Motivational Interviewing with Adolescents and Young Adults (Applications of Motivational Interviewing)

Filling a critical void, this book answers the call of practitioners and scholars who for years have been asking for a clinical text on how to use MI with youth. Naar-King and Suarez describe the developmental context and provide many easy-to-read examples of using each MI principle and strategy with adolescents and young adults. The authors have also drawn together some of the most prominent figures in MI to describe applications for specific populations and settings. This book would make an excellent stand-alone text for a course on MI or a great supplemental text for any course on clinical interventions with youth. --Keith Herman, PhD, Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology, University of Missouri

Naar-King and Suarez remind us that the more you try to persuade and direct, the more a young person tends to resist. Want more productive conversations about behavior change with the young adults you work with? Want to stop the pathologizing of adolescents and help them maximize their potential? Look to this book for all-important 'how-tos' and helpful strategies. --Michael D. Clark, MSW, Director, Center for Strength-Based Strategies, Mason, Michigan; member, Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT)

MI has such a strong theoretical and empirical base that it should become a standard part of training in the mental health and health fields. This book provides an excellent introduction to MI and a compelling overview of applications with adolescents, which is a developing field worthy of continued study. It presents ethical and skill-development guidelines that should be required reading for anyone interested in using MI with adolescents and young adults. --Bradley H. Smith, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina

A beautifully written, well-organized, and immensely substantive book on collaborating with young people who are struggling with serious challenges. I highly recommend this book to anyone who works with teenagers and young adults. Readers will benefit from its unique blend of spirit and skill, lively illustrations, and universal lessons. I guarantee that this book will not disappoint! --Andrew Malekoff, LCSW, CASAC, Executive Director, North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center, Roslyn Heights, New York

The authors combine a user-friendly style with rigorous research evidence. The book is well organized and offers enough detail to enable practitioners to grasp the subtleties that can make the difference between being effective or not. The useful examples, tips, and chapter summaries make it a handy reference not only for counselors-in-training, but also for experienced counselors, educators, and others working with this client group. Also offered are very useful, practical models of how MI can be adapted to particular behavioral issues, such as eating disorders and smoking cessation. An indispensable guide for anyone working with issues of behavior change in young people. --Ariana Faris, MSc, private practice, Cardiff, United Kingdom; member, Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT)