For the past four decades, William Miller has researched an essential question: how do people change? In this interview, he elaborates on his findings, which in many ways turn conventional wisdom on its head. Learn how to redirect what Miller calls the “righting reflex”—that tendency we all have to shout, “You’re hurting yourself! You’ve got to stop doing that!” Doing so will reduce resistance and increase the likelihood that your clients will find their own intrinsic motivation to change.
While Motivational Interviewing was originally developed for substance abuse counselors, it is now used widely by all types of therapists, physicians, nurses, dietitians, teachers, and anyone who interacts with people who are ambivalent about change. And, let’s face it, who isn’t ambivalent about change?
Another feature of this video is the opportunity to really get a sense of what Miller is like. He is soft spoken and gentle; the Rogerian, person-centered influences of Motivational Interviewing seem very consistent with his personality. Of course, we know that theoretical orientations don't form on a blank slate, but are usually intrinsically related to their founders’ experiences and personalities, and this is certainly the case with MI.
As a bonus, Miller shares the origin story of MI: how a paper he happened to write and submit after being nudged on by a colleague turned into a major movement in psychotherapy, counseling, health care, criminal justice, and other fields. This video is an excellent introduction to MI, and to the man who started it all. For a more comprehensive, skill-based training series, please see our newest release, the 4-video series
Motivational Interviewing Step by Step.
Length of video: 1:00:00
English subtitles available
Individual ISBN-10 #: 1-60124-306-5
Group ISBN-10 #: 1-60124-307-3
Group ISBN-13 #: 978-1-60124-307-2
William R. Miller, PhD, the originator of Motivational Interviewing, is Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico and Director of Research for UNM's Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse & Addictions. Dr. Miller has published 25 books and more than 200 articles and chapters on the treatment of alcoholism and other addictive behaviors.
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William Miller videos.