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Motivational Interviewing is a skill that transforms the way that clinicians help facilitate positive behavior change for patients. It shifts healthcare workers away from using the “righting reflex,” where we impulsively offer solutions when patients talk about problems or goals they want to achieve.

Clinicians always have an opportunity to encourage patients towards positive behavior change. The key is in three competencies: understanding the psychology of ambivalence, deciphering between change talk versus sustain talk, and being comfortable with reflective statements.

It is harder to convince patients to change than it is for patients to convince themselves to change. If we task ourselves with the convincing, then by default we must take the opposite stance of the patient. This causes resistance and subconsciously makes the patient want to defend the status quo (their current unhealthy behaviors).

Using the OARS technique of motivational interviewing (Open ended questions, Affirmations, Reflections, and Summarizing) can prompt patients to continue verbalizing and facilitate positive behavior change.