What is the Origin of Motivational Enhancement?

The technique was formally developed by clinical psychologists William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnick, initially for addressing substance abuse, but it has been widely and successfully adapted for all forms of health behavior change. Its foundation lies in respecting the client's autonomy, expressing empathy, and collaboratively setting achievable health goals.

What is the Mechanism of Motivational Enhancement?

By focusing on the concept of discrepancy—the gap between a client's current health behavior and their stated, deeply held personal health goals—this technique systematically strengthens the commitment to change. Successfully engaging in new health behaviors, such as consistent exercise or medication adherence, positively influences neurochemistry, specifically increasing the availability of dopamine and serotonin, which further reinforces the positive motivation loop.

Motivational Enhancement ∞ Area

Motivational Enhancement

Meaning

A client-centered, highly empathetic counseling approach systematically designed to help individuals thoroughly explore and ultimately resolve their internal ambivalence regarding necessary behavior change. This technique is specifically applied in the context of adopting and adhering to complex, long-term hormonal health and wellness protocols. Its primary focus is on eliciting and strengthening the client’s intrinsic motivation.