Motivational Interviewing in Practice

Motivational interviewing (MI) is an approach that was originally developed to support behavior change in addiction treatment and has been successfully applied to a wide range of behaviors in the past few decades (Miller and Rollnick, 2023). It can also be used to help people move through the stages of change to help them prepare to take action to make a change. MI helps individuals explore and resolve ambivalence about making behavior changes and is intended to increase an intrinsic motivation to change. 

Principles of MI include:

Partnership: The provider and client (patient) are partners in the therapeutic relationship.

Acceptance: When people experience being accepted as they are, it becomes possible for them to change.

Compassion: An intention to give top priority to the health and well-being of the client.

Empowerment: Actively encouraging the client’s autonomy.

MI encompasses a complex set of skills that can require substantial effort to master.

Training programs and continuing education programs are available from a wide range of providers, including the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), which offers a directory of MINT-certified trainers worldwide and regularly hosts workshops, online training, and customizable trainings for health care settings.

In addition, the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School's Center for Integrated Primary Care offers a Certificate of Intensive Training in Motivational Interviewing that is designed specifically for primary care providers and integrated care teams, and addresses weight loss, physical activity, and dietary changes using MI.

Practice Pearl | Deliver the Care You’d Want to Receive

Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, MPA, MBA, FAAP, FACP, FAHA, FAMWA, FTOS, Harvard Medical School


If I am rendering care that is not exactly what I would want to receive in a compassionate, caring way, then I am not doing my job.


Obesity Management in Practice

Recognize Obesity as a Disease in Need of Treatment | Assess for the Presence of Bias and Work to Address It | Seek Resources and Continuing Education  | The 6 As Approach to Weight Management | Become Familiar with Principles of Readiness to Change  | Consider Motivational Interviewing Strategies | Identify Opportunities for Reimbursement | Practice Management References