description William Miller Overview
William R. Miller is an American clinical psychologist whose work has focused on addiction, behavior change, and the interaction between practitioners and clients. With Stephen Rollnick, he developed motivational interviewing, a collaborative counseling method first described in the context of problem drinking. The approach helps people examine ambivalence and articulate their own reasons for change rather than relying primarily on confrontation or persuasion.
help William Miller FAQ
What are the four core processes of motivational interviewing?
William Miller and Stephen Rollnick describe engaging, focusing, evoking, and planning. The practitioner first builds a working relationship, agrees on a direction, draws out the client's own reasons for change, and then develops a plan when the client is ready.
How is motivational interviewing different from confronting someone about addiction?
Motivational interviewing avoids arguing, lecturing, and trying to force an admission of denial. It uses reflective listening and carefully chosen questions to strengthen the person's own change talk and autonomy.
Was motivational interviewing created only for alcohol treatment?
Miller first developed the approach through work with problem drinking, and the first formal description appeared in 1983. It was later expanded with Stephen Rollnick and applied to smoking, drug use, medication adherence, diet, and other behavior changes.
What does the acronym OARS mean in motivational interviewing?
OARS stands for open questions, affirmations, reflective listening, and summaries. These conversational skills help practitioners understand ambivalence without turning the session into an argument or interrogation.
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