Substance Abuse Counselor how-to
How to Use Motivational Interviewing
MI helps clients find their own reasons to change.
Quick answer
MI helps clients find their own reasons to change. In short: ask; reflect; affirm, then complete the remaining steps below.
Step by step
Ask open-ended questions.
Reflect what you hear.
Affirm strengths.
Explore ambivalence.
Draw out change talk.
Summarize and plan next steps.
Safety reminders for substance abuse counselors
- Use de-escalation skills
- Know overdose response and naloxone
- Follow confidentiality rules
- Seek supervision and practice self-care
Key terms
SUD · Co-occurring disorders · Motivational interviewing · Relapse · Relapse prevention · Harm reduction: see the full substance abuse counselor glossary.