In Motivational Interviewing, what is the purpose of the "Focusing" stage?

The purpose of the "Focusing" stage in Motivational Interviewing is to explore discrepancies between the client's goals and their current behaviors. This stage is crucial because it helps clients to articulate and prioritize what they want to achieve while simultaneously examining the gaps between their aspirations and their actual actions. By recognizing these discrepancies, clients can develop a clearer understanding of what changes they need to make in their lives to align their behaviors with their desired outcomes. This stage fosters a dialogue that encourages self-reflection and motivates clients to consider the importance of change, which ultimately helps them to commit to their goals more fully.

Exploring the client's dreams, creating an action plan, and validating client discomfort are all parts of the overall motivational interviewing process, but they are not the core focus of the "Focusing" stage. The primary aim is the identification of where the client stands in relation to their goals and aspirations, supporting the motivational interviewing framework in fostering change.