A collaborative way to talk through a change you feel two ways about, at a pace you set. Registered Psychologists regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), Canadian Certified Counsellors certified by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. In person in Edmonton and St. Albert, and virtual across Alberta.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether Motivational Interviewing Is Right for You

You may not be sure you want to change anything. Part of you might be ready while another part is not, and you could be wondering whether it makes sense to talk with someone before you have made up your mind. You might also be unsure whether what you are dealing with is a big enough deal to bring to counselling at all.

Perhaps you have promised yourself that next week will be different, then watched the week go by. Perhaps you bristle when someone you care about raises the subject, even though a quieter part of you agrees with them. Or you have made a mental list of reasons to change and reasons to leave things as they are, and both lists feel true.

Feeling pulled in two directions about a change is a common human response, especially when the habit or situation also gives you something you value. It does not mean you lack willpower. It does not mean something is permanently wrong with you.

If you are curious what it might be like to talk this through without being steered toward a particular answer, the sections below explain how motivational interviewing works here and who it may suit. If you are reading on behalf of someone else, there is information for you as well.

Who We Help

Motivational interviewing may be a good fit if you:

• have mixed feelings about a possible change and want room to think it through
• want to talk about habits, routines, health-related choices, relationships, work, substance use, or gambling without committing to an outcome first
• have tried to make a change before and want to look at it again from a different angle
• would rather work from your own reasons and values than be told what to do
• are already in counselling and want to work through one specific decision alongside it

Related pages may also be useful, including problem gambling counselling and quit smoking counselling.

If you are reading this for a partner, child, parent, or friend, it helps to know that motivational interviewing is built around the choices of the person in the room. It is not a way to persuade someone else to change. You can book counselling for your own support, and the person you are concerned about can reach out whenever they choose.

This service may not be the right fit for:

• Crisis or immediate safety concerns. Counselling is not emergency support. Please use the crisis resources below.
• Legal or forensic needs. Court-ordered reports, legal opinions, and evaluations for legal proceedings are outside this counselling service. Psychological assessments are a separate service and are not part of motivational interviewing counselling.
• Programs for people who have used violence or abuse. This service is not a perpetrator intervention program. The admin team at 780-904-4880 can talk with you about whether another service or an outside referral may fit better.
• Medical care. If a change you are considering involves stopping alcohol, a medication, or another substance, talk with a physician or pharmacist about the medical side. Counselling does not replace medical care.

If You Need Help Right Now

Counselling sessions are booked ahead of time, so they cannot respond to an emergency. If you or someone else is in danger or needs urgent help, please use one of these resources:

• Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department if there is immediate danger.
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24/7)
• Family Violence Info Line (Alberta): 310-1818 (24/7, toll-free), if you are being hurt or threatened at home

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What Motivational Interviewing Is (and Is Not)

Motivational interviewing, often shortened to MI, is a collaborative counselling approach. It is a conversation about change that is guided by your goals, values, and choices. One Canadian community mental health organization describes it as a way of helping clients move toward change (Canadian Mental Health Association, Ottawa Branch [CMHA Ottawa], 2016).

In practice, sessions are conversations. Your therapist asks about what matters to you, listens closely, and helps you put your own reasons into words. You do not need a decision or a plan before you start.

MI may be used on its own or alongside other counselling approaches, depending on your goals, your preferences, and your clinician's scope of practice. If you are interested in a related way of working, you can read about person-centred therapy.

What this service is not:

• It is not a diagnosis or a psychological assessment. Assessments are a separate service.
• It is not a legal service or an investigative process.
• It is not crisis intervention or a replacement for urgent medical care.
• It does not guarantee a particular outcome.

You set the pace. The approach is not designed to push you toward a decision you have not chosen, and you decide what to talk about and what to leave for later. What you share is kept confidential within legal and ethical limits, which your therapist explains in the first session. Each clinician works within the scope of their own training and professional registration.

Signs Ambivalence About Change May Be Affecting You

None of the patterns below is a diagnosis. They are experiences that can come up when part of you wants something to change and part of you wants it to stay the same.

• Going back and forth on the same decision for weeks or months
• Feeling defensive or irritated when someone raises the topic, even when you partly agree with them
• Making a plan, then losing interest in it a few days later
• Feeling guilty or frustrated with yourself after slipping back into an old pattern
• Avoiding conversations, places, or people that bring the subject up
• Noticing tension in your relationships around a habit or choice
• Feeling tense, restless, or worn out when the decision is on your mind
• Wondering whether you really want the change or just feel you should

Having any of these experiences does not mean something is permanently wrong with you. Mixed feelings are a common reaction when a change means giving something up, even something that has been costing you. A structured conversation may help you sort out what you want, at your own pace.

How Treatment Works Here

• Find your therapist. Use the Match with a Therapist tool or browse profiles on Our Therapists. If you would rather talk it through, the admin team can help at 780-904-4880. You are welcome to ask about a therapist's experience with motivational interviewing.
• Book your first session. You can book online through our booking system or by phone. In the first session, your therapist explains confidentiality and its limits, reviews consent, and asks what you would like to get out of counselling. You can ask questions before sharing anything personal.
• Build your plan together. You and your therapist agree on what to focus on. That might be a single decision, a habit, or a broader goal.
• Ongoing sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes, usually weekly or every two weeks. The schedule can be adjusted as your needs change.
• Progress check-ins. Your therapist reviews with you what is helping and what is not. Goals can shift as your circumstances or your thinking change.

There is no fixed number of sessions. Your voice shapes the work at every stage, from what you talk about to when you decide you have what you need. The Getting Started with Therapy page has more detail on the process.

Evidence and Approaches

This section stays close to what our cited sources support. Where the evidence is limited, we say so.

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

What it helps with: MI may be useful when you have mixed feelings about a change and want space to explore whether, why, and how to make it.

Evidence summary: CMHA Ottawa describes MI as an approach for helping clients move toward change (CMHA Ottawa, 2016). A UK clinical guideline covers how gambling-related harms are identified, assessed, and managed (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence [NICE], n.d.); its specific recommendations are not summarized here.

Limitations: These sources describe the approach but do not report outcome data, so we make no claims about how well MI works for any concern. Responses vary, and UK guidance may not map directly onto Alberta services.

What Results to Expect

Change is rarely a straight line. It is common to move back and forth, revisit a decision, or slip into an old pattern before something shifts. That is part of the process, not a failure.

Some people notice a shift within a few months. Others find longer-term work more useful, especially when MI is combined with other counselling. What you get out of it can depend on:

• the change you are considering and what it means to you
• what is happening in your life right now, including stress, support, and health
• the fit between you and your therapist

No therapy guarantees an outcome, and motivational interviewing is no exception. If the fit does not feel right, you can change therapists or talk with your therapist about trying a different approach.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in counselling is confidential. Psychologists at Wholesome Psychology are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and follow the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists published by the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA). Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW).

Two Alberta privacy laws are relevant. The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) sets rules for how private organizations, including private clinics, collect, use, disclose, and store personal information, and it generally applies to counselling at a private clinic. The Health Information Act (HIA) governs health information held by health custodians, such as Alberta Health Services, and can apply when a clinician provides services for a custodian. Records are handled according to the law that applies and to professional standards.

There are limits to confidentiality. Your therapist may need to share information without your consent:

• if there is a risk of serious harm to you or someone else
• if there is reason to believe a child is being abused or neglected, which Alberta law requires to be reported
• if a court orders records or testimony
• in other limited situations where the law requires or permits disclosure

Your therapist will explain these limits clearly in your first session. You can ask questions about privacy before you share anything personal. Virtual sessions follow the same confidentiality standards as in-person sessions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to describe everything in detail, including things I am not proud of?

No. You decide what to share and when. Motivational interviewing focuses on what you want now and what is pulling you in different directions, so it does not depend on a detailed account of the past. If something feels like too much to talk about yet, you can say so, and your therapist can work with what you are ready to bring.

Is what I share kept private?

Yes, within legal limits. Counselling is confidential, and your information is protected under Alberta privacy law and professional standards. The main exceptions are a risk of serious harm to you or someone else, suspected abuse or neglect of a child, and a court order. The Confidentiality and Privacy section above has more detail.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no set number. Some people come for a shorter stretch to work through one decision. Others continue longer, especially when MI is part of broader counselling. You and your therapist review progress regularly and decide together whether to continue, change focus, or wrap up.

What if the therapist is not the right fit?

Fit matters, and wanting a different therapist is a reasonable request. You can raise it with your therapist directly, or contact the admin team at 780-904-4880 and they can help you find another clinician. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Can I access therapy online?

Yes. Virtual sessions are available anywhere in Alberta, and they follow the same confidentiality standards as in-person sessions. You can read more about online counselling. Your therapist can also talk with you about finding a private space for the call.

Do I need to be ready to change before I start?

No. MI does not ask you to commit to an outcome before the conversation begins. Starting out unsure is expected with this approach, and exploring that uncertainty is part of the work.

Will my therapist try to talk me into quitting or changing?

The approach is designed to be collaborative rather than directive. Your therapist may share observations or information within their scope, but the decisions stay with you. If you decide not to change something, that is still your choice to make.

Can I book motivational interviewing for someone else?

MI is built around the choices of the person taking part, so it is meant for the person who is considering the change. If you are worried about someone, you can book counselling for your own support, and a therapist can help you think about how to respond. If the person you are concerned about is under 18, the Children and Youth section below may help.

Meet Your Clinicians

Wholesome Psychology's team includes Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Canadian Certified Counsellors, Mental Health Therapists, and Student Therapists. All psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Registered Provisional Psychologists practise under the supervision of a senior registered psychologist. Student Therapists are master's-level practicum students.

Training and areas of practice vary from clinician to clinician, and availability changes. You are welcome to ask about a therapist's experience with motivational interviewing before you book. Individual profiles are on Our Therapists, the Match with a Therapist tool can help narrow your options, and the admin team can offer guidance at 780-904-4880.

Children and Youth

Wholesome Psychology offers counselling for children, adolescents, and young people. Therapists who work with younger clients use age-appropriate approaches and work with parents and caregivers to support the young person at home and in daily life.

If you are a parent wondering whether a conversation-based approach could suit your teen, a therapist can talk with you about fit. You can also read about child and youth counselling and adolescent mental health support.

Taking a Next Step

If you would like to learn more, you can take the next step in whichever way feels easiest:

• Book a session online
• Match with a therapist
• Call the admin team at 780-904-4880
• Email info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• Read Getting Started with Therapy to see what the process looks like

Starting the conversation is enough.

New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

References

• Canadian Mental Health Association, Ottawa Branch. (2016, December 19). Motivational interviewing: Helping clients move towards change.
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (n.d.). Gambling-related harms: Identification, assessment and management.