Motivational Interviewing vs. Therapy: Understanding the Difference

You know you should stop smoking, lose weight, or give up the drugs. Or, maybe you’ve agreed to go to couples therapy or enroll in anger management, but then just can’t get yourself to show up.

In other words, you know what’s “right” or “good,” but you don’t want to do it. Maybe you think it won’t help. Maybe you’re afraid you’ll lose something important to you. But you’re also sick of just being on the fence, saying “yes,” then acting “no.”

Motivational interviewing (MI) is a form of psychotherapy that’s different from other forms of talk therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Instead of talking about your feelings in general, you and your therapist focus on a particular goal or change you want to make. 

Depending on your needs, our expert counselors may suggest MI as a standalone therapy or as an adjunct to other therapies, such as treatment for substance abuse or for anxiety. You may choose to meet in person at The Soho Center for Mental Health Counseling offices in Greenwich Village, New York City, for your MI, or you may opt for teletherapy.

So, why might MI be a better choice or an added choice for you, over traditional talk therapy? 

Here’s why MI could help you get off the fence and make the changes you need to make to have the life you deserve.

MI is a conversation

Unlike most other forms of talk therapy, your therapist doesn’t just listen to you in your sessions. Instead, they engage you in conversation. In fact, they actually interview you.

The interview is designed to identify your goals, needs, and values. Sometimes, you may not even be clear what those are. Or, your goal or the change you want to make is so huge and daunting that it’s hard to break it into achievable steps. 

Also, unlike most other forms of talk therapy, MI is a collaboration. Your therapist is your partner in identifying the changes you need to make and helping you find ways to do so. They aren’t an authority figure; they’re your equal.

MI uses open-ended questions

Your MI therapist doesn’t have the answers: You do. Their job is to help you find your own internal reasons for why you want to change. They do this by asking open-ended questions that help you identify the values you hold that can help you make that change. Some examples of open-ended questions are:

• Why did you decide to come here today?
• What makes you believe that you need to change?
• If you made this change, what would your life be like?
• Do you know somebody else who was able to make that change?
• How did it affect their life?

Open-ended questions can’t be answered “yes” or “no.” There’s also no “right” or “wrong” answer. They just encourage you to look into your own beliefs and experiences.

MI is nonjudgmental

Sometimes our most deeply held beliefs and behaviors are based in the need for social acceptance. That’s why facts alone often aren’t enough to make you change. 

Maybe you smoke because others around you smoke, and you want to fit in. Or maybe the act of smoking helps you feel soothed and in control. 

You also might have an unconscious belief that you aren’t able to quit. Your therapist helps you identify the reasons why you haven’t made a change, so it doesn’t feel like a personal failure. 

MI helps you identify your values

Maybe you have diabetes, but you haven’t been able to stop eating sugar. Through MI, you may find that you associate sugar with positive social experiences, such as enjoying a birthday party. 

Through your conversation with your therapist, you identify the values that have kept you in the unwanted behavior. Then you investigate how those same values help you make the changes you want to make. 

MI helps you do it for yourself

The techniques of MI are geared toward helping you identify the changes you need to make in your life and then transforming those into achievable goals. They also help you see the intrinsic reward in achieving that goal — the reward that actually means the most to you.

Extrinsic awards come from outside you. They may be things like money, fame, or even punishments. Extrinsic awards aren’t good at motivating positive change. 

However, intrinsic awards — those that come from within you and are aligned with your values — lead to longer-lasting changes. You aren’t being controlled by someone else. You’re the one in control. 

To find out if MI is right for you, call us or book an online appointment at our Greenwich Village, New York City office. You could also choose convenient, HIPAA-compliant teletherapy sessions.