Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an effective treatment for anyone who may be reluctant to embrace change simply because someone tells them they should. At Safe Landing, where we specialize in teenage addiction recovery, we have found MI to be especially successful with our young clients.
Your son or daughter may be resistant to therapy in the beginning because they don’t like being told what to do and they’re unhappy about having to be in a rehab program to start with. Through MI, our counselors help them find the inner motivation to make healthier choices and get sober. We help them reach the conclusion that it’s important for them to quit using drugs and alcohol, for their own well-being.
Teens are not alone, of course, in feeling more motivated when it becomes their idea that they need to change their behavior. It’s a basic element of human nature, and it’s one of the main reasons why Motivational Interviewing works so well. People are more likely to accept opinions they develop themselves – and more likely to take action based on those thoughts.
At Safe Landing, our Motivational Interviewing counselors understand that your son or daughter may be unsure about whether they need to change their behavior. We address this by helping your teen examine their motivations and values, by asking probing questions about why they might – or might not – want to change.
The key is that your teen’s MI therapist does not tell them what to do or even offer advice. Instead, they encourage them to talk about their addiction and what it means in their life and let them reach the conclusion – and find the inner motivation – that they need to change.
Studies have shown that teenagers who participated in Motivational Interviewing as part of drug rehab are more likely to stop or cut back on their substance abuse. They are also more likely to continue their recovery journey with outpatient appointments after their residential, inpatient teen addiction treatment is completed.