Motivational Interviewing FAQs

Motivation Interviewing (MI), developed by Drs Stephen Rollnick and William R. Miller, is a goal directed counselling style that helps people resolve internal ambivalence and find the necessary motivation to instil positive behavior change. This evidence-based treatment method is now being used in more than 50 languages around the world and has been tested in over one thousand clinical trials.

Motivational Interviewing isn’t just a set of techniques. It’s a way of working with people that’s built on collaboration, acceptance, evocation, and compassion. These elements guide how you communicate and help clients connect with their own natural drive to grow, adapt, and flourish.

Stephen Rollnick and William Miller explain more in their Q&A Understanding Motivational Interviewing.

Yes. Motivational Interviewing can be integrated with many approaches, including CBT and other empirically supported therapies. MI isn’t a competing model but a way of having purposeful, collaborative conversations about change that can enhance any therapeutic style.

It’s increasingly being used across mental health, healthcare, education, and coaching because conversations about change happen in all of these settings.

Motivational Interviewing can be used in many areas including counselling and psychotherapy, health care, social work, corrections, education and sport.

Motivational Interviewing works because it helps people discover their own motivation for change rather than being told what to do. Research shows that when clients voice their reasons for change, they are more likely to follow through. MI combines empathy, collaboration, and clear focus, creating conversations where people feel understood, confident, and ready to act.

We recommend you start with our Motivational Interviewing - Foundational course or our Motivational Interviewing in Healthcare course if you work in the healthcare field. Our Motivational Interviewing for Addiction course is an advanced level course and suitable for anyone who has completed either the Foundational or Healthcare course. 

Motivational Interviewing can be used in many areas including counselling and psychotherapy, health care, social work, corrections, education and sport.

At this time, there is no Motivational Interviewing certification process.  Therapists can train in Motivational Interviewing and continue to learn more through workshops, online courses, books, networking, joining Motivational Interviewing organizations etc.  You can also be listed as ‘Motivational Interviewing Trained’ on therapist databases.

However, Psychwire's Motivational Interviewing courses all provide CE/CME credits, and a certificate of completion that can be used to show professional development boards.