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Last updated on Feb 19, 2025
  1. All
  2. Healthcare
  3. Motivational Interviewing

Your client is struggling with ambivalence. How can you help them clarify their values and priorities?

When a client struggles with ambivalence, motivational interviewing can guide them to identify and prioritize their core values. Here's how to use this approach effectively:

  • Ask open-ended questions: Encourage clients to explore their feelings and beliefs by asking questions that require more than a yes or no answer.

  • Reflective listening: Show empathy and understanding by reflecting back what the client says, which helps them feel heard and valued.

  • Summarize and affirm: Summarize their statements to reinforce their insights and affirm their progress, boosting their confidence and clarity.

What strategies have worked for you in helping clients clarify their values?

Motivational Interviewing Motivational Interviewing

Motivational Interviewing

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Last updated on Feb 19, 2025
  1. All
  2. Healthcare
  3. Motivational Interviewing

Your client is struggling with ambivalence. How can you help them clarify their values and priorities?

When a client struggles with ambivalence, motivational interviewing can guide them to identify and prioritize their core values. Here's how to use this approach effectively:

  • Ask open-ended questions: Encourage clients to explore their feelings and beliefs by asking questions that require more than a yes or no answer.

  • Reflective listening: Show empathy and understanding by reflecting back what the client says, which helps them feel heard and valued.

  • Summarize and affirm: Summarize their statements to reinforce their insights and affirm their progress, boosting their confidence and clarity.

What strategies have worked for you in helping clients clarify their values?

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7 answers
  • Contributor profile photo
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    Dr Prasanta Kumar Padhi

    Principal @ Higher Education Govt of Odisha | PhD, HR, Writing, Author of 8 books, Academic Mentor and Writer, Creative writer, Journalism, Linkedin Top Voice Translator

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    Helping clients clarify their values requires a thoughtful and supportive approach. Encouraging self-reflection through open-ended questions allows them to articulate what truly matters to them. Active listening and paraphrasing help validate their thoughts and ensure deeper understanding. Exploring past decisions and moments of fulfillment can reveal patterns that align with their core values. When clients recognize the gap between their actions and their ideals, they gain the motivation to make meaningful changes. What strategies have you found most effective in guiding clients toward greater clarity about their values?

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    Maneesh Mohanan

    CEO at Mediquity Technologies Private Limited | Transforming Healthcare Through Innovation | Talks about #HealthcareInnovation #HealthcareManagement #Diagnostics

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    Help your client overcome ambivalence by guiding them through meaningful introspection, exploring their core values, and assessing how their choices align with their long-term vision. Use thought-provoking questions and real-life scenarios to highlight what truly matters to them. Clarity emerges when they see the gap between where they are and where they genuinely want to be.

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    Michael Glaskin-Clay
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    Reassert the short- and long-term goals as gathered from the client during the history process. This is vital information that can be reinforced later should the water grow turgid afterward. A little reminder and a lot of "can do" encouragement can help refocus the client and get back on a more productive track.

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    Said Al Jabri 🏆

    🔶 Career Coach | CV & LinkedIn Optimization | Contract, Logistics and Supply Chain Trainer | Digital Promotions via LinkedIn | +40K Network | Helping Professionals Stand Out

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    Guiding clients toward a clearer understanding of their values requires a supportive and intentional approach. Encouraging them to reflect through thought-provoking questions helps uncover what truly holds significance in their lives. Active listening and thoughtful paraphrasing reinforce their perspectives while fostering deeper self-awareness. Examining past choices and moments of fulfillment can highlight recurring themes that align with their core values. As clients become aware of the disconnect between their actions and aspirations, they naturally develop the drive to pursue meaningful change. What techniques have you found most effective in helping clients gain clarity on their values?

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    1
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    Isabela Castro

    🚀 CEO & Founder | Instituto Isabela Castro | Associate Faculty, Ariadne Labs – Harvard | VBHC Ambassador | Patient Safety & Experience | Dentistry, Aging & Health Systems Innovation

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    When a client is ambivalent, I use motivational interviewing techniques to help them explore their values and align their choices with what truly matters to them. Open-ended questions encourage self-reflection, while decisional balance exercises help weigh the pros and cons of change. Value clarification tools, such as ranking priorities, reveal what drives them. I also use reflective listening to validate their emotions and reinforce autonomy. By linking their health goals to their deeper values, I empower them to move past indecision and take meaningful steps toward progress.

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    Dianeris Posada

    Integrative Nutrition Health Coach | Detox & Mineral Balance via Precision HTMA | Behavioral Intervention Specialist for Children with Developmental Disabilities and Autism.

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    Listen beyond their words. Ambivalence often masks deeper fears or unmet needs. When you create space for real conversations, you help clients uncover what truly matters to them. Ask the right questions, reflect on what you hear, and guide them toward their own clarity. The answer is usually already within them. They just need someone to help them see it.

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  • Contributor profile photo
    Contributor profile photo
    Said Al Jabri 🏆

    🔶 Career Coach | CV & LinkedIn Optimization | Contract, Logistics and Supply Chain Trainer | Digital Promotions via LinkedIn | +40K Network | Helping Professionals Stand Out

    • Report contribution

    Helping clients uncover their true values requires deep reflection and a supportive space. Thought-provoking, open-ended questions invite them to explore what truly matters, while active listening and paraphrasing validate their thoughts and deepen their self-awareness. By revisiting past choices and moments of fulfillment, patterns emerge, revealing what aligns with their core beliefs. When clients see the gap between their actions and aspirations, they naturally feel driven to create meaningful change. 💡 What techniques have you found most effective in helping clients gain clarity on their values? Let’s discuss! 👇 #SelfDiscovery #Coaching #Motivation #PersonalGrowth #Empowerment

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