Motivational Interviewing: A Pathway to Mindshifting

Recently, I joined Jeff Christian and Mike Sestich on the “Life’s Essential Ingredients” podcast for a deep dive into conflict, collaboration, and the neuroscience of change. One of the most memorable moments was our live demonstration of motivational interviewing—a segment that, to be honest, gave me a bit of anxiety going in. Doing this technique live, unscripted, is always a leap of faith. You never know how a conversation will unfold, and there’s always the possibility of stumbling or missing the mark. But that’s also what makes these moments real and valuable.

What Is Motivational Interviewing?

Motivational interviewing is a conversational approach developed by social workers and now used by coaches, therapists, and healthcare professionals. Its purpose is to help individuals make meaningful, sustainable changes—not by prescribing solutions, but by drawing out their own motivations and strategies. The process is rooted in curiosity, empathy, and exploration rather than judgment or advice-giving.

The Purpose and Flow of Our Conversation

During the episode, Jeff suggested we use motivational interviewing with Mike, who was recovering from illness and working to rebuild his energy and exercise routine. My role was not to direct or instruct, but to help Mike clarify his own goals and tap into his intrinsic motivation. We started with open-ended questions about how he was feeling, his plans, and his strategies for recovery. Mike described his incremental approach—walking a little further each day, hydrating, resting, and listening to his body. I reflected back his responses, helping him recognize his progress and articulate his plan.

We also explored his confidence level, using a simple scaling question: “On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you that you’ll stick with this plan?” Mike responded thoughtfully, and we discussed what made him choose that number, reinforcing his sense of agency and commitment.

Mike and Jeff’s Reflections

After the conversation, Mike shared how the experience felt for him: “That was seamless. I didn’t even know what was going on. I thought we were just having a nice conversation, man. And you were putting me on the right path. I appreciate that.” His feedback was a testament to the subtle power of motivational interviewing—it’s not about pressure or persuasion, but about creating space for self-discovery and change.

Jeff, too, commented on the process, calling it “a quick master class.” He highlighted the evidence behind motivational interviewing as a tool for creating lasting, sustainable change and broke down the steps: adopting curiosity and empathy, asking open-ended questions, using reflective listening, moving toward next steps, ensuring agency, and affirming the person’s desire and ability to change. Jeff noted, “If you were to play back that conversation… Mitchell did a great job of getting Mike to share what is truly inside him… It was a great job.”

Why Watch the Whole Episode?

If you’re interested in redirecting conflict to result in positive person to person interactions—moving beyond old patterns and rewiring your emotional operating system—this episode is a must-watch. The motivational interviewing segment is a real, unscripted example of how powerful change can begin with the right kind of conversation. You’ll see how empathy, curiosity, and reflective listening can unlock new possibilities, whether you’re facing a health challenge, a conflict, or any area where you want to grow.

Motivational interviewing is just one tool in the broader MindShifting method. In fact, it’s only one of the tools that improve conflicts and collaboration, but it’s practical, evidence-based, and accessible to anyone. Jeff and his partner Mike are no strangers to working through tough conversations. We touched on some of their proven techniques as well.

I encourage you to watch the full episode to see these concepts in action and discover how you can apply MindShifting in your own life.

Check it out—and let’s keep shifting minds, one conversation at a time.

And also check out the book, MindShifting Conflict and Collaborarion. If you want to run a study group using the book, we have resources to support you.