FOY Wellness and Recovery is a licensed PHP and IOP program in Agoura Hills, California. Our clinical program is developed and overseen by Clinical Program Director Dr. Shannon Dobbs, a licensed clinical psychologist. Motivational Interviewing is a foundational approach used throughout our clinical programming, particularly in early treatment engagement.
What Is Motivational Interviewing?
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a client-centered counseling style developed by William Miller and Stephen Rollnick, designed to help clients explore and resolve ambivalence about behavior change. Rather than confronting or persuading, MI works collaboratively with a client’s own stated values and goals to strengthen internal motivation for change, an approach with a substantial evidence base specifically in addiction treatment.
How Motivational Interviewing Works
MI uses specific communication techniques, including open-ended questions, reflective listening, and affirming a client’s autonomy and strengths, to help clients articulate their own reasons for change rather than having those reasons imposed by the clinician.
Motivational Interviewing at FOY
MI principles are woven throughout clinical interactions at FOY, particularly useful for clients who are ambivalent about treatment or specific behavior changes, helping build genuine internal motivation rather than relying on external pressure alone.
Who Benefits From Motivational Interviewing
- Clients ambivalent about entering or continuing treatment
- Clients in early stages of considering behavior change
- Clients with a history of feeling judged or confronted in prior treatment experiences
- Clients navigating co-occurring conditions with complex motivation for change
What to Expect
MI is often woven throughout individual sessions rather than delivered as a separate, isolated modality, particularly during early treatment engagement and whenever ambivalence about change arises.
FAQs
Is Motivational Interviewing only used at the start of treatment?
While particularly useful early in treatment engagement, MI principles can be used throughout treatment whenever ambivalence about a specific change arises.
Will my therapist try to convince me to change?
No, MI specifically avoids confrontation or persuasion, instead helping clients explore and strengthen their own reasons for change.
What if I’m not sure I want to be in treatment?
MI is specifically designed for exactly this situation, helping clients explore ambivalence honestly rather than requiring certainty upfront.
Is Motivational Interviewing evidence-based?
Yes, MI has a substantial evidence base, particularly in substance use treatment, for improving engagement and treatment outcomes.
Is MI a standalone therapy or used alongside other modalities?
MI is typically integrated as a communication style and approach alongside other modalities such as CBT or DBT, rather than used as a standalone treatment.
Can MI help if I’ve relapsed before?
Yes, MI is specifically designed to work with ambivalence and setbacks without judgment, which is relevant for clients with a history of relapse.
Does MI apply only to substance use, or other behaviors too?
MI was developed in addiction treatment but is now used broadly for any behavior change where ambivalence is present, including engagement with mental health treatment itself.
How is MI different from just being supportive?
MI uses specific, structured techniques such as reflective listening and eliciting “change talk,” distinguishing it from general supportiveness alone.
Is Motivational Interviewing covered by insurance?
MI is integrated throughout FOY’s PHP and IOP clinical programming, billed as a level of care. Contact our admissions team about your specific plan.
Take the First Step
Call (805) 659-8429 or visit foywellnessandrecovery.com/contact for a free confidential assessment. We are in-network with Blue Shield, Cigna, and TRICARE through TriWest, and accept most other major PPO plans, including Anthem, Aetna, Multiplan, HMC HealthWorks, and Blue Cross Blue Shield, on an out-of-network basis.