075 What is motivational interviewing?

We all know what motivation is... it is what gets us out of bed and out of the door. But what if you have a problem with alcohol, or with misuse of other drugs? What role does motivation play in our desire or ability to change our behaviour patterns? In this episode I explore the strengths-based credentials of the concept of motivational interviewing. Introduced by William Miller in the early 1980's, this has become a prominent therapeutic intervention in the field of substance misuse, but what is the concept based on, and how does it work in practice? I attempt to briefly explore some of the questions posed here, look at the strengths & motivational interviewing research, and establish a link to the cycle of change.