Motivational Interviewing in Social Work: A Practical Guide

What is Motivational Interviewing?

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative, person-centred approach for helping people resolve ambivalence about change. Developed by William Miller and Stephen Rollnick, MI is evidence-based and widely used in social work, particularly when working with resistant or ambivalent clients.

The spirit of MI is collaborative, evocative, and honours autonomy—helping people find their own motivation for change rather than imposing it from outside.

The Spirit of MI

Partnership

MI is done "with" rather than "to" people. It's a collaborative conversation, not an expert telling someone what to do.

Acceptance

• Absolute worth of the person
• Accurate empathy
• Autonomy support—respecting choice
• Affirmation—acknowledging strengths

Compassion

Prioritising the person's welfare and acting in their interest.

Evocation

Drawing out the person's own motivations and ideas, rather than installing them from outside.

OARS: Core Skills

Open Questions

Questions that invite elaboration rather than yes/no answers:

• "What concerns you most about this?"
• "How do you feel about the current situation?"
• "What would be different if things changed?"

Affirmations

Genuine statements recognising strengths and efforts:

• "You've shown real determination in difficult circumstances."
• "Coming here today took courage."
• "You clearly care deeply about your children."

Reflections

Reflective listening statements that show understanding:

• Simple reflections—repeating or rephrasing
• Complex reflections—adding meaning or emotion
• Reflections should outnumber questions

Summaries

Gathering together what someone has said:

• Collecting key points
• Linking related ideas
• Transitioning to a new topic

Change Talk and Sustain Talk

Change Talk

Statements in favour of change (listen for these and explore them):

• Desire: "I want to..."
• Ability: "I could..."
• Reasons: "It would be better because..."
• Need: "I have to..."
• Commitment: "I will..."
• Taking steps: "I've started to..."

Sustain Talk

Statements against change. Rather than arguing, acknowledge and explore:

• Reflect and move on
• Explore the ambivalence
• Don't try to convince

The MI Approach in Practice

Engaging

Building a working relationship based on trust and respect.

Focusing

Agreeing on what to talk about and what change might look like.

Evoking

Drawing out the person's own reasons and motivations for change.

Planning

When ready, developing a concrete plan for action.

Applying MI in Social Work

When MI Works Well

• When people are ambivalent about change
• When building motivation is the key issue
• When you have time to develop the approach

Limitations

• Not a substitute for risk assessment
• Child safety may require quicker action
• May not be appropriate in crisis situations
• Requires training and practice to do well

Common Mistakes

• Telling people what to do
• Arguing for change
• Asking too many questions (interrogation)
• Not listening enough
• Moving to planning before the person is ready

Getting Started

• Practice OARS skills in everyday conversations
• Listen for change talk and explore it
• Resist the "righting reflex"—the urge to fix things
• Seek training if possible

Conclusion

Motivational interviewing offers a collaborative, respectful approach to helping people find their own motivation for change. While it's not a magic solution and has limitations in child protection contexts, the core skills—open questions, affirmations, reflections, and summaries—enhance any social work conversation. People are more likely to change when the motivation comes from within.