Trust and Motivational Interviewing: Building Readiness for Change

How motivational interviewing approaches Trust — resolving ambivalence and building motivation for recovery.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is particularly valuable for trust when ambivalence about change is blocking recovery.

Ambivalence in Trust

People with trust are often ambivalent about change — part wants relief, part fears the unknown of being without familiar trust patterns. This is normal, not resistance.

How MI Addresses Trust Ambivalence

MI uses specific techniques to help people explore and resolve their ambivalence about trust treatment:

  • Reflective listening: Hearing and naming both sides of trust ambivalence
  • Decisional balance: Exploring pros and cons of changing vs. staying the same with trust
  • Evoking change talk: Drawing out the person's own reasons for addressing trust
  • Affirming strengths: Highlighting past capacities relevant to trust recovery

MI in Trust Treatment Settings

MI is integrated into many trust treatment approaches as an engagement tool. It's particularly useful at the beginning of treatment and when motivation fluctuates.

Related Resources

Bringwise

Turn psychology into daily habits

5 minutes a day. Science-backed insights you can actually use.

Download Free