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Dr Rachel Johnson our Principal Child and Family Psychologist was recently asked by the institute of Motivational Interviewing Training Research Implementation and Practise to review their new book on “Motivational Interviewing with Adolescents and Young Adults”.

As a Chartered Clinical Psychologist Rachel uses many approaches within her clinical practise including CBT, Psychodynamic, Systemic etc.

Motivational Interviewing compliments these approaches and is gathering steam within the field of applied psychology.

Review abstract:

As a chartered clinical psychologist working in independent  practice in the UK, my clinical time is increasingly filled with families and young people who have found that they simply do not seem to ‘fit’ the mainstream, often CBT based, approaches offered within their local mental health services. Families tell me that although they see the value of what was offered, ultimately the input provided has failed to understand or address the complexity of their individual experiences.

With no group of clients is this more prominent than those between the ages of 13 and 21; parents approach me citing discharge letters stating that “poor engagement” or “lack of insight” has affected their teen’s ability to benefit from the intervention.

It is perhaps unsurprising, therefore, that I have found myself increasingly drawn towards MI as an approach to help address these issues.

MI seems to provide a missing link for clients who find themselves ambivalent not only in relation to the therapeutic input offered, but also about the adult world that offers it, and their own changing role within that world.