Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change, 3rd Edition

I'd hate to even call it a skill or tool. Once I became more comfortable with MI, I felt like I had a new attitude about how to communicate with patients. BUT reading a book OR taking a one day course alone will not be enough to learn it. Not because MI is complicated. Because I don't think it is, and I think for those in the helping professions, some of this will come naturally to you. Coaching is essential as well. Do all of the things related to MI that you can, and slowly over time it will be easier to do. Right now, at least at several of the agencies I've worked with, it's become the latest fad to encourage staff to learn MI. But as admin only knows MI as the cool new thing to have their staff do, without understanding how it works, they sent everyone to an expensive 2 day course, with no follow up. That's like sending someone to a two day piano class then asking them to play Mozart (and then being suprised and dissapointed they can't play well). So definitely use this book as a supplement, and ask for coaching or create a peer group to practice. Give yourself time and you will see why using MI is worth the effort. If anyone has any recommendations for subsequent books that provide ideas for training, practice or creating a study group, please share.

This book is very well organized. Each topic is introduced and explained, and then later chapters explore the subjects more deeply. It's like a semester course in book format - building on knowledge as you prgress through the chapters. Each chapter concludes with a well written summary. The information is also presented in a very practical way - which is important to me as I am currently working as a health coach. Previous courses I have taken spend too much time on the history and philosophy and not enough on the practical applications of motivational interviewing. These authors provide plenty of real-life examples to make the information more meaningful and applicable. Not only are great coaching techniques presented with examples, they also offer common mistakes to avoid. I am taking my time with this book and I am currently half way through. I can honestly say I am seeing an improvement in my connection with my clients (engaging) and more optimism and excitement for change in my clients. My personal confidence in my coaching has improved and I am enjoying my work more as a result of this book. Not only has this book helped me improve my coaching and motivational interviewing techniques, it has inspired me to be a better coach and to continue to improve so that I can assist others in making lasting change. I highly recommend it to those wanting to increase their methods of assisting change, no matter what your coaching niche may be.

William Miller's approach addresses ambivalence as a natural event in anyone's attempts to consider change. His strategies are well thought out and researched and are a foundation to therapy and consultation with clients. To the point and clearly written, this text summarizes his work and others into a cohesive set of thoughtful decision making strategies allowing the client to think about what will work for them. This is a strength based approach that is used in conjunction with other therapy approaches. It is seen as an approach very useful in the beginning stages of therapy. I wish I had had this background early in my career because the clarity of his thinking is so useful in understanding how therapists can misstep, intervene too early or miss opportunities in supporting a client to a place where they are ready to move forward. This is a way of thinking as well as a set of tools useful for children, adolescents and adults. It can be integrated into working with families work.

I was already familiar with MI but was taught using the principles from the 2002 edition. There are some major changes in this book (the authors states 95% of the book is rewritten). Most of the basic principles are the same, and changes are based upon the findings of the authors and others using the techniques and discovering what improves the techniques. Miller and Rollnick walk through the different aspects of MI in a manner that makes the information accessible to newcomers yet is still interesting for those who are already familiar with Motivational Interviewing. For trainers, this book will enable you to easily update your classes and bring them up-to-date. For those not familiar with MI, this book will help you to understand the collaborative conversation style that helps you to guide another to a decision while recognizing their autonomy and evoking their reasons to make a change. If you believe you will be able to read this book and walk away able to be an immediate expert in MI, you will probably be disappointed. However, if you embrace these teachings and begin to incorporate the techniques into your "conversational repertoire," you will be on your way to understanding just how powerful Motivational Interviewing can be.

I bought this for professional development in my engineering job. I would argue that the principles in the book and active listening techniques are excellent. It's the implementation of the "evoking" i.e. persuading technique that can be used manipulatively. I suggest using this book more for personal reflection on spiritual values than for using in the professional workplace. It is geared towards therapists and health professionals to help people change.

This was utilized in a course for the MA Counseling program, but it also comes in exceptionally well in personal life, too - learning how to mirror people, and conversate with them on a deeper level, is a very important skill. Asking the right questions, and showing that you are actually listening, are tools useful in any profession.

I'm still in the middle of reading this book, which is really enjoyable and mostly understandable. It gives you actual examples to help you understand.

Este libro permite conocer herramientas importantes y esenciales a la hora de llevar a cabo intervenciones clinicas; valora una perspectiva positiva y más profunda sobre la conducta, cognición, etc humana

Excellent print. Very neatly packed and arrived on time.

This third edition of Motivational Interviewing by the eminent leaders, William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnick, is a great advance on the two previous editions and contains a huge amount of updated material and professional guidance for encouraging lifestyle change. It is very comprehensive, with over 400 pages of helpful guidelines, suitable for both expert and beginner lifestyle-change practitioners, which is explained clearly and with helpful summaries of key points at the end of each chapter. This is an excellent guide to the essential elements involved in helping people to make lifestyle change, provided by the original masters of the art. Peter Brown MBE MSc. (Director,Wellness Management Ltd.)

This book outlines a useful and respectful, person centred approach to add to the tool box of approaches. Not suitable to use in every situation but it certainly presents a core approach for therapeutic communication. The third edition includes some thoughtful additions.

One of the most practical and best book for all professionals.