A clear and practical overview of the core communication skills in Motivational Interviewing. In this short guide, William Miller introduces OARS, an acronym for Open questions, Affirmations, Reflections, and Summaries, the foundational counseling skills that strengthen engagement and collaboration.
This article explains how these skills help practitioners foster empathy, reduce defensiveness, and guide conversations toward change. It’s an essential resource for anyone developing or refining MI practice.
Use this resource to:
Review the four essential OARS communication skills
Strengthen client engagement and empathy in MI
Support supervision, training, or ongoing professional development
Learn more about MI training at Psychwire’s Motivational Interviewing courses.
