We often have a picture in our mind of the “ideal” or “perfect” MI conversation, which we’re tempted to recreate with the individuals we support.

We envision the optimal scenario for factors such as environment, setting, length of time, the participant’s state, etc.

While there will be times when the stars align, in general, people’s lives and surroundings are imperfect, meaning we’ll need to remain flexible and adapt.

***During MI conversations, we want to search for opportunities to have an impactful interaction, even when the circumstances surrounding it are challenging.