Motivational Interviewing Worksheets (7+)

This page displays motivational interviewing worksheets.

Motivational interviewing worksheets are based on the principle of motivating individuals to move towards a certain goal.

These worksheets are goal directed and help elicit behavioral changes in individuals.

Some of these worksheets will be made by us while some of them will be curated from reputable third party websites.

Motivational Interviewing Worksheet- Significance of Behavioral Change

Our life keeps on changing every moment and in order to keep pace with the time we have to change ourselves according to it.

We cannot be the same person for all of our lives. Just like situations, we also need to change. We need to learn to adapt. 

Objectives: To enable individuals to explore changes they want in themselves.

Instructions: Enlist the changes you wish to see in yourself. Then rate from 1 to 10, how important are these changes.

          Changes   Importance 

 ________________ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

 ________________ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

 ________________ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

 ________________ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

 ________________ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

 ________________ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

________________ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Motivational Interviewing Worksheet- Motivation to Change by Focusing on Outcomes 

Motivational interviewing is a goal oriented technique which is used to motivate individuals to move towards their goal and to bring about certain changes in their behavior.

Motivational interviewing enables individuals to change destructive behaviors, increase treatment adhesion and medication adherence, establish self actualization goals and  increase willingness to change. 

Motivation to change can be increased by focusing on outcomes of an action.

If the outcomes are favourable and reward giving, the individual is more likely to move towards the goal.

Objectives: To motivate an individual to elicit behavioral changes by focusing on the outcomes.

Instructions: Mention the changes you want to see in yourself. Then write down what are the expected outcomes of each change.

Changes	Positive Outcomes

Motivational Interviewing Worksheet- Motivation to Change by Focusing on Advantages 

Just like outcomes encourages an individual to move towards his goals, the benefits of achieving that goal also drives him closer to his goal.

If an individual is aware of the benefits of a certain change, he will strive to bring that change in him willingly.

The terms outcomes and benefits may seem much similar to each other but a slight difference can be noticed between them.

While outcomes consist of immediate consequences ( positive and/ or negative), the benefits comprise of long lived advantages of a particular behavioral change.

For example an individual who is a smoker, strives to quit smoking because it is not a healthy thing.

The outcome of quitting smoking would be that he will leave an unhealthy habit and will not have to smoke to work efficiently, whereas the benefit will be the relief he gets from quitting smoking, the money he saves for he doesn’t have to buy cigarettes, the healthy living would ensure less medical illnesses and so forth.

Objectives: To motivate individuals to move towards their goals by focusing on benefits.

Instructions: In the table mentioned below, write down the changes you wish to see in you and the benefits of those changes in your life.

Changes	Benefits

Motivational Interviewing Worksheet- Change Encouraging Factors

The motivation to change depends on various factors. These factors could be intrinsic, extrinsic or even both.

Intrinsic motivators are the internal factors that encourage behavioral changes (for example new experience, satisfaction, gratitude etcetera) whereas extrinsic motivators are external factors that motivates an individual to change (such as job promotion, free insurance opportunity, conveyance accessibility and so on).

Objectives: To enable individuals to identify their motivators to change.

Instructions: In the following table, highlight the things that motivate you to change.

Fame	Experience	Appreciation
Money	Pay	Grades
Promotions	Recognition	Reserved parking slot
Challenge	Curiosity	Fantasy
Control	Peer pressure	Competition
Family pressure	Commission	To avoid punishment

Motivational Interviewing Worksheet- Change Plan Worksheet

  Motivational interviewing helps an individual in changing behaviors efficiently by encouraging the individual in various ways.

Motivation can come from within an individual (intrinsic motivation) such as personal growth and appreciation or it could come from external sources (extrinsic motivation) such as rewards and benefits. 

Willingness to change enhances the process of goal achievement, which is behavioral change in this case.

When an individual is willing to change, he plans to bring about that change, puts in effort and succeeds in his goals.

The change plan worksheet is a great resource for encouraging an individual for change.

It enables an individual to think about the changes he wants to see in him, the significance of those changes and most importantly the plan he would follow to bring about those changes in himself.

It also helps the individual to think of possible hurdles that could come in his way and how he would tackle them.

The willingness and confidence in oneself, makes behavioral change propitious.

Motivational Interviewing Worksheet- Decisional Balance Worksheet 

Decisional balance worksheet is an elaborative worksheet which aids individuals in eliciting behavioral change by focusing on both positive and negative aspects of not changing behavior and changing behavior.

Studying the pros and cons of staying the same and bringing a change in oneself encourages the individual to move towards his goal.

Decisional balance worksheet consists of four questions.

These questions are to be answered in the following order:

1. What is something good that could come from not taking this action?
2. What is something bad that could come from not taking this action?
3. What is something bad that could come from not taking this action?
4. What is something good that could come from taking this action?

Often people are resistant to change, they find it difficult to concentrate on the other side of the picture.

This decisional balance worksheet makes it easier for them to make the decision of changing or not changing.

The pros about not changing behavior are first asked from the individual, this is often the reason behind their resistance to change.

Then the cons about not changing behaviors are asked from the individual. This is a step closer to preparing an individual for behavioral change.

Next the individual is asked about the cons and then pros of changing behavior.

Gradually the individual will realize that pros of changing behavior are much more than for not changing behavior.

This would be the motivation for the individual to move towards his goal of changing behavior.

In the next step, the individual is given a readiness scale. He is asked to mark the intensity of his willingness to acquire behavioral change.

If the willingness to change is 3 or below, the individual is not ready to change.

If it is between 4 to 7, the individual is yet unsure and if it is 8 or above, the individual is ready for the change.

 Decisional Balance Worksheet 

	Not changing behavior	Changing behavior
Pros	Box 1: What is something good that could come from not taking this action?	Box 4: What is something good that could come from taking this action?
Cons	Box 2: What is something bad that could come from not taking this action?	Box 3: What is something bad that could come from not taking this action?

Readiness ruler 

        Not Ready Unsure         Ready 

            ____________________ ___________________ ______________

|     | | |      |

0 4 7 8 10

(Source of worksheet:)    

Motivational Interviewing Worksheet- Tips to Increase Motivation! 

The worksheet “tips to increase motivation!” by mlyemarks, gives some great tips by which individuals can be encouraged and move towards the attainment of their goals.

Goal attainment becomes easier when an individual is willing to bring a change in himself and when he is motivated to move towards his goal. 

The tips mentioned in this worksheet includes visualizing the prize, writing down positive statements, taking small steps, taking the goal as a challenge and rewarding oneself.

If we dig deep into these tips, these are actually really helpful and encouraging.

Accomplishing a task in parts makes goal accomplishment easier.

People also often forget to think about the consequences of an action.

If the outcomes and rewards of behavioral change are considered, the individual is likely to move towards his goal with a greater speed.

Furthermore, reminding oneself that he is strong, competent and can do anything in which he puts effort, makes the individual more motivated and goal oriented.

Taking goals as a challenge and rewarding oneself after every new accomplishment further encourages the individual.

Tips to Increase Motivation!  1. Visualize the prize Think of how things would look differently if you suddenly had all the motivation in the world. There would probably be a lot of positive effects! Everytime you start to feel unmotivated, try to refocus on all the good things that will happen when you reach your goal. It might help to draw a picture of it or write it down. 2. Write down positive statements It might be easy to feel like giving up when you are working really hard towards a goal. What are some positive things you can say to yourself to help you refocus? Write these statements down and put them somewhere you can see it everyday! 3. Take small steps Motivating yourself can be hard if your goal seems so big and so far away! Rather than looking at how much work you have left to do, break it down into smaller steps. Everyday set a new goal for yourself that will bring you closer to your big goal. Remember to ‘pat yourself’ whenever you make any progress! 4. Make it a challenge Challenges and competitions are things that can get us excited and energized. Is there a way you can challenge yourself in reaching your goal? Maybe there is a friend or a family member who has a similar goal. You can turn it into a fun and healthy competition.  Remember , whenever people are working towards a goal, there are never any losers, just winners! 5. Reward yourself  Finding a way to reward yourself can help keep you motivated. Every time you reach a small or big goal, find a way to give yourself a prize. It does not have to be anything big or cost a lot of money. Talk to your parents and see if you can think of fun rewards for the progress you make towards your goals.

Other mental health worksheets

Below are a list of other mental health worksheets which may interest you:

Gratitude Worksheets

Grief Worksheets

Group Therapy Worksheets

Healthy Relationship Worksheets

I Statement Worksheets

Interpersonal Effectiveness Worksheets

Marriage Counseling Worksheets

Mental Health Group Worksheets

Mental Health Worksheets

This page provided you with motivational interviewing worksheets.

Some of these worksheets were created by us while some of them were curated from reputable third party websites. 

If you have any queries or questions regarding these worksheets, feel free to communicate them to us through your comments.

We will be glad to assist you.

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