Mini-Guide: What Is Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET)?

Cases of Bipolar disorder, compulsive gambling, alcohol use disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD, and mental health issues are on the rise. Prescribed medications might provide relief temporarily but if you’re looking for an effective permanent solution for such disorders, I have got your back.

In this blog, I am back with one of the best, short-term, and treatment-focused therapy techniques widely used for treating mental health disorders such as alcoholism, substance use disorders, and others.

We are going to discuss motivational enhancement therapy (MET) which is a short-term technique that helps people enhance their motivational levels to break harmful or destructive behaviors. So, let’s get started! 

What is Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET)?

MET is a short-term technique that helps people enhance their motivational levels to break harmful or destructive behaviors. This therapy’s principles help integrate the features of motivational interviewing and the transtheoretical model of change. This therapy can be really effective for people who are willing to overcome their addiction and want robust motivation for recovery.

In short words, Motivational enhancement therapy is a short-term way to inspire healthy and positive change. Not only does this therapy provide extended motivation, but it also helps in understanding the negative side of their behavior and enhances recovery. 

Goals of Motivational Enhancement Therapy

The main objective of MET is to overcome the client’s resistance to treatment or behavior change. MET helps enhance intrinsic motivation by adjusting self-defeating thoughts, raising self-awareness, and increasing self-confidence.

During therapy sessions, the therapist works on encouraging the client with some effective self-motivating statements that help in gaining a clear understanding and a motivation to bring positive change within. 

Techniques Used in Motivational Enhancement Therapy

MET is a short-term therapy including four sessions, in some severe cases, the therapist might conduct six sessions. During the sessions, the therapist focuses on five key principles of MET: 

1. Express Empathy

This key factor involves the development of empathy and empathy expression in the clients. Empathy development helps in enhancing motivation levels for a positive change. 

2. Acknowledge Discrepancy

Another important aspect of MET is acknowledgment of discrepancy. The ability to acknowledge differences between reality and desires helps in conducting the therapy effectively. 

3. Avoid arguments

Arguments may block the resistance to change, therefore, MET therapists optimistically and gently self-aware clients and develop motivation to welcome a positive change. 

4. Accept resistance

During sessions, the therapist works on diffusing struggle and builds intrinsic motivation to provide proper space for recovery. 

5. Support self-efficacy

In order to bring positive changes in the client, the therapist works on improving self-efficacy so that the client can understand their own capabilities. 

Uses of Motivational Enhancement Therapy

Basically, MET was introduced to treat addictions, however, research shows that it can be useful for treating various mental health conditions such as: 

• Alcoholism 
• Bipolar disorder
• Eating disorders 
• Gambling 
• Generalization anxiety (GAD)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Identity issues (for adolescents)

Benefits of Motivational Enhancement Therapy 

Below listed are some of the important benefits of MET: 

• Overcomes resistance to getting treatment 
• Short-time counseling approach with effective results 
• Builds self-awareness 
• Supportive and nonjudgmental 
• Client-centered approach 
• Builds a sense of motivation and empowerment
• Allows effective recovery
• Reduces self-defeating thoughts
• Builds self-confidence

What Happens during Motivational Enhancement Therapy Sessions? 

MET is a short-term therapy approach consisting of four to six sessions (depending on the client’s needs). The therapy sessions include: 

1. Initial Assessment: The therapy sessions are initiated with an initial assessment wherein the therapist collects important information based on behaviors or present problems. 

2. Structured Feedback: The therapist also works on providing structured feedback based on the information present in the assessment. After providing feedback, the therapist sees how clients behave and how clients use their new perspective. 

3. Encouragement: During this process, the therapist works on providing the right amount of encouragement to explore more concerns and address them. 

4. Goal Setting: The therapist also works on goal-setting by asking clients about their long-term and short-term goals to enhance motivation levels. 

5. Concern Addressing: The therapist addresses the client’s concerns and helps in creating a plan of action or change plan. Herein, the therapist guides the client with the necessary steps that need to be taken to achieve them. 

6. Reinforcement: The last two sessions of MET are focused on reinforcing positive progress and providing encouragement. Herein, personal choices and control are also focused. 

I hope this blog helps you understand motivational enhancement therapy (MET). For more such content, connect with us through all social media platforms. 

Thanks for reading!