Motivational Interviewing and Psychiatry: Use in Addiction Treatment, Risky Drinking and Routine Practice

This clinical synthesis focuses on the evidence-based practice of motivational interviewing (MI) and its use in the treatment of addictions, risky drinking, and general psychiatric practice. The authors review the definition and basic concepts of MI, present examples of some core MI clinical interventions, and provide a critical summary of the research supporting the usefulness of MI for the treatment of addictions. In addition, the article also discusses the problem of risky drinking and the ways that MI can help psychiatrists address problem drinking as well as more general behavioral issues and psychotherapy in routine practice. Pragmatic tools are provided to assist psychiatrists in this work.