Once you decide to lay down the urge to fix things and focus on partnership, the next challenge is structuring your dialogue. How do you use motivational interviewing skills to invite someone to explore change without making them feel put on the spot?
The first two components of OARS—Open-Ended Questions and Affirmations—help set a constructive tone.
Closed questions that yield simple one word answers can make conversations feel like an audit. They place the practitioner in the driver’s seat and leave the client in a passive role.
Open-ended questions lower the pressure. They invite storytelling, promote self-reflection, and signal genuine curiosity.
Looking at the difference between open and closed questions examples helps illustrate the shift:
While open-ended questions explore possibilities, affirmations help build confidence.
In MI, an affirmation isn’t generic praise (e.g., “I’m so proud of you!”). Instead, it’s about noticing the client’s actual efforts, strengths, and perseverance (e.g., “You showed real persistence by coming in today despite a chaotic week.”).
Noticing these strengths helps lower a client’s guard and supports their belief in their own capability.
Download our free OARS cheat sheet for a quick guide to motivational interviewing skills.
To move beyond basic templates and practice live scenario application, explore our Motivational Interviewing training
Initial draft outline and post structure generated with the assistance of Gemini (Google), then reviewed, revised, and expanded by CCMI.
