ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the fundamentals and history of Motivational interviewing (MI), and describes the transtheoretical model of change to provide further information on a seminal framework for conceptualizing clients' readiness for change. According to Miller and Rollnick, the "technical definition" of MI is a collaborative, goal-oriented style of communication with particular attention to the language of change. The well-known transtheoretical model of change developed by the renowned psychologists James Prochaska, Carlos DiClemente, and their colleagues has been used for decades to help therapists conceptualize where their clients are in their readiness for change. Miller, Rollnick, and many other stellar scholar-clinicians continue to investigate the features and efficacy of MI and use their results and clinical observations to hone the approach. Meta-analytic research shows that between one half to two thirds of clients with emotional disorders show significant improvement when they complete a course of evidence-based treatment like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
