Advancing Motivational Interviewing: An Experiential Skills Guide for Mental Health Providers

Move your motivational interviewing skills from theory to real life.As a mental health provider, you’re familiar with the spirit of motivational interviewing (MI): partnership, acceptance, compassion, and empowerment, as well as the skills that help you build a strong therapeutic connection. But when you’re faced with real-world challenges—clients who are ambivalent, silent, or feel stalled—how do you translate these principles into action?Advancing Motivational Interviewing is here to help you bridge that gap. Intended for seasoned MI practitioners, this hands-on guide is packed with experiential exercises, conversation strategies, and sample dialogues to take your MI skills to the next level.Inside, you’ll learn how to:Engage clients who seem “noncompliant,” disengaged, or discouragedNavigate uncomfortable silences or sensitive topicsBalance professional boundaries with genuine self-disclosureAvoid getting stuck in the “fixing reflex”Make the most out of limited time in short sessionsAdapt MI principles to virtual and web-based interactionsWhether you’re working in behavioral health, education, the justice system, or primary care, this book will help you break through the “stuck points” that keep you from using MI to its full potential. Read more