One of the greatest challenges of our existence is to succeed in changing for the better.
This is the goal of personal development, this is the goal of this blog.
If you want to help yourself or help others lose bad habits and succeed to change for the better, motivational interviewing can help you!
An effective psychological strategy but little known
Motivational interviewing, or EM, is a strategy of psychological intervention that advocates respect and openness to others, instead of judging.
EM was introduced by American psychologist William Miller in the eighties and was first developed to help addicts.
This method promotes behavioral changes by enhancing motivation.
It has of course been developed in a context to help others, but many of its teachings and methods can apply to us individually.
And do you want another good news? Motivational interviewing can be useful in all areas of life where positive – but difficult to achieve – changes are needed, such as quitting, eating better, exercising more, and (finally) saving money rather than doing it. to spend everything as you go and get into debt …
The spirit of motivational interviewing
Jean-Marc Assaad, a doctor in psychology who has been teaching motivational interviewing for 8 years, insists on the spirit that governs this particular type of communication:
To foster change, we must first respect the strengths and limitations of others, which is neither easy nor frequent … This respect also implies collaboration in change: we are all equal and must find solutions together instead of "prescribing" them to others.
This attitude is very useful because it reduces resistance, the number one enemy of change.
Motivational Interviewing postulates that the person who changes always has the answers and the best resources to succeed.
Thus, through respectful exchanges, it becomes easy to evoke change and the means to succeed rather than impose them. Each person is autonomous.
Change is a choice, and respecting the choice of others increases the ability to lead oneself to succeed.
Here are some strategies for introducing yourself to EM and helping others or helping yourself.
The "decisional balance"
The only danger is to discourage you once and for all and not to see you on the line that leads you to point B, not to see that you are in a slow process, difficult, but that will eventually lead you to success.
How to use motivational interviewing everyday?
Dr. Assaad offers a set of concrete techniques for applying EM each day, as much to promote our own changes as those of others.
These techniques are grouped under the acronym "OUVER", which denotes the opening necessary to the base of the motivational interview.
1. OR for Ask open questions (to others or to oneself).
For example, "What are the best reasons to change? As opposed to closed questions that do not help to reflect on change, such as, "Do I know how important it is to change? "
2. V for valorize.
Valuation is about making genuine and positive feedback about change.
For example, sincerely appreciate the fact that the other is making an effort and thinking about change, which you can also apply to yourself.
3. E for Active listening.
When someone talks about changes, you have to show that you really listen to them.
To do this, it is possible, for example, to repeat in other words what she says. This clearly indicates that we are trying to understand.
4. R for Execust the changes we are talking about the other.
From the individual point of view, it is also possible to reflect frequently on the process of change and summarize, for example by taking notes, where one is, how one feels, etc.
As Dr. Assaad says, we already use these techniques, consciously or not.
The goal is to pay attention to use them more.
It will be easier to transform your life by gradually making the changes that will make it better!
Excellent resources to go (really) further:
Did you know motivational interviewing?
Do you believe that this method could help you make important but difficult changes in your life?
I can not wait to read you (and answer you) in the comments.
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