By offering a collaborative, affirming, safe therapeutic environment, clients are able to engage in a goal-oriented approach that is meant to strengthen a person's desire, motivation, and commitment to change by resolving their ambivalence.

Therapists focus on encouraging the client to express empathy, rolling with resistance, supporting one’s self-efficacy, and develop discrepancies between their current goals and behaviors. Throughout therapy, clients get to move through building trust, focusing and setting goals, eliciting client motivations, and planning a commitment to action.

Motivational Interviewing encourages exploration by asking open-ended questions, building confidence through affirmations, demonstrating understanding through reflective listening, and rephrasing key points by summarization. Unlike other therapies, Motivation Interviewing encourages clients to be the experts and the therapist helps them voice their own arguments for change.