Motivational Interviewing with Robin Hart

In this episode, Heather Jones interviews Robin Hart about Motivational Interviewing. Robin is a trainer with 30 years of experience working with the Ounce and Healthy Families Florida.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) can be used every single day, even in our personal lives. It is an opportunity for us to have real conversations with people who are considering change and all the obstacles that come with that change.

Motivational Interviewing can be defined as a lifelong quest; it provides four skill sets that are the focus of development for people. The first one being: asking open-ended questions; this allows conversations to have moments of reflection, not just yes and no answers. The second tool for MI is using affirmations; this confirms the connection between the two individuals. The third skill set is reflective listening; the average person listens 17 seconds before they start forming a response, so reflective listening helps a person listen to understand, not to respond. The last step for MI is summarizing; this is the final opportunity to connect with someone to make sure you understood their message. 

When using Motivational Interviewing during home visits, it takes away from the idea that when talking to families you must strap on your cape and try and fix people. It instead holds up a mirror, allowing family members to see their strengths, and the mountains they have already climbed.

Episode recorded June 12, 2025.