Motivational interviewing helps those battling substance use find the motivation to change from within. That’s counter to older thinking, where users were confronted in therapy with all the negative consequences of their behaviour. This has been proven in-effective.
Motivational Interviewing relies on an empathetic, non-confrontational, collaborative effort between therapist and client. The therapist becomes a person of support, allowing the client to make their own choices and arrive at their own conclusions without feeling outside pressure to do so.