There are times when we are working with our clients, where we think there will be some change, and then the client ultimately chooses to maintain the status quo. We may have invested a great deal of time and energy, but we realize the importance of acknowledging and respecting the choice made by the client. It is not easy at times to watch this process unfold, and as much as we may have wanted the client to make a different choice, we still need to honor personal autonomy.
In motivational interviewing, there are many ways to accept a client. One of those ways is to accept a client and the choices they are making. The hope is that as clinicians, we are establishing the conditions for the client to explore the possibility of behavior change. And if change does not occur, we hope the experience may create safety and trust to perhaps have the client come back at a later time to consider a change.
If there appears to be limited motivation on behalf of the client to change, one example from Miller and Rollnick of how to the leave the door open may sound like this:
鈥淚 recognize that you aren鈥檛 at all interested in stopping smoking now, and that is your choice. If anytime in the future you are thinking more about it, the door is open and I will be glad to talk to you.鈥�
This can be a way to share with the client your acceptance of them and their decision at this time. And it leaves the door open for them to come back if they want to consider a behavior change later. There is always something to say about timing related to behavior change, and if the client knows they will be welcomed back, it might be just what they need to hear for when they are ready.
In our next blog, we will shift our attention to the planning process. We always want to support the client in not only discovering and exploring motivation for change, but also in concrete ways of having the change become reality. I hope everyone is doing as well as possible and you have opportunities to use and practice motivational interviewing.
For more information about Motivational Interviewing or related services, contact Eunice Akinyi Okumu, by phone (919) 843-2532, or by email, eunice_okumu@med.unc.edu
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