Motivational Interview with Mary
Mary is 27 years old and has had a history of alcohol dependence for several years. Mary has a daughter Kylie, aged 3 years, who displays signs of fetal alcohol syndrome. Social work services have been involved with Mary and Kylie since her birth, culminating in Kylie being looked after by the local authority as a result of Mary arriving to collect Kylie from the local nursery while significantly under the influence of alcohol. Mary has demonstrated ambivalence regarding her ability to control her alcohol use. Mary has referred herself to a local counseling agency as suggested by the social worker and her PCP.
Motivational Interview with Mary
- Discuss how you might use the principles of motivational interviewing with Mary.
- Provide a detailed overview of how the interview may progress. Include each step of motivational interviewing in your discussion.
- Describe how a provider would recognize this patient is ready to change. Use principles of motivational interviewing to support your answer.
Submission Instructions:
- Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted and cited in current APA style.
- Provide support for your work from at least 2 academic sources less than 5 years old.
- Sources MUST be articles, with DOIs. No websites, should be scholarly articles only.
Motivational Interview with Mary
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How might you use the principles of motivational interviewing with Mary?,
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Provide a detailed overview of how the interview may progress.,
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Include each step of motivational interviewing in your discussion,
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Describe how a provider would recognize this patient is ready to change.,
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Use principles of motivational interviewing to support your answer.
Comprehensive General Response:
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a client-centered, collaborative, and goal-oriented method used to strengthen personal motivation for change. In Mary’s case, MI can serve as an effective intervention to address her ambivalence about alcohol use and promote steps toward recovery.
1. Applying MI Principles with Mary:
The foundational principles of MI—expressing empathy, developing discrepancy, rolling with resistance, and supporting self-efficacy—can guide the counseling session with Mary.
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Express Empathy:
The counselor will use reflective listening to understand Mary’s perspective without judgment. This creates a safe environment where Mary feels heard and respected, reducing defensiveness. -
Develop Discrepancy:
The counselor will gently help Mary explore the gap between her current behavior (alcohol dependence) and her personal values, such as her role as a mother and her desire for Kylie’s wellbeing. By highlighting this discrepancy, Mary may recognize the need for change. -
Roll with Resistance:
Rather than confronting Mary’s ambivalence directly, the counselor will accept her hesitations and continue to engage her in dialogue. Statements like “It sounds like you’re unsure whether you can manage without alcohol” help avoid power struggles. -
Support Self-Efficacy:
The counselor will reinforce Mary’s belief in her ability to change by affirming past successes or strengths, such as her decision to seek counseling.
2. Interview Progression Overview:
The session would progress through the four stages of motivational interviewing:
Engaging:
The counselor begins by building rapport with Mary through open-ended questions, reflective listening, and affirmations. The focus remains on understanding her experiences and feelings without judgment.
Focusing:
Together, the counselor and Mary identify a clear direction for the conversation—addressing her alcohol use and its impact on her life, particularly her parenting role.