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