Motivational Interviewing as a Key to Personal Development

Motivational interviewing is a counselling method used to help people resolve ambivalent feelings and insecurities to find the internal motivation they need to change their behavior. It is a practical, empathetic and a short-term process that takes into consideration how difficult it is to make life changes.

Empathy on the other hand is the action of understanding or trying to experience the feelings, thoughts of another person either their past or present without having the feelings, thoughts and experiences fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner. According to psychologytoday.com, it is the experience of understanding another person’s thoughts, feelings and condition from their point of view rather than your own. It involves “putting oneself in other persons shoes” just to fully understand what they are feeling or experiencing to be able to deliver better and proper and accepted help to the person with the aim of putting them in the right state to accept the change they wish to see.

As an observer in an experimental motivational interview between a client and an interviewer, I got to realize so many things with which I want to expound in various sub headings.

General Observations

From the interview, I observed that many people tend to hide certain experiences or are not ready to open up on some activities that they have experienced but these same people are in a rush to see changes in their lives. This I think will block the interviewer from gaining much info on the client with the aim of assisting them find the change they require so much. I also go to observe that the way and manner interviews are conducted goes a long way to affect the impact made in a client. The setting in which the interview was arranged was also a factor limiting progress of the interview, this is because the interview happened in an area where it’s obvious the client might have his/her concentration shifted quite quickly thereby disturbing the rate of flows from the client.

Positives

The whole interview per my observations was a success. This is because the client got comfortable though certain external factors like the environment was limiting flow. The interviewer got to put herself in the area of the client, this put them on the same page. The interviewer was patient even at the point where the client had to deliver certain sensitive experiences. The interviewer was able to understand the client and was able to give her the needed and required directions which are essential to the changes the client is seeking. The impact was great as the client expressed satisfaction and readiness to let some of the experiences go in order for her to embrace full change and progress in her life.

Negatives

I also observed that something’s did not go well from the interview. It appeared the client was at some point been forced to voice out certain sensitive experiences which is not supposed to be so. Though the interviewer has to get everything possible from the client so as to be fully aware of what is to be dealt with, I think it should be done in a way that the client will in her own will agree to voice them out rather than putting some kind of pressure on her.

Conclusion

I mark the interview to be successful because the aim of the whole process was achieved. The client was highly motivated to embrace her past or present experiences so as to make full changes in her life. This I believe is key to personal development. I wish to introduce to people who are going through or have some experiences they wish to change from to avail themselves for motivational interviewing from qualified personnel and this will help them achieve the change they want.