We all know what it feels like to be ambivalent and how difficult it can be to move forward when we have mixed feelings about making a change. You want to exercise more, but you also want time to watch television and relax. You want to stop smoking, but you enjoy the feeling it gives you. When people are ambivalent about making changes, telling them what to do won’t help. What most of us need when we’re ambivalent is a space to explore both sides of our dilemma, and that is exactly what Motivational Interviewing provides.
In this video, expert MI trainer Cathy Cole addresses common concerns clinicians face when working with people who are ambivalent, such as:
- How do I remain neutral when I have a strong opinion about what my client should do?
- How do I decrease the likelihood that my clients will get defensive when I give them feedback about their behavior?
- When should I be directive and when should I follow the client’s lead?
Cole sheds light on these questions and many more, teaching viewers how to facilitate clients’ exploration of their dilemmas, how to reinforce change talk, and how to respond effectively when clients express their reasons for not wanting to change. Learn core MI techniques for resolving ambivalence such as double-sided reflections, decisional balance, and envisioning. By watching Cole skillfully engage each of the three clients and listening to her voiceover commentary, you will gain a deep understanding of what MI is, how to use it with ambivalent clients, and why it is such a powerful and widely-used approach to behavior change.
For a comprehensive understanding of Motivational Interviewing, we recommend that you view the complete series, Motivational Interviewing Step by Step. Note that this is the third video in that series, and while you will learn a lot by watching only this one, you will get a much fuller understanding of the approach by viewing all of them. For a complete introduction to the fundamental principles and techniques of MI, we particularly recommend starting by watching the first video in the series, Core Concepts in Motivational Interviewing.
Length of video: 1:42:00
English subtitles available
Individual ISBN-10 #: 1-60124-316-2
Group ISBN-10 #: 1-60124-317-0
Group ISBN-13 #: 978-1-60124-317-1
Cathy Cole, LCSW, has trained thousands of diverse professionals in MI since 1995, and is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. She maintains an active clinical practice, and can be reached through her website,
cathycoletraining.com.
See all
Cathy Cole videos.
CE credits: 1.25
Learning Objectives:
- Describe MI strategies that are useful with ambivalent clients
- Describe the difference between sustain talk and change talk
- Apply specific MI techniques in building a therapeutic change plan
Bibliography available upon request
This course is offered for ASWB ACE credit for social workers. See complete list of CE approvals here
© 2012
Course Reviewed January 2023