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Part 2: Assessing and Motivating the Substance-Abusing Client

Session #: 710-611B
Presenter(s): Allan Zuckoff
Session Length: 5 hr. 00 min.
Event: 2010 Psychotherapy Networker Symposium
Date: March 25-28, 2010

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Playback session - audio sample

Therapists often assume that motivation to change is an all or nothing issue for clients who are abusing drugs or alcohol: they either have the motivation to change or don't, and if they don't, there's no point in initiating treatment, which they'll inevitably "fail." In fact, most people, including those with substance-use problems, are ambivalent about change and, by exploring and resolving their ambivalence, you can enhance their motivation, even when you aren't sure it's there. In this workshop, you'll discover how motivational interviewing allows you to build on therapeutic skills you already have to avoid unproductive confrontations and create a relationship of empathy and respect that reduces clients' resistance and increases their willingness to talk honestly about their behavior. We'll discuss, demonstrate, and practice ways of finding common ground with clients, articulating the discrepancy between their current behavior and their larger values and goals, and instilling a sense of personal responsibility and confidence in their own ability to change.

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