Motivational Interviewing For Substance Abuse Treatment
Activating Internal Motivation To Face, Overcome, and Heal From Substance Use Disorder
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Alcohol and substance use disorder have a way of dragging you down in every possible way. They distract you from your goals and dreams and make it increasingly difficult to face and overcome the challenges they present. Knowing what to do and actually doing it are two very different sides of the same coin. Every new day can be a strain on your resolve and your potential.
Motivational Interviewing for substance abuse treatment helps you find and activate an internal desire for change so you can pursue your best self and exceed your own expectations. Behavior change is only part of the goal. The real desired outcome is self-efficacy and a renewed commitment to a lifestyle that’s aligned with your values. Austin’s Crestone Wellness inpatient addiction treatment facility offers a supportive springboard for a new, healthier phase of your life set on a trajectory you can be proud of.
What is Motivational Interviewing For Substance Abuse?
Miller and Rollnick are the two primary innovators of the approach “Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change.” Change doesn’t happen without inspiration and motivation. MI therapy is a patient-focused and empathy-infused therapy technique that helps to eliminate ambivalence and activate behavior change.[1]
MI is a universally applicable counseling approach that could prove effective for a wide range of behavioral and mental health disorders but is especially effective for those suffering from substance use disorder or anyone lacking the motivation to make necessary, healthy changes.[2]
In most cases, motivational interviewing for addiction treatment is a brief intervention requiring only a few sessions with a therapist or counselor. At Crestone Wellness, our inpatient detox and rehab center is staffed by highly qualified and exceptionally compassionate providers who strive to create a positive recovery experience. Our safe and judgment-free space allows you the freedom to explore your own motivations and activate change with support.
How (and Why) Motivational Interviewing for Substance Abuse Works
Motivational Interviewing for substance use disorders uses careful, reflective listening to identify discrepancies in goals vs actions while avoiding confrontation, adapting to denial or resistance, and encouraging self-efficacy.[3]
Through this evidence-based process, you will collaborate with your therapist to:[4]
- Ignite intrinsic motivation
- Cultivate a relational component
- Elicit change talk for behavior change
Change talk is specific language that is in favor of actions that may indicate ambivalence is no longer an obstacle to making a positive change in behavior or habit based on new-found motivation. [5]
As you rediscover your own motivations for change, take decisive action that creates a positive outcome for the present and the future. These measures will give you greater self-efficacy and independence and give you tools to overcome future resistance to changing harmful or addictive behaviors.
At Crestone Wellness, our treatment programs employ this highly effective short-term modality to help you make the necessary changes for a bright, healthy future full of sobriety, peace, and success.
Substance Abuse Therapies
Efficacy of Motivational Interviewing For Substance Abuse
This client-focused intervention emphasizes empathy in the relational component between provider and patient. Studies show that therapists predicted up to 82% of positive outcomes 6 months after MI therapy for alcohol use disorder patients.[6] Additionally, MI was found to increase treatment retention rates and double the rate of total abstinence 3 to 6 months after treatment.[7]
What to Expect from Motivational Interviewing For Substance Use Disorders
According to industry-leading curriculum and standards, Motivational Interviewing techniques and sessions are defined by the following process:[8]
Engaging:
Establish a productive relationship through reflective listening to better understand the patient’s experience and offer affirmations regarding their strengths.
Focusing:
Agree on shared purposes aligned with desired outcomes to lay the groundwork for change talk.
Evoking:
This helps the patient explore ambivalence or denial and rediscover their motivation for change based on their own ideas and motivations through open-ended questions.
Planning:
This is where the idea becomes action, and the patient can galvanize their commitment to change and develop a strategic plan to execute it.
Motivational Interviewing For Substance Abuse at Crestone Wellness
Our inpatient detox and substance use disorder treatment center offers custom and individualized treatment plans to match each person’s unique needs. You will first undergo a detailed intake assessment and systematic review to determine your mental, physical, and social well-being.
We will get you plugged into the most appropriate level of care as soon as possible with the full support of our treatment and admissions team. Our Austin-area facilities were designed to offer seclusion from daily routines and distractions while simultaneously promoting tranquility and focus. With state-of-the-art amenities and industry-leading providers readily available, this is a safe space where you can launch the next phase of your life.
Frequently Asked Questions About Motivational Interviewing For Substance Abuse
What are some motivational interviewing questions?
This counseling style is based on open-ended questions that elicit change talk. Some question examples could include (from Enhancing Motivation for Change in Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Updated 2019):[9]
- “What will you do about your drinking?”
- “After reviewing your circumstances, what’s the next step?”
- “What do you want to do about your pattern of drug use?”
- “So, where do you go from here? What is next?”
What are the 4 core items of motivational interviewing?
The 4 core components of MI therapy include: [10]
- Engaging through reflective listening to build a relationship
- Focusing on shared purposes
- Evoking change talk
- Planning next steps
What not to say in motivational interviewing?
MI is a positive, relational intervention. There should be no ultimatums, judgment, shame, or confrontation.
Sources
[1][9]Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2019). Enhancing motivation for change in substance use disorder treatment: Updated 2019 chapter 3—Motivational interviewing as a counseling style. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK571068/
[2][4][5][6][7]Miller, W. R., & Rose, G. S. (2009). Toward a theory of motivational interviewing. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2759607/
[3]Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (n.d.). Enhancing motivation for change in substance abuse treatment: Chapter 3—Motivational interviewing as a counseling style. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64964/
[8][10]Miller, W. R., & Rollnick, S. (2013). Understanding motivational interviewing. Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. Retrieved from https://motivationalinterviewing.org/understanding-motivational-interviewing
