to making a change, as opposed to merely stating it is just a need or a desire to change.
Hearing themselves express a commitment out loud has been found to improve their ability to make those changes happen. The clinician will be listening more than intervening. Motivational Interviewing is frequently combined with or followed by other interventions such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and group work.
When Is Motivational Interviewing Used?
Motivational Interviewing is used when an individual’s behaviour is affecting themselves or those around them negatively. Sometimes, the individual has challenges changing their behaviour as they do not know how to, or they are indecisive about changing.
Some cases to use motivational interviewing include:
- Smoking: Motivational Interviewing explores clients’ ambivalence regarding quitting, improving their motivation and finding their confidence to commit to stopping smoking. For instance, clients may be asked about their concerns regarding continuing to smoke or some reasons why they should decide to quit.
- Alcohol: Motivational Interviewing can help the individual find the pros and cons of their drinking, while recognising how it goes against some of their values and how ready they are to change. For example, they may be asked how drinking has impacted their other goals.
- Physical activity: Motivational Interviewing can encourage individuals to increase their physical activity by connecting it to other personal goals. This can involve being asked how being active can impact their long-term health.
Motivational Interviewing helps provide clarity about the positives and negatives of change.
How Can Us Help You?
Experienced Therapists
Our processes and quality assurance is led by Dr.Emma Waddington, a UK-trained senior clinician psychologist and Founder of Us Therapy, with over 20+ years of experience in helping individuals in Singapore.
Holistic & Personalised Approach
Our clinicians draw from various therapeutic models to create a holistic approach. At Us, we have seen hundreds of clients and we recognise that each individual is unique. Our approach is tailored to you but always includes customised treatment plans and integrative techniques.
Thorough Assessment
At Us, we pride ourselves on our comprehensive assessment processes. We will undergo a thorough assessment process with you in your first sessions before we come up with a plan for your therapy.
Our Therapists
What To Expect
The motivational interviewer will encourage clients to talk about their need to change and why they want to change. The role of the clinician is to encourage a conversation about commitment and change, while listening and reflecting their thoughts and feelings so the client can hear their reasons and motivations.
Motivational interviewing is typically a form of short-term counselling (1-2 sessions), though it may be longer when combined with other therapeutic modalities.
Initial consultation
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Questionnaire and onboarding surveys
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Individual sessions
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Feedback sessions
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Intervention
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Therapy Approaches
The best type of therapy for men often depends on individual needs and preferences. Common approaches include:
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Focuses on understanding and changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors. Together with your therapist you will uncover your unhelpful thinking styles and find more workable and effective ways of being that are aligned with your values and the life you want to live.
Psychodynamic Therapy
Delves into past experiences and unconscious processes to understand present challenges. Findings the links between early experiences and current challenges can help to make sense of unhelpful behavioural patterns.
Fees
Individual Counselling Rates
Clinician type
Fees and Duration
Clinic Founder
$310
Principal Psychologist
$290
Senior Clinical Psychologist
$262
Educational Psychologist
$262
Clinical Psychologist
$236
Counsellor
$170
Expressive Arts Therapist
$170
Associate Psychologist
$130
Phone calls / Emails
Clinicians rate pro-rata (10 Mins)
Testimonials
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a motivational interviewing approach?
Motivational Interviewing is a client-centred approach that helps individuals resolve ambivalence and find intrinsic motivation for change, initially for substance use disorders but now widely used in healthcare for various concerns like anxiety and depression. Its key aspects include being non-confrontational, strength-based, client-centred, and goal-oriented.
What are the 5 A's of Motivational Interviewing?
The 5A’s of Motivational Interviewing are:
- Ask: to identify patients with risk factors
- Assess: the level of risk for the patient and its relevance to the ability to change to help tailor the plan for the stages of change
- Advice: matched to individuals’ stage of change and must be provided in a non-coercive,non-judgmental manner to respect the client’s autonomy.
- Assist: collaborate to develop a plan with goals and methods of change of behaviour. This can include quit dates, recommendations and self-monitoring techniques
- Arrange: potentially refer to special services, community/support groups, and arrange a follow-up appointment
