Motivational Interviewing looks simple on paper. But anyone who's tried to use it in a real conversation knows the truth: MI requires split-second decisions, careful listening, and the ability to respond skillfully under pressure.

That's why practice matters so much. The gap between understanding MI concepts and actually using them effectively is bridged through deliberate practice.

Here are 15 exercises designed to develop your MI skills, from foundational techniques to advanced applications.

Foundational Exercises

Exercise 1: The Reflection-Only Conversation

Goal: Develop your reflective listening skills How it works:

For 5 minutes, have a conversation where you can ONLY use reflections—no questions, no statements, just reflecting what the other person says.

Example:

Partner: "I've been thinking about cutting back on sugar, but it's so hard because I have such a sweet tooth."

You: "Sugar feels like a tough one to give up because you really enjoy sweet things."

What you'll learn: How much you can communicate and how much your partner will share when you simply reflect well.

Exercise 2: Open Question Transformation

Goal: Convert closed questions to open ones How it works:

Take these closed questions and rewrite them as open-ended questions:

•Did you exercise this week?
•Are you feeling better?
•Is your stress level high?
•Do you want to make changes to your diet?
•Have you thought about what's getting in the way?

Sample transformations:

•What did your week look like in terms of movement?
•How have you been feeling since we last talked?
•What's been going on with your stress lately?
•What are your thoughts about your eating patterns?
•What do you think might be getting in the way?

Exercise 3: The Affirmation Hunt

Goal: Train yourself to notice what's working How it works:

Listen to a recording of a conversation (or have a partner share a story about a challenge). Your only task is to identify at least 3 things you could genuinely affirm:

•What strengths do they display?
•What efforts are they making?
•What values are they demonstrating?

Why it matters: We naturally focus on problems. This exercise retrains your attention toward resources.

Intermediate Exercises

Exercise 4: Rolling with Resistance Practice

Goal: Respond to resistance without arguing Scenario setup:

Have a partner play a resistant client. They should push back on everything you say. Your task is to avoid:

•Arguing
•Lecturing
•Warning
•Giving unsolicited advice

Instead, practice:

•Reflecting their resistance
•Supporting their autonomy
•Shifting focus
•Reframing

Resistance statements to practice with:

•"This is never going to work."
•"You don't understand my situation."
•"I've tried everything already."
•"I know what I need to do, I just can't do it."

Exercise 5: Eliciting Change Talk

Goal: Learn to draw out the client's own motivation How it works:

Start with this scenario: Your client knows they should exercise more but hasn't started.

Practice using these types of questions to elicit change talk:

•Desire: "What would you like to see change?"
•Ability: "If you decided to exercise, what could you do?"
•Reasons: "What would be the benefits of becoming more active?"
•Need: "How important is this to you?"

Track your success: After each question, notice whether the client's response contains change talk (statements favoring change) or sustain talk (statements against change).

Exercise 6: Double-Sided Reflections

Goal: Capture ambivalence without judgment How it works:

For each of these ambivalent statements, write a double-sided reflection:

"I want to lose weight, but I don't want to give up the foods I love."

→ "On one hand, you want the benefits of losing weight. And on the other hand, food is a source of pleasure you don't want to sacrifice."

Practice with:

•"I should probably quit smoking, but it helps me cope with stress."
•"I know I need to exercise, but I'm just too tired after work."
•"My doctor says I should watch my blood pressure, but I hate taking pills."

Advanced Exercises

Exercise 7: The OARS Flow Exercise

Goal: Weave all four OARS elements smoothly How it works:

In a 5-minute conversation, deliberately include:

•At least 3 open-ended questions
•At least 2 affirmations
•At least 5 reflections
•1 summary

Have someone observe and track which elements you use. Debrief on what felt natural and what felt forced.

Exercise 8: Catching the Righting Reflex

Goal: Notice and redirect your urge to fix How it works:

Have a conversation about a challenge your partner is facing. Every time you feel the urge to give advice, say "I'm noticing an urge to tell you what to do. Instead, let me ask—what have you considered trying?"

Track: How many times does the righting reflex come up? What triggers it?

Exercise 9: Summarizing for Change Talk

Goal: Use summaries strategically to amplify motivation How it works:

After a 10-minute conversation, provide a summary. But instead of summarizing everything equally, strategically emphasize the change talk while briefly acknowledging the sustain talk.

Example:

"So we've talked about a lot today. You mentioned that your energy has been low and that bothers you. You also said that starting to exercise feels hard right now. What I really heard was your desire to feel more vital and your confidence that if you could just get started, you could build from there. You're considering starting with just 10 minutes in the morning."

Exercise 10: The Readiness Ruler Conversation

Goal: Use scaling questions to build commitment How it works:

Practice this sequence:

What to notice: How do their answers to these questions generate their own motivation?

Practice Scenarios

Exercise 11: The Excuse Maker

Scenario: A client who always has a reason why they couldn't follow through. Practice skills:

•Rolling with resistance
•Expressing empathy
•Looking for the underlying barrier

Exercise 12: The Perfectionist

Scenario: A client who won't start until they have the perfect plan. Practice skills:

•Exploring what perfection means to them
•Discussing the cost of waiting
•Finding permission for imperfect action

Exercise 13: The External Blamer

Scenario: A client who attributes all their challenges to other people or circumstances. Practice skills:

•Reflecting without agreeing or disagreeing
•Exploring what IS in their control
•Supporting autonomy

Exercise 14: The Silent Client

Scenario: A client who gives short answers and doesn't elaborate. Practice skills:

•Using silence
•Simple reflections that invite more
•Open questions that can't be answered briefly

Exercise 15: The Over-Talker

Scenario: A client who talks at length, making it hard to get a word in. Practice skills:

•Interrupting with a reflection
•Summarizing to bring focus
•Redirecting without dismissing

Making Practice Actually Work

These exercises are most effective when:

1. You do them out loud. Thinking through responses is different from saying them. Your mouth needs practice too. 2. You get feedback. Having someone tell you what worked and what didn't accelerates learning. 3. You repeat often. Skills develop through repetition, not one-time exposure. 4. You make it realistic. The closer your practice is to real conversations, the more it transfers.

This is exactly why AI-powered practice tools are transforming how coaches develop their skills. You can practice any scenario, as many times as you need, with realistic responses—and without any risk to real clients.

15 Motivational Interviewing Practice Exercises to Sharpen Your Skills

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