About motivational interviewing
Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative, goal-oriented approach that helps you explore and resolve mixed feelings about change. Below you can browse therapists who list Motivational Interviewing among their clinical approaches to find someone whose focus and style match your needs.
What to compare in entries
| Credentials | A US state licence, or membership of a professional body such as BACP or NCPS. They are different kinds of thing; each profile shows what was supplied. |
|---|---|
| Focus | Whether motivational interviewing is listed as a main focus or among the wider list of areas. Entries show both. |
| Way of working | The approaches named on the entry. Two people working with the same concern can describe very different sessions. |
| Time in practice | Years in practice, as supplied. A fact to weigh, not a ranking. |
| Language | The languages sessions can be held in, where that matters to you. |
Common questions
How were these entries chosen?
Everyone listed on this page names Motivational Interviewing among the approaches they told the platform they use. They are not ranked, rated or endorsed by this directory, and the order is not a recommendation.
Do I need a referral to start?
No. You can contact a therapist through their entry directly. A GP referral is not required for independent online therapy.
What if the first therapist is not right?
Changing therapist is normal and expected, and can be done at any point. One session is a small sample of how someone works.
Entries for motivational interviewing
Pietro (Pete) Martucci, LPCC
Ref 37848
Calm guidance for stress and life changes
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, LGBT, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingRoseanne Jackson, LCSW, LCSW-R
Ref 54688
Compassionate, practical help for big life stressors
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief Languages: English
View listingApril Lacey, LCPC
Ref 94106
Helping people find steady change and clearer paths
Works with: Relationship, Trauma and abuse, Anger Languages: English
View listingSiyue Zhang, AASW
Ref 243585
Calm, practical therapy focused on real-life change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English, Mandarin
View listingAnn Keith, LCSW
Ref 103213
Compassionate, practical therapy for life changes
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Grief Languages: English
View listingYumi Lemaster, LCSW
Ref 2633
Skilled, practical therapy for real-life struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingMelody Hatter, LCSW, CSW, LISW
Ref 123632
Practical support for anxiety and life changes
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingJanet Hardin, LCSW
Ref 55726
Practical, compassionate support for life challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Self esteem, Bipolar Languages: English
View listingSydney Fisher, LPC
Ref 187550
Compassionate counselor guiding practical growth
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Grief Languages: English
View listingLaMeshia Lipscomb, LPC
Ref 106169
Warm, practical counseling focused on goals
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Relationship Languages: English
View listingRoselyn Robertson, BACP
Ref 202372
Sensitive, practical counselling for life’s difficult moments
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English
View listingCynthia Rumford-Jones, LCSW
Ref 101833
Calm practical therapist focused on progress
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Anger, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingWendy Mayfield, BACP
Ref 100144
Practical, steady support for everyday struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English
View listingKianni Johnson, LMHC
Ref 279980
Practical therapy for strong emotions
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Anger Languages: English
View listingBrittany Elledge, LPCC, LMHC
Ref 11729
Practical, client-centered support for life changes
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingDawn Nunney, NCPS
Ref 97317
Compassionate person-centred counselling with practical tools
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Grief Languages: English
View listingWendi Makus, LPC
Ref 48129
Practical therapy for stress and relationships
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingBrandi Kelly, LA Psychologist
Ref 201932
Experienced Louisiana psychologist focused on practical change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Parenting, Depression Languages: English
View listingLatrice Scott, LMHC, LPC
Ref 15171
Supportive counselor for life changes
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Anger, Depression Languages: English
View listingCarol Broad, NCPS
Ref 128573
Calm, practical counselling for everyday challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Grief Languages: English
View listingLaKeisha Blackwell, LPC
Ref 16819
Supportive counselor for stress and life changes
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Anger, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingShannon Mott, LCSW
Ref 108724
Compassionate, practical therapy for life transitions
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English
View listingShawn Alyea, LPC
Ref 14872
Compassionate counselor guiding practical change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Grief, Intimacy-related issues Languages: English
View listingTammy Russell, LMHC
Ref 181426
Compassionate, practical therapy for real-life struggles
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingEthel-Caroline Miman, AASW
Ref 259803
Gentle, practical therapy for life’s big challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief Languages: English
View listingKeith Chilton, LMFT
Ref 106189
Experienced marriage and family therapist
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Relationship Languages: English
View listingJennifer Mcpherson (Norman), BACP
Ref 161239
Experienced relationship and trauma counsellor
Works with: Relationship, Family, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingMark McConnell, BACP
Ref 208651
Practical support for stress and change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief Languages: English
View listingDawn Redwood, NCPS
Ref 137085
Client-centred counsellor focusing on practical change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, ADHD Languages: English
View listingDiane Trosch, LPC
Ref 80275
Simple practical help for life transitions
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingDarla McAdams, LPC
Ref 58935
Practical, person-focused counseling in Missouri
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, LGBT Languages: English
View listingKarminee Love, LPC
Ref 239192
Practical support for stress and life changes
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingFarah Southwell, LPC
Ref 203059
Practical, experienced therapist for life’s hard moments
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English, Haitian Creole
View listingSally Smith, LPC
Ref 338970
Practical therapy for stress and relationships
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingMegan Young, LMHC
Ref 332747
Compassionate counselor for life transitions
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Self esteem, Career Languages: English
View listingStacey Sugar, MD, LCPC, LPCC
Ref 2629
Relationship-focused therapist who values authentic change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English
View listingDr. Heidi Duong, LMHC
Ref 185659
Helping people rebuild meaning and balance
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Eating Languages: English
View listingIjeoma Nweze, BACP, NCPS
Ref 203170
Compassionate counsellor for everyday challenges
Works with: Relationship, Family, Parenting Languages: English, Igbo
View listingRutanya Simon, LICSW, LCSW
Ref 124510
Practical, compassionate therapy for real-life challenges
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Family Languages: English
View listingDonna Khan, LMSW
Ref 29669
Experienced social worker focused on practical change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Family, Trauma and abuse Languages: English
View listingDawn Meadow, LPC
Ref 76208
Calm, practical counseling for lifes hard moments
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Parenting Languages: English
View listingJosephine Sultana, AASW
Ref 309775
Compassionate social worker blending therapy and lifestyle care
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Sleeping Languages: English
View listingLoire Bennett, LMHC
Ref 25344
Experienced Florida LMHC focused on practical growth
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Addictions, Grief Languages: English
View listingDeborah Youngblood, LCSW
Ref 229
Compassionate LCSW offering practical tools
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Relationship, Family Languages: English
View listingTeneka Gerido, LPC
Ref 203172
Practical support for stress and life changes
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingBridgit DeLisle-Daley, LCSW
Ref 174845
Practical, respectful therapy for stress and grief
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Grief, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingJulie Golding, BACP
Ref 269912
Calm, practical support for stress and life change
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Self esteem Languages: English
View listingConnie Seth, LISW
Ref 206834
Seasoned Iowa LISW focused on practical coping
Works with: Stress, Anxiety, Trauma and abuse, Grief Languages: English
View listingMore about motivational interviewing
What Motivational Interviewing Is and the Principles Behind It
Motivational Interviewing is a conversational approach that centers on helping you move through ambivalence toward decisions and actions that align with your values. At its core it emphasizes partnership and respect for your autonomy, aiming to draw out your own motivations rather than imposing persuasion. Practitioners focus on listening in ways that reflect and clarify your thoughts, asking open questions that invite reflection, and responding with empathy to strengthen your sense of agency. The style is intentionally collaborative - you and the therapist work together to explore how change could fit within your life, what barriers might exist, and how you might take steps that feel authentic.
Several guiding principles shape how sessions unfold. Therapists typically seek to express empathy through reflective listening, develop discrepancy between your current behavior and broader goals, roll with resistance rather than argue, support self-efficacy by highlighting your strengths, and evoke change talk - the language you use when imagining or committing to change. These elements form a practical framework that keeps the conversation focused on your priorities while minimizing judgment and pressure.
Common Issues Where Motivational Interviewing Is Used
Motivational Interviewing is applied across a wide range of concerns where ambivalence is common and personal motivation is a key factor. You will often find it offered alongside work on substance use, smoking cessation, and behaviors related to health such as diet and medication adherence. It is also used in contexts like managing chronic conditions, improving sleep habits, and supporting lifestyle changes that reduce risk or improve well-being. Beyond health behaviors, Motivational Interviewing can support changes in interpersonal patterns, employment or educational goals, and engagement with other therapeutic strategies.
Because the approach centers on eliciting your reasons for change, it is particularly useful when you feel torn between competing priorities or when motivation fluctuates over time. Practitioners tend to adapt the conversational techniques to the issue at hand, integrating MI-consistent language and questions into broader treatment plans or single-session interventions. You should expect the focus to be on what is important to you personally and how potential change might fit into your life story.
What a Typical Motivational Interviewing Session Looks Like
A typical session begins with the therapist inviting you to share what brought you in and what you hope to achieve. The tone is generally open and nonjudgmental, with the clinician using reflective listening to summarize and mirror your statements. Early in the work you may map out where you feel stuck, describe both advantages and disadvantages of changing, and explore past attempts at change. The therapist will often ask open-ended questions that encourage you to weigh options aloud and to articulate your own reasons for considering change.
Practically, sessions often include tools like scaling questions to assess motivation or confidence, and focused reflections that highlight your strengths and past successes. Rather than prescribing steps, the therapist helps you generate your own options and may support you in creating small, achievable goals that build momentum. Over time the conversation shifts from exploring ambivalence to planning and reinforcing commitments. If you are combining Motivational Interviewing with other therapeutic approaches, MI techniques might be used initially to strengthen your motivation before moving into skills training or behavioral interventions.
Session Length and Structure
Sessions commonly follow the typical therapy length of forty-five to sixty minutes, but the conversational style makes MI adaptable to briefer consultations or to longer, ongoing work. You should expect flexibility in pacing and focus, with the therapist checking regularly that the agenda reflects your priorities. The emphasis is on collaboration, so your feedback about what is and is not helpful will shape each meeting.
How Motivational Interviewing Differs from Other Approaches
Motivational Interviewing is distinct in its explicit focus on ambivalence and on eliciting intrinsic motivation rather than directing behavior change through instruction. In cognitive-behavioral approaches the therapist may more directly challenge unhelpful thoughts and assign behavioral experiments. In psychodynamic work the emphasis might be on exploring unconscious patterns and early relationships. By contrast, MI prioritizes the conversational moves that invite you to voice your own reasons for change and to make decisions consistent with your values.
Another difference lies in how resistance is handled. Where some models treat resistance as an obstacle to overcome, Motivational Interviewing reframes it as information about your perspective and invites curiosity. The therapist uses reflective responses to acknowledge hesitation, which often reduces argument and can open new pathways to change talk. MI also tends to be shorter-term or to serve as a preparatory phase that enhances engagement with other therapies, because strengthening your commitment early can make subsequent interventions more effective.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Motivational Interviewing
Motivational Interviewing can be a good fit when you are unsure about change or when past ambivalence has stalled progress. If you find yourself weighing pros and cons, putting off decisions, or feeling pulled in different directions, MI techniques are designed to help you clarify what matters most and to move toward action at a pace that feels manageable. The approach is also appropriate if you prefer a collaborative conversation rather than directive instruction, or if you want to focus specifically on behavior change in the context of other concerns.
People at different stages of readiness can benefit because the method respects where you are and helps you find personally meaningful reasons to move forward. It is also commonly used with individuals who are engaging with health systems or other services and need support shifting habits. If you value an approach that foregrounds your voice, emphasizes choice, and looks for small steps you can take now, Motivational Interviewing may be worth exploring.
How to Find the Right Therapist Who Uses Motivational Interviewing
When searching for a therapist who lists Motivational Interviewing among their approaches, pay attention to how they describe their focus areas and therapeutic style. Look for clinicians who mention working with the specific issue you want to address, such as substance use, health behavior change, or life transitions, and note whether they emphasize collaborative methods and goal-oriented conversations. Review their professional background and the populations they describe serving, including age groups, cultural competencies, and languages offered, so you can identify someone whose experience aligns with your needs.
Reading therapist profiles can give you a sense of whether their communication style resonates with you. Consider whether they highlight listening, shared decision-making, and practical goal-setting as part of their work. It can be helpful to think about logistical preferences too - whether you favor in-person or online sessions, session length, and whether you would like integration with other supports. Many therapists include a brief statement about their approach and what clients can expect, which can help you decide who to contact. When you reach out, you can ask about how they incorporate Motivational Interviewing into their work and what a starting session typically looks like, so you enter the first meeting with clear expectations.
Finding the right match can make a meaningful difference in how effective the conversations feel. By focusing on approach, relevant experience, and the flexibility they describe, you can identify a therapist who is likely to help you explore ambivalence and move toward change in a way that fits your life and values.