What Every Health Care Provider Should Know About Motivational Interviewing
As health care providers, we often find ourselves face-to-face with patients who seem resistant to change. Whether it’s someone struggling to quit smoking, reduce alcohol use, manage chronic illness, or begin counselling for substance abuse, the challenge is rarely about knowledge—it’s about motivation. That’s where motivational interviewing for healthcare steps in. In our practice here in Victoria, BC , we’ve seen firsthand how a patient’s willingness to change can make all the difference. But coaxing out that readiness is more complex than simply offering advice or giving out pamphlets. We need to have conversations that actually mean something. Conversations that inspire action—on the patient’s terms. That’s the essence of motivational interviewing. Let’s explore what motivational interviewing is, why it matters for health care providers in Victoria, and how you can build the motivational interviewing skills that truly support your clients. ...