Motivational Counselling

Motivational Interviewing is an empathic, gentle, and skillful style of counseling that helps practitioners have productive conversations with individuals with co-occurring and other disorders. Essential characteristics of motivational interviewing include:

• Expressing empathy through reflective listening.
• Noting discrepancies between current and desired behavior.
• Avoiding argumentation and rolling with resistance.
• Encourage the consumer’s belief that he or she has the ability to change.
• Communicating respect for and acceptance of people and their feelings.
• Establishing a nonjudgmental, collaborative relationship.
• Being a supportive and knowledgeable consultant.
• Complimenting rather than denigrating.
• Listening rather than telling.
• Gently persuading, with the understanding that change is up to the person. Providing support throughout the process of recovery.