What Is the Primary Goal of Motivational Interviewing?
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The Nexus Teen Academy editorial and clinical team is dedicated to providing informative and accurate content to help families who are struggling with adolescent behavioral health problems. The editorial team works directly with the clinical team to ensure information is accurate and up-to-date.
To do this, our team uses the following editorial guidelines:
We generally only cite government and peer-reviewed studies
Scientific claims and data are backed by qualified sources
Content is updated to ensure we are citing the most up-to-date data and information
Clinically reviewed by Executive Director Hannah Carr-Unquera, LPC
Executive Director Hannah Carr-Unquera, LPC
Hannah graduated from Arizona State University with her Bachelor’s in Psychology and Master’s in Counseling and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Arizona. She began her work as a therapist 12 years ago in South Phoenix with an intensive outpatient program for teens and their families. She joined Nexus in the residential program as the clinical director, eventually being promoted to the executive director, creating and building the clinical program structure and a strong culture focused on redirecting the trajectory of young lives.
The Nexus Teen Academy Editorial Staff is composed of writers, editors, and clinical reviewers with many years of experience writing about mental health and behavioral health treatment. Our team utilizes peer-reviewed, clinical studies from sources like SAMHSA to ensure we provide the most accurate and current information.
Motivational interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based counseling technique for behavior change. It helps address conflicting beliefs or feelings about change and encourages the change. The primary goal of motivational interviewing is to help people resolve their mixed feelings about behavior change. It helps such individuals find their reasons for change.
Psychologists William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnick introduced motivational interviewing in 1983. At its onset, MI helped in substance abuse treatment. Over time, the practice evolved and became effective in various other systems. Today, motivational interviewing is applied in medical care, families, schools, and criminal justice systems.
In this article, we will discuss in detail the primary goal of MI. This information will help you determine whether MI suits you, your teen, or someone you care about.
The Primary Goal of Motivational Interviewing
Encouraging Positive Behavioral Change
Motivational Interviewing for teens is a form of teen therapy that helps explore and overcome mixed feelings and uncertainty about change. MI counselors may allow a client to verbalize arguments about wanting to keep up behavior and about wanting to stop. These sessions help the client discover their internal conflict and find possible solutions. For example, by examining the pros and cons of keeping or changing a behavior, the client can conclude on their own about whether and how change is best for them.
MI sessions also promote self-awareness. Sometimes, it’s easy to forget our principles, values, beliefs, and why we do what we do. Open-ended questions and affirmations in MI may introduce ideas of:
Defining goals and values.
Examining readiness for change and taking steps to increase it.
Journaling for planning, progress review, and celebration of achievements.
Practicing mindfulness to raise awareness of feelings and thoughts.
Building Intrinsic Motivation
Motivational interviewing is based on the belief that inward motivation may have a more positive impact than pressure or coercion. In this sense, change comes from the individual, not an MI counselor. So, a counselor doesn’t pressure clients on what they think is right. Instead, they get the client’s opinion on what they think about their behavior and what they may want to do about it.
To uncover personal reasons for change, an MI counselor may guide a client through:
Open-ended questions. These questions often start with “How” and “What,” among other words that make room for detailed answers. Open-ended questions may encourage clients to open up about their opinions on their behavior.
Identifying discrepancy. Where a client is may differ greatly from where they want to be. Noticing such a mismatch may motivate them to acknowledge change as necessary and take necessary steps.
Resolving Ambivalence
It is normal to have shifting motivations for change. Sometimes, individuals may want to change but cannot take necessary action due to mixed feelings about change. This indecision resulting from uncertainty is ambivalence.
Clients can find their way through these mixed feelings by examining the pros and cons of their current behaviors and future goals. Here are MI techniques that can help them do so:
Open-ended questions. An MI counselor may ask open-ended questions that help clients look at things from a broad perspective.
Reflective listening. By echoing what a client says, an MI counselor may help them hear their own words about what they think, feel, and want.
Affirmations. Positive feedback helps clients restore belief in themselves and a desire for their goals.
Summaries. A counselor’s recap of a client’s behavior’s pros, cons, and goals may help them reflect on where they are and want to be.
How Motivational Interviewing Achieves Its Goal
Strengthening Client-Therapist Collaboration
Developing client-therapist collaboration in MI is important in promoting trust and open communication. This collaboration ensures that:
There’s no assumption that the client’s perspective is wrong.
There’s no need to persuade or pressure the client to change.
There’s no need to impose or insist on a point of view.
A collaborative approach also impacts an MI session by encouraging:
A partnership between a counselor and a client.
Joint decision-making.
But that is not all. By acknowledging a client as an expert on themselves, a counselor contributes to creating a safe space to explore the client’s doubts and fears. So, the session focuses on mutual understanding between the two rather than the counselor’s point of view. This understanding allows for open communication.
Utilizing Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions in MI play a huge role in encouraging self-reflection. Here are examples of questions a therapist may ask a client:
“What are your values/principles?”
“How have your values/principles changed over time?”
“How do you think your fears have affected your past decisions?”
“What areas of your life do you think need improvement?”
“If you could, how would you change your greatest regret?”
Open-ended questions help discover and unlock inward motivation. They:
Invite a detailed response.
Encourage deep thinking.
Raise awareness of wants, needs, and possible challenges.
Help identify unhealthy beliefs.
Help identify reasons for change and realize the possibility of change.
Reflective Listening and Empathy
Reflective listening involves active and intentional listening. A counselor repeats or rephrases what the client shares to try to understand them. This reflection shows the client they’ve been listening and following along. It also shows empathy and may make a client feel acknowledged and understood.
To engage the client, a counselor may apply empathetic responses such as:
“It sounds like you feel that your opinion is undervalued.”
“Family gatherings can be hectic; it appears they make you uncomfortable.”
“It’s understandable to want a break after a tough day; it sounds like you feel you could have done more.”
Real-Life Applications of Motivational Interviewing
Addiction and Substance Abuse Counseling
Teens struggling with addiction who need teen substance abuse treatment often also battle shame and guilt. MI may help these individuals find a reason for change. Counseling them may involve using MI to raise or increase their desire for change instead of asking or demanding that they do. Individuals who use MI may also build resilience to change and develop high retention of healthy habits.
A journal published in 2010 reviewed the effectiveness of MI when used before substance use treatment. It showed that when used before substance abuse treatment, MI was more effective for total abstinence than when MI was not used initially. This finding was true, especially 3 to 6 months after inpatient or outpatient treatment. Using MI before treatment also increased retention and motivation for change.
Chronic Illness and Health Management
Some people may feel stuck when:
They know the negative effects of their behavior on their health.
They do not adhere to medication instructions or have unhealthy diet and exercise habits.
They find personal reasons or justifications to keep up with the unhealthy behavior.
MI may help such individuals understand their points of view and the reasons behind their beliefs or actions. This way, they can weigh the pros and cons and realize the impact of change on their lives.
Addressing Mental Health Challenges
Adolescents struggling with teen anxiety, emotional regulation, or teen depressionmay often disagree with therapists. These disagreements could result from the traditional therapy approach of persuading or coercing. MI may help such individuals by replacing persuasion and coercion with collaboration. By identifying the pros of treatment and the cons of not taking it, an individual may be willing to accept and stay engaged with it.
A review published in 2018 looked into the effectiveness of MI for individuals with anxiety. It was found that MI boosted treatment outcomes when used to supplement teen cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Using MI along with CBT showed improved symptoms in people with anxiety compared to using CBT alone.
Why Is Motivational Interviewing’s Approach So Effective?
Empowerment Through Self-Discovery
MI acknowledges that change is a client’s journey. It empowers clients to find their reasons for change and helps them realize that change is possible through:
Open-ended questions to help raise self-awareness.
Affirmations to restore self-belief and a desire for goals.
Reflective listening to echo a client’s words and affirmations.
Summaries to help reflect on the present and what the future could look like.
These elements of MI may encourage change by:
Raising awareness of current behaviors and their impact.
Raising awareness of what a client wants.
Helping clients determine what they need to do to get what they want.
Avoiding Resistance
MI focuses on collaboration over confrontation. This approach reduces resistance and defensiveness. When a counselor embraces collaboration in an MI session, it helps:
Build rapport.
Foster a sense of open communication.
Develop mutual understanding rather than the counselor trying to be right.
The MI principle of “Roll with Resistance” also helps improve the quality of an MI session in the following ways:
The counselor avoids negativity toward a client’s views. This way, a client feels no need to resist or be defensive.
The counselor may make room to examine new viewpoints without pressure or insisting. Doing so may enable the client to view the point from their perspective and determine whether it’s right for them.
Teen Motivational Interviewing at Nexus Teen Academy
If you are looking for a teen residential treatment center that can provide motivational interviewing and other forms of adolescent treatment, Nexus Teen Academy is here to help. At our program, teens will experience an array of evidence-based and holistic treatment options to ensure they are getting a comprehensive approach to care.
To learn more about our treatment options and our Arizona teen mental health treatment center, give our team a call and get a better understanding of how our approach can help your son or daughter.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who can benefit from motivational interviewing?
Anyone experiencing mixed feelings or internal conflicts about change can benefit from MI.
What are the four principles of motivational interviewing?
The four principles of MI are:
Express Empathy. Involves adapting a client’s perspective of their situation. It also involves sharing the client’s feelings and thoughts about their situation.
Support Self-efficacy. Involves reinforcing the client’s belief in themselves that they can change.
Roll with Resistance. Involves avoiding views that conflict with the client’s to prevent defensiveness.
Develop Discrepancy. Involves helping the client self-examine a mismatch between where they are and where they want to be.
Is motivational interviewing only for therapists?
No, it is not. While therapists practice MI, it can also be practiced in the following settings:
Public health.
Medical care.
Families.
Schools.
Criminal Justice Systems.
How does motivational interviewing differ from traditional therapy?
MI differs from traditional therapy in the following ways:
A traditional therapist often assumes an expert role. An MI therapist takes a partnering role, offering support rather than advice.
Traditional therapy can be confrontational, while MI is collaborative.
A traditional therapist may form a perspective on a client’s behavior. The therapist may also persuade or coerce the client to adopt this perspective. An MI therapist allows clients to express their thoughts/feelings about their behavior.
A traditional therapist may suggest a treatment course based on client evaluation. An MI therapist allows clients to express their opinions on possible solutions to their behavior.
Can motivational interviewing be used with teenagers?
Yes, it can. If a teenager exhibits ambivalence to behavior change, MI can help them navigate their internal conflicts.
Where can I learn more about motivational interviewing?
You can learn more about MI in the following sources:
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What Is the Primary Goal of Motivational Interviewing?
FACT CHECKED
The Nexus Teen Academy editorial and clinical team is dedicated to providing informative and accurate content to help families who are struggling with adolescent behavioral health problems. The editorial team works directly with the clinical team to ensure information is accurate and up-to-date.
To do this, our team uses the following editorial guidelines:
Clinically reviewed by Executive Director Hannah Carr-Unquera, LPC
Executive Director Hannah Carr-Unquera, LPC
Hannah graduated from Arizona State University with her Bachelor’s in Psychology and Master’s in Counseling and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Arizona. She began her work as a therapist 12 years ago in South Phoenix with an intensive outpatient program for teens and their families. She joined Nexus in the residential program as the clinical director, eventually being promoted to the executive director, creating and building the clinical program structure and a strong culture focused on redirecting the trajectory of young lives.
Published By Nexus Teen Academy
Nexus Teen Academy
The Nexus Teen Academy Editorial Staff is composed of writers, editors, and clinical reviewers with many years of experience writing about mental health and behavioral health treatment. Our team utilizes peer-reviewed, clinical studies from sources like SAMHSA to ensure we provide the most accurate and current information.
Published On March 17, 2025
Table of Contents
Motivational interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based counseling technique for behavior change. It helps address conflicting beliefs or feelings about change and encourages the change. The primary goal of motivational interviewing is to help people resolve their mixed feelings about behavior change. It helps such individuals find their reasons for change.
Psychologists William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnick introduced motivational interviewing in 1983. At its onset, MI helped in substance abuse treatment. Over time, the practice evolved and became effective in various other systems. Today, motivational interviewing is applied in medical care, families, schools, and criminal justice systems.
In this article, we will discuss in detail the primary goal of MI. This information will help you determine whether MI suits you, your teen, or someone you care about.
The Primary Goal of Motivational Interviewing
Encouraging Positive Behavioral Change
Motivational Interviewing for teens is a form of teen therapy that helps explore and overcome mixed feelings and uncertainty about change. MI counselors may allow a client to verbalize arguments about wanting to keep up behavior and about wanting to stop. These sessions help the client discover their internal conflict and find possible solutions. For example, by examining the pros and cons of keeping or changing a behavior, the client can conclude on their own about whether and how change is best for them.
MI sessions also promote self-awareness. Sometimes, it’s easy to forget our principles, values, beliefs, and why we do what we do. Open-ended questions and affirmations in MI may introduce ideas of:
Building Intrinsic Motivation
Motivational interviewing is based on the belief that inward motivation may have a more positive impact than pressure or coercion. In this sense, change comes from the individual, not an MI counselor. So, a counselor doesn’t pressure clients on what they think is right. Instead, they get the client’s opinion on what they think about their behavior and what they may want to do about it.
To uncover personal reasons for change, an MI counselor may guide a client through:
Resolving Ambivalence
It is normal to have shifting motivations for change. Sometimes, individuals may want to change but cannot take necessary action due to mixed feelings about change. This indecision resulting from uncertainty is ambivalence.
Clients can find their way through these mixed feelings by examining the pros and cons of their current behaviors and future goals. Here are MI techniques that can help them do so:
How Motivational Interviewing Achieves Its Goal
Strengthening Client-Therapist Collaboration
Developing client-therapist collaboration in MI is important in promoting trust and open communication. This collaboration ensures that:
A collaborative approach also impacts an MI session by encouraging:
But that is not all. By acknowledging a client as an expert on themselves, a counselor contributes to creating a safe space to explore the client’s doubts and fears. So, the session focuses on mutual understanding between the two rather than the counselor’s point of view. This understanding allows for open communication.
Utilizing Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions in MI play a huge role in encouraging self-reflection. Here are examples of questions a therapist may ask a client:
Open-ended questions help discover and unlock inward motivation. They:
Reflective Listening and Empathy
Reflective listening involves active and intentional listening. A counselor repeats or rephrases what the client shares to try to understand them. This reflection shows the client they’ve been listening and following along. It also shows empathy and may make a client feel acknowledged and understood.
To engage the client, a counselor may apply empathetic responses such as:
Real-Life Applications of Motivational Interviewing
Addiction and Substance Abuse Counseling
Teens struggling with addiction who need teen substance abuse treatment often also battle shame and guilt. MI may help these individuals find a reason for change. Counseling them may involve using MI to raise or increase their desire for change instead of asking or demanding that they do. Individuals who use MI may also build resilience to change and develop high retention of healthy habits.
A journal published in 2010 reviewed the effectiveness of MI when used before substance use treatment. It showed that when used before substance abuse treatment, MI was more effective for total abstinence than when MI was not used initially. This finding was true, especially 3 to 6 months after inpatient or outpatient treatment. Using MI before treatment also increased retention and motivation for change.
Chronic Illness and Health Management
Some people may feel stuck when:
MI may help such individuals understand their points of view and the reasons behind their beliefs or actions. This way, they can weigh the pros and cons and realize the impact of change on their lives.
Addressing Mental Health Challenges
Adolescents struggling with teen anxiety, emotional regulation, or teen depression may often disagree with therapists. These disagreements could result from the traditional therapy approach of persuading or coercing. MI may help such individuals by replacing persuasion and coercion with collaboration. By identifying the pros of treatment and the cons of not taking it, an individual may be willing to accept and stay engaged with it.
A review published in 2018 looked into the effectiveness of MI for individuals with anxiety. It was found that MI boosted treatment outcomes when used to supplement teen cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Using MI along with CBT showed improved symptoms in people with anxiety compared to using CBT alone.
Why Is Motivational Interviewing’s Approach So Effective?
Empowerment Through Self-Discovery
MI acknowledges that change is a client’s journey. It empowers clients to find their reasons for change and helps them realize that change is possible through:
These elements of MI may encourage change by:
Avoiding Resistance
MI focuses on collaboration over confrontation. This approach reduces resistance and defensiveness. When a counselor embraces collaboration in an MI session, it helps:
The MI principle of “Roll with Resistance” also helps improve the quality of an MI session in the following ways:
Teen Motivational Interviewing at Nexus Teen Academy
If you are looking for a teen residential treatment center that can provide motivational interviewing and other forms of adolescent treatment, Nexus Teen Academy is here to help. At our program, teens will experience an array of evidence-based and holistic treatment options to ensure they are getting a comprehensive approach to care.
To learn more about our treatment options and our Arizona teen mental health treatment center, give our team a call and get a better understanding of how our approach can help your son or daughter.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Anyone experiencing mixed feelings or internal conflicts about change can benefit from MI.
The four principles of MI are:
No, it is not. While therapists practice MI, it can also be practiced in the following settings:
MI differs from traditional therapy in the following ways:
Yes, it can. If a teenager exhibits ambivalence to behavior change, MI can help them navigate their internal conflicts.
You can learn more about MI in the following sources: