Motivational Interview with Mary

 

Mary is 27 years old and has had a history of alcohol dependence for several years. Mary has a daughter Kylie, aged 3 years, who displays signs of fetal alcohol syndrome. Social work services have been involved with Mary and Kylie since her birth, culminating in Kylie being looked after by the local authority as a result of Mary arriving to collect Kylie from the local nursery while significantly under the influence of alcohol. Mary has demonstrated ambivalence regarding her ability to control her alcohol use. Mary has referred herself to a local counseling agency as suggested by the social worker and her PCP.

Discuss how you might use the principles of motivational interviewing with Mary.   
Provide a detailed overview of how the interview may progress.  Include each step of motivational interviewing in your discussion.
Describe how a provider would recognize this patient is ready to change.  Use principles of motivational interviewing to support your answer.
 

Sample Answer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Using Motivational Interviewing with Mary

 

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a client-centered, directive method for enhancing intrinsic motivation to change by exploring and resolving ambivalence. Given Mary's long-standing alcohol dependence, her daughter's FAS, and her demonstrated ambivalence, MI would be a highly appropriate approach. The core principles of MI – Express Empathy, Develop Discrepancy, Roll with Resistance, and Support Self-Efficacy – would guide the interaction.

 

Detailed Overview of How the Interview May Progress

 

The interview would not necessarily be linear, and steps might be revisited. The overall goal is to gently guide Mary from ambivalence towards a commitment to change, with her own motivations leading the way.