Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET)

Have you ever felt stuck, lacking the motivation to make positive changes in your life? Perhaps you’ve struggled with maintaining healthy habits or overcoming obstacles that hinder your well-being. If this resonates with you, then you might find motivational enhancement therapy to be a helpful tool in your journey toward a healthier, happier lifestyle.

MET is an evidence-based therapeutic approach that aims to enhance an individual’s motivation and commitment to change. It is particularly effective for those who struggle with substance use but feel ambivalent or uncertain about the recovery process. At Avalon Malibu, we use MET to help clients to discover and harness their own motivation for change.

What Is Motivational Enhancement Therapy?

Motivational enhancement therapy is a therapeutic approach designed to help individuals resolve their uncertainty, reluctance or ambivalence about changing harmful behaviors, such as substance use or mental health matters. It utilizes motivational strategies, goal setting and other evidence-based techniques to help increase awareness of problematic behaviors, adjust self-defeating thoughts and build one’s confidence in their ability to take action. In other words, MET helps you become your own catalyst for positive, lasting change.

How Does Motivational Enhancement Therapy Work?

Motivational enhancement therapy operates on the foundation of a few fundamental principles. It starts with the belief that the power and motivation for change reside within you and helps bring that internal motivation to the surface. The key components of MET are:

Empathy: MET places a strong emphasis on the therapist’s ability to express empathy and understanding. The goal is to foster a safe and non-judgmental space where individuals feel heard, validated and respected to encourage open communication.
Develop discrepancy: MET helps people recognize discrepancies between their current behavior and future goals. Highlighting this discrepancy can provide motivation to bridge the gap between one’s current state and desired state.
Avoid argumentation: MET acknowledges that arguing about the need for change is counterproductive. Therapists adopt a more collaborative approach and work with individuals rather than against them, creating an atmosphere of trust and respect.
Rolling with resistance: In MET, ambivalence or resistance to change is seen as a normal part of the process. Therapists are trained to “roll with it,” helping individuals explore, identify and address the underlying reasons for their ambivalence.
Support self-efficacy: MET aims to enhance an individual’s belief in their ability to make positive changes by recognizing their strengths, achievements and past successes. This empowers them to take ownership of their decisions and build confidence in their ability to achieve their goals.

Typically, MET is a short-term technique used for the treatment of substance use disorders and focuses on helping individuals feel more motivated to change harmful behavioral patterns. However, research has shown that the principles of MET may also be useful in treating other conditions, such as compulsive gambling, eating disorders, anxiety and other mental health issues.

Resolving Ambivalence

MET recognizes that the road to change is often paved with ambivalence. Often, people will be caught between wanting to change and maintaining the status quo. If you find yourself feeling stuck, procrastinating or doubting your ability to change, MET can help by building your intrinsic motivation to work toward recovery. This type of motivation comes from within and helps transform ambivalence into a powerful tool for self-improvement.

To accomplish this, MET utilizes an empathetic and respectful approach that relies on open-ended conversations to encourage individuals to explore their thoughts, behaviors and the consequences of their actions. During treatment, therapists do not instruct or coerce their clients — instead, they facilitate the process of self-exploration and work with individuals to help them understand their resistance to change and ultimately move beyond it.

Label Yourself Properly

Motivational enhancement therapy recognizes that change isn’t always easy. Despite the knowledge that substance use isn’t beneficial to their health or happiness, some people come to embrace the label of “addict.” They might not want to be dependent on drugs or alcohol, but have become comfortable with the familiar and feel hesitant to lead a sober lifestyle. Avalon Malibu uses MET to challenge this labeling, opening the door for healing to begin.

One of the goals of our MET-focused approach is to help people redefine themselves in a healthy and positive way. When used correctly in residential treatment programs, this can help people overcome their substance use. MET is based on the idea that those who struggle with addiction or mental health concerns often have a deep-seated desire to change their lives for the better, and our therapists help clients embrace a meaningful shift in self-perception.

Motivational Enhancement Therapy at Avalon Malibu

At Avalon Malibu, our dedicated therapists understand the complexities of ambivalence and uncertainty when it comes to changing harmful behaviors. We are committed to helping individuals navigate these challenges and use MET to increase each client’s confidence, willingness and internal motivation to heal from addiction or substance use.

During treatment, our therapists provide feedback through stimulating discussions about the client’s substance use while strengthening their motivation to facilitate positive change. Strategies for coping with high-risk situations are suggested, and individuals are encouraged to remain committed to their recovery. Healing can only occur when a client is willing to take the initiative, so these counseling techniques are integrated into our residential treatment program to help them resolve their ambivalence. Partners and family members can be encouraged to participate in supporting the client as well.

When MET sparks a client’s internal motivation for change, it helps them to become more engaged in their recovery because it becomes their own decision to move forward. Instead of being coerced into it, individuals feel empowered to take on a more active role in their treatment, leading to a more positive experience and better long-term outcomes.

Reluctance to Engage in Treatment

Reluctant clients sometimes lack knowledge about the impact that drug or alcohol use can have on themselves and their loved ones. They do not consider change necessary, and they often respond negatively to feedback about how substance use is truly affecting their lives.

Engaging a client who is reluctant to participate in treatment can be a challenge. However, we’ve been able to find creative ways to overcome these hurdles. Our therapists work closely with each individual to better understand their reluctance to address their substance use, while our facilities provide a calming, relaxing environment where clients feel safe and supported, making it easier for them to open up more fully.

The use of MET also helps reluctant clients advance their own agendas and set their own goals. People tend to play the “devil’s advocate,” where one person expresses a viewpoint, and others tend to oppose that view naturally. Our staff listens carefully and then asks questions about an individual’s behavior, pointing out its pros and cons. Through this technique, clients can overcome their reluctance and increase their motivation for getting sober by developing reasons for change and establishing a recovery plan.

What Should Motivational Enhancement Therapy Accomplish?

The goal of motivational enhancement therapy is to help clients create a personal plan for overcoming substance use. Our staff members use MET to identify harmful behaviors and help individuals regain hope and optimism about their capacity to change. We also help clients explore the specific barriers which impede their new beginnings. By using MET to get clients engaged in the treatment process, encourage them to participate in setting their own goals and help them feel motivated to change, this technique can become the key to their success, helping them finally succeed in achieving a healthy, happy and sober lifestyle.

Contact Avalon Malibu

Motivational enhancement therapy is an evidence-based technique used to increase one’s motivation to overcome harmful behaviors. Avalon Malibu therapists utilize MET in the treatment of addiction and substance use, enhancing clients’ willingness to embrace the recovery process. We’ve found that MET is a very useful tool for helping individuals gain self-esteem and feel more confident in their ability to change. To learn more about our treatment programs and how they can help you or a loved one, please contact us today by completing our online contact form or calling 1-888-958-7511.