How do you use Motivational Interviewing to clarify values?

2 Why are values important in MI?

Values are important in MI because they can motivate and sustain your client's change process. When your client's behavior is aligned with their values, they are more likely to feel satisfied, fulfilled, and authentic. When their behavior is in conflict with their values, they are more likely to experience distress, guilt, and dissatisfaction. By helping your client clarify their values, you can help them recognize the discrepancy between their current and desired situation, and increase their intrinsic motivation to change. You can also help them identify and overcome the barriers and challenges that prevent them from living according to their values.

3 How do you assess values in MI?

Assessing your client's values is an important first step in clarifying values in MI. Asking open-ended questions that invite exploration and description of their values, as well as listening reflectively, are key. Questions such as “What matters most to you in your life?” or “How do you define success or happiness for yourself?” can be used to assess values. Additionally, tools and exercises such as the Values Card Sort, Personal Values Questionnaire, and Values Clarification Worksheet can help your client rank, rate, or sort their values. These activities will help your client gain clarity on their values and how they compare to their actions and goals.

4 How do you elicit values in MI?

Another step in clarifying values in MI is to elicit your client's values. This involves asking evocative questions that prompt your client to express their values, and providing affirmations and summaries that reinforce their values. For example, you can ask questions like: "How does this value influence your decisions or actions?", "What are some of the benefits or rewards of living according to this value?", and "How does this value relate to your goal or vision for yourself?". You can also use strategies and techniques such as the Values Ladder, the Values Affirmation, and the Values Visualization to help your client articulate and strengthen their values. The Values Ladder is a technique that helps your client link their specific behaviors or goals to their broader values by asking them "why" questions that move them up the ladder of abstraction. The Values Affirmation is a technique that helps your client boost their self-esteem and confidence by asking them to write or say positive statements about their values and how they act on them. Lastly, the Values Visualization is a technique that helps your client imagine and experience their values by asking them to close their eyes and picture a scene or situation that represents their values.

5 How do you integrate values in MI?

The final step in clarifying values in MI is to integrate your client's values. This is done by asking planning questions that help your client align their values with their goals and actions, and providing support and feedback to monitor and adjust progress. Different types of questions can be used to integrate values, such as inquiring how the value can guide goal setting or action planning, what steps or strategies can be taken to live more according to the value, and how success will be gauged. Additionally, tools and resources like the Values Action Plan, Values Diary, and Values Feedback can help implement and sustain values. The Action Plan worksheet helps specify values, goals, actions, and contingency plans; the Diary assists in recording and reflecting on values, actions, and outcomes; while the Feedback technique provides constructive and encouraging feedback on values, actions, and outcomes.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?