Summary of Motivational Work

Abstract

The article is a summary of Motivational Work. It is a new paradigm and method for motivating clients and patients. Motivational Work demonstrates that everyone can become more motivated, regardless of their problems or destructive behavior. The technique differs from current approaches in one crucial way: it is not based on the psychotherapy model.

One thesis in this article is that social work and other related fields, such as mental health and correctional treatment, need their theoretical constructions based on destructive clients who need help. Focus points include observing and responding to the client’s defense mechanisms, how to avoid burnout, the significance of the relationship, and the value of methods. At the same time, the paradigm involves a new general theoretical model of psychology.

Implications:

• Many professionals tend to meet very dysfunctional clients. For this reason, they are often confronted with the risk of becoming burned out. Motivational Work is the only method to offer a protective suit to prevent this energy drain.
• All clients, irrespective of their destructive behavior, can be motivated through Motivational Work. In contrast, all other methods of motivation are built on some existing constructive form of cooperation between the practitioner and the client.

The above heading summarizes the theory and method, which involves a new way of responding to unmotivated clients. It requires a new paradigm as well as new approaches. The currently prevalent motivation techniques, such as Motivational Interviewing (Millner & Rollnik, 2013) and the Transtheoretical Model (Prohaska, Norcross, & DiClemente, 2016), are based on a psychotherapy model.

Critique of the Psychotherapeutic Model

Several aspects characterize this way of responding to clients, perhaps the most important being the view of the client’s capacity for self-reflection. The practitioner assumes that the client has emotional and cognitive contact with himself and can process what is being discussed. It is considered that the client can assess the advantages and disadvantages of change rationally.

The Client is willing to cooperate

The psychotherapy model also assumes that the client has a constructive side and is willing to cooperate with the practitioner. This is presumed to exist even if the client has a destructive relationship with himself and others. The concept of the constructive relationship, through which the practitioner is assumed to cooperate with the client, originates in psychoanalysis and is called a working alliance. (Greenson, 2000). Motivational Interviewing has a similar concept (Millner & Rollnik, 2013).

A Paradox

However, this view of the practitioner and client relationship involves a paradox. The client may be destructive and unmotivated, but at the same time, he has a constructive side, meaning that he has a rational and sensible view of himself and wants to cooperate with the practitioner. This leads us to the question, how can a client be destructive, unmotivated, and simultaneously be constructive and motivated?

Constructive Behavior

The psychotherapy model is also based on the client showing constructive behavior in therapy, in other words, he can set limits for his destructiveness. The client must attend meetings with the practitioner. He must not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol or in a period of substance abuse. He cannot be too aggressive or hostile, nor can he be violent. Nor can he be only complaint; that is, he appears to work with the practitioner, but no deep change takes place.

Thus, the psychotherapy model can only reach relatively well-functioning clients who can pass through the eye of the needle. Unfortunately, this means no working methods exist for all clients outside the psychotherapy framework. They are emotionally blocked and lack self-reflection, find it difficult to verbalize their thoughts, and show destructive behavior. In addition, a client’s constructive behavior in treatment is more related to middle-class culture.

A Motivational Paradox

A motivation paradox arises in the psychotherapy model through all its limitations: the most destructive and unmotivated clients receive minor help while better-functioning clients receive the most support. Those clients who suffer most are often the most significant burden on society and are the same clients who are most often abandoned by current methods of motivation.

Origins of the Motivational Paradox

We should reflect on the origins of this motivation paradox. In the author’s view, one reason could be that working with unmotivated clients is highly demanding. Clients are dismissive, aggressive, threatening, compliant, or show superficial adaptation. They are also emotionally blocked, so having close contact is impossible. The practitioner generally only receives a negative confirmation for his commitment.

Hopelessness

All this creates a sense of hopelessness and meaninglessness. The practitioner becomes increasingly drained of energy, and there is a considerable risk of burnout if he does not terminate his commitment.  Psychotherapy methods and Motivational Interviewing (Millner & Rollnick, 2013) have no solutions for burnout; instead, they state that the methods are unsuitable for destructive clients. Clients who are likely to drain the practitioner’s energy are quite simply rejected.

Inclusion of Clients

As described in this article, Motivational Work aims to resolve the motivation paradox by providing a theory and method that, right from the start, includes clients who do not fit into the psychotherapy model. The technique can be used for all types of clients, including those who are better functioning.

Instead of the client needing to live up to specific requirements, Motivational Work adapts to meet the client in his state at the time. An important Work of the method is how to avoid burnout and remain permanently committed. You can find a summary of Motivational Work in the author’s own (2018, Chapter 16) and a full version in the author’s own (2013).

Carl Rogers’ Stages of Motivation

Some psychotherapists have attempted to resolve the issue of motivation. One example is Carl Rogers, the creator of Client-Centered Therapy (Rogers, 1951), who did so in conjunction with his investigation of the process of change in psychotherapy (Rogers, 1967, Chapter 7). The results of his research are based on recordings of psychotherapy sessions. Motivational Work also bases its theory on the change process among unmotivated clients using the same concepts as Rogers.

Seven Different Stages

In his article, Rogers divides the process of change into seven different stages. It is not until stage three that the client’s motivation is strong enough for psychotherapy to be effective. At this stage, the client is in contact with his emotions and can show his feelings. He also knows that his cognitions are not facts but a picture of the reality he created himself. It means that the client is prepared to challenge his cognitions.

The First Stage

In the two previous stages of the change process, the client is not sufficiently motivated for psychotherapy to make any gains. Clients in the first stage do not attend treatment voluntarily but are forced to participate in various ways. In general, they cannot talk about themselves and do not have any contact with their feelings. These clients’ cognitions are rigid, unchangeable, and simplistic; they are also seen as facts, not individual images.

The Second Stage

Clients in stage two may attend treatment voluntarily, but no change occurs since they do not address their underlying problems directly but attempt to escape an acutely painful situation. When the acute suffering is over, their motivation disappears too. In stage two, clients have opened up a little more, and their cognitions are slightly more nuanced but are still regarded as facts.

Motivational Work’s Stages of Motivation

All methods based on the psychotherapy paradigm are suitable for clients in stages three and above. Motivational Work, in contrast, is aimed at clients in stages one and two. Moreover, Rogers’ investigation is only based on clients who contact a psychotherapist.

Some clients are so destructive that it is impossible to achieve this contact, but such clients can be reached through Motivational Work. Two stages can be distinguished here. Zero-zero indicates that the client is very latently motivated and is so destructive that he is near death. Stage zero means that motivation is still very latent, but the risk of death is not as imminent. One could characterize it as akin to Russian roulette.  

The author discovered that a new psychology theory was also required to create Motivational Work. In particular, the new approach needed to focus on human motive forces, the attachment process, the importance of relationships, and methods. A theory of the psyche was also necessary.

Method

 Motivational Work is built on the author’s experience of motivating and the guidance of others. Evidence is thus based on the case study method, a clinical experience.

The aim is to use case studies to deepen and develop the theory to explain complex phenomena and occurrences (Yin, 2012), (Fishman, 2016). Certain cases have also been used as examples of best clinical practices (Fishman, 2016).

Advantages and Disadvantages of Case Studies

One advantage of case studies is that one can study complex mental processes, which can be understood and explained. In addition, ideas from this method can lead to new research. One disadvantage of case studies is that it is impossible to generalize the results to a larger group. Nor can we ignore that the researcher’s subjective experiences may influence the results, otherwise known as the researcher’s bias. (Yin 2012), (Fisherman 2016).

Robert Yin

Concerning the results from case studies, Robert Yin can further clarify their generalizability. As mentioned above, the results cannot be transferred to a larger population. Still, it is possible to apply analytic generalization, meaning that a theoretical model can create a logic that can be used in other situations.

Daniel B. Fishman

Daniel B. Fishman also mentions this disadvantage of the case study method, namely the problems associated with generalizing the results. However, he claims that if an analysis is carried out of the description and theory in many case studies, the results can strengthen the generalizability of the approach (Fishman, 2016).

The Author

The author has improved the qualitative aspect through informal case studies, which have led to a new theory that is partially confirmed. At the same time, the author is aware that his subjectivity inevitably biases his observations. To avoid this pitfall, he hopes that Motivational Work can also be investigated through statistical evaluation.

Summary 1 Values and Theory: The Protective Suit

Below is a brief presentation of the new theory that is required to include all clients. A critical function of this new paradigm is the construct a protective suit that minimizes the risk of burnout of motivational workers. As mentioned above, the description will focus on the fundamental elements of the theory.

A. The Positive Core

Motivational Work has its roots in humanistic psychology. Humanistic psychology has a humanistic approach as its core value, as does Motivational Work. The humanistic approach believes that all people have a positive core and, thus, an inner constructive motive force. This approach includes Carl Rogers’ person-centered therapy (Rogers, 1967) and psychodrama (Moreno, 1978).

This motive force is the basis for all human behavior and signifies that everyone always has motivation. The term “unmotivated” in this context is thus misleading and should be reformulated to “latently motivated”. Motivation is present but not visible in the client’s behavior. Correspondingly, “motivated” should be changed to “manifestly motivated”, meaning that the constructive motivation in a client’s actions can be clearly seen.

The Origins of Destructiveness lie outside the Client

It follows from this theory that destructiveness and lack of motivation are not innate; their origins lie outside the person. Nobody, in their innermost self, wants to destroy themself or harm others. Since everyone has a positive core, there is always a desire for positive change. All latently motivated clients have positive life energy in their innermost selves.

The predicament for the motivational worker is that this cannot be seen in the client’s behavior. He is apparently unwilling to make any constructive change to his life; on the contrary, he is destructive in different ways. If you believe that behind the destructiveness lies a positive core, you know there is always hope for the client. Despite these appearances, the theory of the positive core enables the motivational worker to have a hopeful attitude toward the client. It is always possible to strengthen his internal energy.

However, even if there is a hopeful view of the latently motivated client, you can never entirely escape the feeling of hopelessness resulting from the client’s behavior – and he also dumps his sense of desperation on the motivational worker.

Gives the Motivational Worker Positive Energy

The theory of the positive core can enable the motivational worker to give himself positive energy. This way, the motivational worker becomes less dependent on the client’s negative confirmation. It is a balance between his hopefulness and hopelessness.

The Positive Core is Motivation

The belief in the positive core is the first vaccination against being burned out. A second aspect helps keep the motivational worker afloat: the positive core is the motivation, and the goal of Motivational Work is to strengthen the positive core. Thus, the motivational worker becomes independent of the client’s behavior and can confirm his progress. Furthermore, finding positive confirmation in inner change is more accessible than in behavior.

In psychological terms, strengthening the positive core means that the change process Carl Rogers describes can progress even if it does not function as described in the psychotherapy model. The client’s self-esteem strengthens, his ability to set limits for his destructive behavior increases, his capacity to connect with others is improved, and his life becomes more meaningful (Rogers, 1967, Chapter 9).

B. The Contact Rebus

The belief in the positive core does not distinguish Motivational Work from all other methods. However, the viewpoint on defense and the attachment process is unique to Motivational Work and is an essential part of working with very destructive clients.

In the psychotherapy model, resistance is viewed as a negative aspect, an obstacle that needs to be changed (Millner & Rollnick, 2013, Chapter 15). This idea complicates work with latently motivated clients since the distinctive features strongly defend against change. It also increases the risk of burnout since the practitioner constantly receives negative confirmation of his work.

Characteristics of the Latently Motivated Client

The theory of defense in Motivational Work is based on those clients in Rogers’ stages one and two. Those in stages zero-zero and zero communicate in a complex, indirect manner different from that of motivated clients. Familiar to all latently motivated clients is that they have a weak positive core since they have received powerful negative confirmation from others or by life itself during their childhood or later.

In common with other emotions, pain strives to reach the conscious level so that catharsis can occur. This has resulted in them bearing great pain, which they must learn to live with. At the same time, they lack a solid positive core that could enable them to respond to this pain constructively. The solution chosen is to defend themselves against the pain of life.

Pain is converted into destructive actions since these are easier to deal with than genuine pain. In this way, the latently motivated person experiences catharsis and relief while avoiding direct contact with his fundamental pain. This can be difficult for practitioners to realize: acting destructively can bring great relief.

The Main Function of the Defense

The main function of defense, however, is not that the client survives his pain. Since he has a weak positive core, a latently motivated person cannot give himself life energy; this can only be achieved by transferring energy from other people, so he needs contact with others to strengthen his positive core.

The client now faces a dilemma. His positive core means he wants help but generally has painful contact experiences with others. That was how his positive life force was weakened at an earlier stage. The client thus finds it difficult to connect with others and trust them. He does not want to be let down again. If the practitioner is committed and wants to establish contact despite the client’s destructive behavior, the client receives more decisive positive confirmation than if he had openly asked for help.

To Obtain maximum life energy

Another consequence is that the latently motivated client dares to trust the practitioner more. The indirect attempt at making contact is designed to obtain maximum life energy for the client.  For this reason, in Motivational Work, defense is referred to as a contact rebus. A rebus is an enigma in the form of images, letters, or figures. From the author’s experience, many people have not come across this term, so a brief explanation is in order.

The contact rebus is a cry for help that is transmuted through destructiveness. The advantage of this distortion is that the latently motivated person will be seen by others and given attention. Staff and society both react. He can receive attention from social services, healthcare, prison and probation services, and the police.

The advantage for the client lies in receiving powerful positive confirmation. The disadvantage is that the contact rebus is very transmuted, and there is a great risk that no one sees it. However, contact rebus is not only transmuted through destructiveness. There are three additional forms of distortion. These are aggression, withdrawal, and compliance. To briefly explain the construction and functions of the contact rebus, three case descriptions are given below

The Aggressive Contact Rebus

The first is an example of aggressive contact rebus. A psychologist is working in a psychiatric department. One day a patient walks up to him and puts his face so close they are almost touching. The patient then accuses him of causing his partner’s miscarriage and is overly aggressive.

The psychologist recognizes the contact rebus immediately and understands that the person wants to make contact. After a while, the patient calms down and can sit next to the psychologist and talk about his feelings related to the miscarriage. He is brokenhearted. (The staff had already informed the psychologist that the miscarriage had occurred.)

The Withdrawal Contact Rebus

Withdrawal is an entirely different type of contact rebus.  Barbro volunteers for her biological son to be placed in a family home. During the investigation of this procedure, a motivational worker gets in touch with her. She goes to see her mother regularly for talks. The motivational worker feels that they are attaching more and more. Sometime later, there is a long period when the client is not at home. The motivational worker leaves notes for her and continues to visit her home. After a while, they meet again. As a result of the letters, Barbro understood that the motivational worker cared about her.

The Compliance Contact Rebus

The third type of contact rebus is compliance. Anita is seeking treatment at a drug addiction center. Her two biological children, aged three and five, have been taken into care due to her drug abuse. The center has an admissions interview with her. Anita describes how depressed she is about her children being taken into care, but apart from that, she does not think she has any problems.

The staff recognize her contact rebus and question her willingness to have treatment. Anita feels cornered; if she has already stopped using drugs, why would she need help? She suddenly gets up and rushes out. After a while, the personnel finds her alone in a room, crying. Anita says she has always had boyfriends who beat her, and her father beat her as a child. The children are vital to her, and she feels terrible about letting them down.  She is admitted when she tells the staff that she is willing to work on her problems.

The Functions of the Contact Rebus

The case descriptions clearly illustrate the functions of the contact rebus. Firstly, clients avoid being openly rejected. If the psychologist did not recognize the patient’s aggression as an attempt at contact, the patient would not feel abandoned. It would just be a relief to avoid talking to a psychologist. Secondly, latently motivated clients tacitly attach to the motivational worker.

As mentioned in the previous example, the attachment continued under the surface when Barbro withdrew from the motivational worker. Thirdly, the contact rebus effectively allows the client to test whether he can trust the motivational worker. Anita checks whether the staff swallows her façade or understands she needs help with many other problems. She wants to be seen by the group. Had they immediately believed what she said, she would have subconsciously felt they did not understand her or were not committed.

Summary

To sum up, latently motivated people always use contact rebuses and never mean what they say. It is a complicated and indirect way of communicating with others. Because a latently motivated person needs a positive life force, he continuously tests people around him with contact rebuses. Even manifestly motivated people may use contact rebuses, particularly when extra positive confirmation is needed, such as in their teenage years or when they fall in love.

Manifestly motivated people have far less destructive contact rebuses, but in contrast, they use more of the three other transmutations: aggression, withdrawal, and compliance. The manifestly motivated client can also open up and mean what he says (comparable with Rogers’ stage three). These differences are crucial in understanding how latently motivated people communicate and how to respond to them. That is essentially the dynamic of Motivational Work. The manifestly motivated motivational worker responds to the latently motivated client.

C. The Motivational Process

An essential part of the theory on latently motivated persons is how their contact rebuses change over time and how the attachment process works. Knowledge of this part of the theory is, in many cases, crucial for the motivational worker to avoid being burned out. The time aspect reinforces the functions of contact rebuses. Another case description will serve to illustrate the complexity of this process concisely.

A Case

A female social worker tried to motivate a female drug addict to undergo treatment. The client said she would accept the treatment if she could be admitted to a rehabilitation home. The social worker fully believed in the client’s wish to do this, but her colleagues were critical of the client’s request. After 3 months, the social worker found a rehabilitation home that would accept her client.

After two days, she received a phone call from the staff at the rehabilitation home. They said the client had suddenly left, saying she did not want to follow the treatment. The social worker took up the case in a supervisors’ group one week later. She felt devastated, cheated, lacked self-confidence, was a failure, and believed that the client was hopeless.

A Wave Motion

This case description illustrates how a latently motivated person uses a contact rebus. The client can reinforce its functions by changing the contact rebus over time. The typical pattern in cases like the above is to alternate between compliant and destructive behavior. The effect is further reinforced by the significant difference between contact rebuses and the fact that changes occur abruptly without forewarning.

The latently motivated person’s process of testing and attachment is more like a wave motion than a straight line. You cannot avoid relapse or negative rebound. Instead, it is a good sign: the positive core has been strengthened, and the attachment process has started. When the social worker could see it this way, she immediately renewed her commitment and wanted to seek out the client, which she did.

The Risk of Burnout Disappeared

The risk of burnout disappeared since she could understand the client’s behavior differently. She then worked with the client herself. After one year, the client stopped abusing drugs and found a job and an apartment.

To See the Contact Rebus

The social worker does not recognize the compliance contact rebus or destructive contact rebus in the above example. She only sees the exterior façade and does not initially understand the complexity of the client’s communication and how the attachment process takes place. This also demonstrates how the risk of burnout can arise when the motivational worker does not see the contact rebus and believes that the client means what he says and does, assuming that he is in Rogers’ stage three.

Summary 2 The Motivational Relationship

The motivational relationship is the practical application of values and theory. Its function is to transmit life energy to the client’s positive core. Because a latently motivated person has weak life energy, he needs a lot of energy to strengthen his positive core.

Moreover, the client is distrustful, and convincing him that the motivational worker has his best interests at heart is difficult. Thus, the motivational relationship is more active and intense than a psychotherapy one.

There are primarily three emotional attitudes that the latently motivated person needs.

A. Commitment

The first and most important is commitment. It is the feeling that you care about the client. You not only transmit this feeling; you also show it by reacting strongly with your emotions. If you are happy, you show that clearly and similarly with your anger.

Being emotionally open helps the client to understand that you care for him. You confirm that you care about the client. You also show commitment through your actions. For example, the motivational worker seeks out the client if he withdraws, gives him food if he is hungry, and sets limits on his destructive behavior. 

B. Hope

The second emotional attitude is hope. It is a clear result of believing in the positive core. You can convey a feeling of hope to the client, not just by saying that you have hope but by having a true sense of hope.

C. Trust

The third emotional attitude is trust, in a general sense, where the motivational worker shows that the client can be motivated and believes in the client being able to complete his task.

D. Feeling and Actions are crucial

When you look at these three emotional attitudes, you can see that it is not a complex theory. It is close to the text in 1st Corinthians, “Love, Hope, and Faith” 1 Cor. 13:13 (English Standard Version). The tricky part is that all these attitudes must be honestly felt.

It should also be noted that the motivational worker’s words are the least important aspect. It is his emotional attitudes, feelings, and actions that are crucial. This is another difference from the psychotherapy model, where the psychotherapist’s words play a significant role. His words are intended to help the client reflect on himself and his life situation.

E. The Rock in the Sea

The three concepts of the contact rebus, motivational relationship, and protective suit can be combined in one image. The motivational relationship is like a rock in the sea. The waves hitting the rock are the client’s contact rebuses. The cliff needs a protective suit to endure the waves and not be worn away.

Through his contact rebuses, the client wants the motivational relationship to respond to his indirect cries for help and receive life energy. To give a positive life force to the client, you must have a protective suit to continue doing it and not burn out. In his responses to the client’s contact rebuses, the motivational worker must do the exact opposite. He has the same attitude the whole time, and his feelings and actions do not change. One could say that the motivational worker has an untransmuted contact rebus.

F. Dumping Destructiveness

To complement the interaction between the motivational worker and client, it is essential to mention one more option for the latently motivated client. The latter always yearns to have his positive core strengthened. He will dump his destructiveness onto the motivational worker if he cannot achieve that. In other words, if the motivational worker has holes in his protective suit and does not see the contact rebus, he is open to the client’s destructiveness.

Relief

In this way, the client feels relief. However, the drawback is that he must do it the next day, the following day, and the day after. This aspect of Motivational Work complicates the interaction even more. First and foremost, a client wants to have his positive core strengthened. He tries to dump his pain on the motivational worker if this positive confirmation does not occur.

In the case described above with the time contact rebus, this occurs when the social worker feels devastated, cheated, lacking in self-confidence, a failure, and hopeless. There is active pressure from the latently motivated client to transfer his suffering.

G. The Relevance of the Motivational Relationship

The relevance of the motivational relationship is that you first must create an emotional relationship with a latently motivated client before using more elaborate treatment methods. The relationship must first strengthen the client’s positive core.

Summary 3 Methods and Techniques

The protective suit and the motivationalWorkationship are two necessary factors for practicing Motivational Work.  However, you can also use the third factor of Motivational Work: methods and techniques. They speed up the motivational process and strengthen your protective suit. You can only use methods and techniques if you already have a motivational relationship with the client.

A. Confrontation

There are two methods in Motivational Work. The first one is confrontation. When someone is latently motivated, they put a heavy lid on their emotions, which they cannot lift off themselves. In a confrontation, the motivational worker is trying to help lift that lid. When that happens, the client’s positive core is strengthened, and the attachment continues. The motivational worker communicates directly with the actual person behind the contact rebuses.

Confrontation is inspired by Carl Rogers’ later work with schizophrenic patients (Rogers, Gendlin, Kiesler, and Trauz, 1967), encounter groups (Rogers, 1973), and the approach in J.L. Moreno’s psychodrama (Moreno, 1972). As mentioned above regarding the motivational worker’s attitude, this method is more active than psychotherapy. The following description clarifies the method of responding to a client.

A Case

Martin, 34, has been a drug addict for many years. He almost succeeded in committing suicide recently by taking tablets and alcohol together. When Martin meets his motivational worker after detoxification, he only says that he needs money for food. The motivational worker expresses how sad and angry he would have been if Martin had died, particularly since he knows that Martin can get help. In the interview, the motivational worker also says that he does not want Martin to commit suicide. Martin talks even more intensely about needing money for food.

Responding to the Real Client behind the Contact Rebus

In his contact rebus, Martin denies his anxiety and wants to talk about practical matters, which is also a contact rebus. The motivational worker responds to the actual client behind the contact rebus, who has anxiety, feels hopeless, and struggles with the will to carry on. Through his confrontation, the motivational worker tries to positively confirm that Martin is important and gives him hope and trust.

Setting a Limit

Setting a limit on suicide helps the client curb his self-destructiveness, further demonstrating the motivational worker’s commitment. The motivational worker will never receive open positive confirmation through confrontation since the client continually uses contact rebuses.

Indirect Confirmation

In the above case, he has an indirect confirmation from Martin in the form of an even stronger denial of his life situation. It is a sign that the client has been reached by the motivational worker. Through this confrontation, the motivational worker has strengthened the client’s positive core and reduced the risk of another suicide attempt.

Safety Rules

Because confrontation is a powerful method, safety rules are necessary. It is impossible to go into detail here, but there is a more extensive description (Author’s own, 2013, Part 3). The most important safety rule is to have a motivational relationship with your client.

B. Continuity

The second method in Motivational Work is continuity, which has two aspects. The first is the motivational worker’s responsibility for keeping continuous contact with the client. If the client withdraws, the motivational worker tries to seek him out. The motivational worker also makes a contract around the framework of Motivational Work.

For example, when the period of Motivational Work is over, how often they will meet, and so on. The complicated issue is that the motivational worker cannot have an honest, reciprocal agreement with the client because the client will always answer with a contact rebus – he cannot make an actual decision. The motivational worker must establish a contract like a parent making decisions for a child.

The other aspect of continuity is that the motivational worker is responsible for his motivational relationship with the client. The attachment process generally includes periods when the motivational worker’s commitment falters. Thus he needs to be aware of this and counteract it when it happens.

Conclusion

Hopefully, the reader now has some insights into Motivational Work. The word “work” indicates that the method is active and intense with people who bear a large amount of pain. They have put a lid on their feelings because they cannot handle their sorrow.

Instead, their pain is transformed into destructive behavior, an indirect cry for help, and part of complex communication. The latently motivated person is drowning in cold water and does not appear to want any help. Motivational Work can enable the client to become motivated and pull himself ashore.

P.S. You can get all four books on Motivational Work for free as an e-book if you apply for a Kindle unlimited membership at amazon.com. D.S.

Contact me: per@revstedt.com

Per Revstedt, they can teach and supervise both in English and Danish.

En vigtig oplysning er at Per Revstedt har 20 års erfaring at undervise og supervisere i Danmark. Han er fra Skåne og taler en forståelig svensk.

Du finder en beskrivelse af motivationsarbejde på dansk her: saxenhoj.dk

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Prohaska, J.O., Norcross, J.C., & DiClemente. 2016. Changing for Good. HarperCollins e-books.

Revstedt, P. (2014). Motivational Work, Part 1 – 4. Charlton, SC: CreateSpace.

Revstedt, P. Chapter 16. Working with unmotivated clients. In Rooney, H. R., Mirick, R. G. (Eds). (2018). Strategies for work with involuntary clients (pp. 434 – 460). New York, NY: Columbia University Press.

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Rogers, C. 1967. Chapter 7. A Process Conception of Psychotherapy. In On Becoming a Person, pp. 125 – 159. London: Constable & Co. 

Rogers, C. 1967. Chapter 9. A Therapist’s View of the Good Life: The Fully Functioning Person. In On Becoming a Person. pp. 183 – 196.  London: Constable & Company Ltd.

Rogers, C., Gendlin, E.T., Kiesler, D.J., C.B. Trauz. (Eds.). (1967)Worke therapeutic relationship and its impact: A study of psychotherapy with schizophrenics. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press.

Rogers, C. 1973. Encounter Groups. Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England, Penguin Books.

Yin, R. K. Case Study Method. In Cooper, H., Camic, P.M., Long, D.L., Panter, A.T., Rindkopf, D., Sher, K. J. (Eds). (2012). APA handbook of research methods in psychology, Vol2: Research designs: Quantitative, qualitative, neuropsychological and biological (pp. 141 – 155), Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

P.S. You can get all four books on Motivational Work for free as an e-book if you apply for a Kindle unlimited membership at amazon.com. D.S