Motivational Interviewing (MI) is particularly valuable for adolescence when ambivalence about change is blocking recovery.
Ambivalence in Adolescence
People with adolescence are often ambivalent about change — part wants relief, part fears the unknown of being without familiar adolescence patterns. This is normal, not resistance.
How MI Addresses Adolescence Ambivalence
MI uses specific techniques to help people explore and resolve their ambivalence about adolescence treatment:
- Reflective listening: Hearing and naming both sides of adolescence ambivalence
- Decisional balance: Exploring pros and cons of changing vs. staying the same with adolescence
- Evoking change talk: Drawing out the person's own reasons for addressing adolescence
- Affirming strengths: Highlighting past capacities relevant to adolescence recovery
MI in Adolescence Treatment Settings
MI is integrated into many adolescence treatment approaches as an engagement tool. It's particularly useful at the beginning of treatment and when motivation fluctuates.