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Motivational Interviewing

Acknowledging an addiction is often the most challenging phase of the recovery process. When a client is reluctant to fully appreciate the damage their chronic substance use has caused, motivational interviewing can help introduce the prospect of treatment.

Motivational interviewing for substance use is a strategic intervention that gently guides clients toward active participation in recovery. This compassionate, targeted strategy helps clients recognize the severity of their condition and empowers them with the support they need to change their lives for the better. At The Raleigh House, we offer a comprehensive series of addiction treatments that address the various contributing factors to substance use disorder.

What is Motivational Interviewing?

Motivational interviewing is a pre-treatment form of counseling that encourages people to alter unhealthy behaviors even if they struggle to acknowledge their addiction. In addition to giving clients the tools, motivational interviewing prepares them for subsequent treatments. This intervention has a very high success rate with people who reluctantly begin addiction treatment or are not yet emotionally ready to embrace sobriety.

The motivational interviewing process involves a counselor giving the client a safe space to discuss their experiences with substance use and explore the different reasons they might want to make healthier choices. By allowing the client to examine their thoughts and motives, the interviewer helps them better understand the realities of their disorder.

Because motivational interviewing is a relatively short process – typically one or two sessions – the sessions must involve a structured approach. The three core aspects of the motivational interviewing strategy include:

• Collaboration. Motivational interviewing is a collaborative solution, which promotes an atmosphere of trust between the interviewer and client. The partnership empowers the client with an equitable role; the objective is a shared understanding, not confrontation.
• Evocation. The interviewing process encourages the exploration of the client’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences. This allows the client to expand their point of view and change rather than yield to the interviewer’s perspective and opinions. The objective is to provide the client with a safe space to articulate their hopes and reservations in depth while being open to talk of change.
• Autonomy. Autonomy is a critical component of the motivational interviewing process. The client must realize that the power to modify their behavior is ultimately in their own hands. The interviewer offers empathetic guidance and helps the client to recognize the different ways to implement changes. The counselor also emphasizes that there is not a single “correct” answer or way of thinking. The process leverages the client’s strengths to initiate and maintain the healing process.

The Raleigh House Motivational Interviewing Treatment

At The Raleigh House, we are extremely proud to have a team of highly experienced and credentialed mental health and addiction professionals providing our clients with compassionate support. Our treatment programs include a variety of science-backed therapies, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, family systems therapy, equine-assisted psychotherapy, group therapy, experiential therapy, and much more.

If you can no longer manage your substance use disorder, please contact our helpful representatives today. You have nothing to lose but your addiction.

Break free from the substance misuse cycle. Call us today.