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One of the largest roadblocks on the path to recovery for people struggling with addiction is the motivation to commit to sobriety. Our Atlanta motivational interviewing therapy helps patientwho know they need to change, but lack the self-confidence and drive to do so.

Motivational interviewing is a form of addiction therapy that works by strengthening an individual’s motivation and commitment to the path to recovery. Traditional addiction therapy programs in Georgia may not be effective for patients who lack the desire to commit to addiction therapy. For these patients, motivational interviewing can be exactly what is needed to begin the path to recovery.

Committing to sobriety can feel overwhelming and intimidating, despite understanding the negative consequences. If you struggle with committing to getting sober, reach out to one of our addiction specialists today at 888.505.8279 to learn more about motivational interviewing at Samba Recovery.

What Is Motivational Interviewing?

Traditional addiction therapy programs are based on the assumption that patients enter the program with the motivation to commit to recovery. This is often not the case. Despite knowing the negative consequences of their substance use, patients struggling with addiction may enter treatment still in search of their own inspiration to recover.

Traditional addiction therapy programs are typically structured as a 12-step program that is followed sequentially. These programs are rigid and assume that all forms of addiction can be treated in the same format. However, this is not effective for most patients as not all substance abuse cases are identical. Patients may successfully complete a 12-step program, including detoxing, but relapse when they leave treatment as they never found the motivation to commit to sobriety. For patients such as these, motivational interviewing (MI) is an effective and crucial first step in recovery.

Implementing MI at the beginning of treatment can help shape the goals and direction of a patient’s path to recovery. Once a patient identifies their goals, they are able to open up to the idea that, with work and dedication, sobriety is achievable. MI works to change ambivalent behaviors by focusing a patient’s attention on their habits and strengthening personal confidence to elicit change. Motivation must be from within, not from an outside source, and MI empowers patients to be responsible for their own recovery.

Foundations of Motivational Interviewing for Addiction

Motivational interviewing is an effective form of addiction therapy that uses four main client-centered techniques to assist patients in identifying their goals, elicit motivation, and develop a plan to meet those goals.

The four techniques are

• Engaging
• Focusing
• Evoking
• Planning

Engaging

Engaging is the initial step in MI. At Samba Recovery, our addiction therapists strive to establish a trusting relationship by getting to know the patient, developing mutual respect, and creating a comfortable environment to facilitate trusting discussions. This stage in motivational interviewing is about developing this relationship and the understanding that identifying and working towards goals is a collaborative effort.

Focusing

Once there is a shared goal in mind, the therapist helps patients identify their own values and the goals they would like to achieve from treatment. With the assistance of a therapist, patients in MI must do the work of identifying their own issues and goals. Holding patients accountable for their own recovery builds self-confidence and motivation, providing them with the ability to reenvision their future.

Evoking

At this point, the therapist transitions the conversation to why the patient wants to recover. The therapist builds the patient’s view on the importance of change, as well as their confidence and readiness for change. The goal of Evoking is to boost the frequency and strength of the patient’s change talk, a crucial step in increasing motivation.

Planning

The patient has identified their goals and is prepared to begin working towards those goals. The Planning stage provides tools and knowledge to patients on how to recognize triggers and urges to avoid relapsing. The therapist will assist patients in finding coping mechanisms that will work for that individual. The central mission of MI is empowering independence and confidence in the patient. With guidance from a therapist, allowing patients to develop their own plans and coping mechanisms will maintain their self-confidence and motivation.

Get Integrated Therapy at Samba

Whether you are searching for the motivation to begin treatment or for assistance in continuing your treatment, our care team at Samba Recovery is here to help. Our goal is to support and care for our patients every step of the way. We create personalized treatment plans to ensure that every one of our patients is set up for success.

Find the motivation to begin the path to recovery today. Reach out to Samba Recovery at 888.505.8279 or contact us online to learn more about motivational interviewing for addiction.