Motivational Interviewing with Adolescents and Young Adults

“Motivational Interviewing with Adolescents and Young Adults, Second Edition, is an informative and practical text that advances the use of therapy….Capturing the spirit of MI as a conversation with the adolescent about change, this edition describes how to develop a therapeutic relationship that respects and builds on the adolescent’s autonomy and choice as they move through the change process. For both academics and applied practitioners reading this book, the authors effectively link research to practice by providing clear examples of MI techniques and extending their applications to special populations, including criminal justice, neurodevelopmental, and addiction populations….I would recommend this book as an informative and helpful resource for practitioners and students.”

—NASP Communiqué


“Building rapport with teenagers is notoriously difficult, often because adults struggle to understand their perspective and priorities. As someone who regularly teaches courses on counseling adolescents, I have found the ideas in this book absolutely critical in becoming a more effective therapist. I highly recommend this improved second edition, which should be required reading for both graduate students entering the field and veteran clinicians treating adolescents with any variety of problems.”

—Jeremy Jewell, PhD, Department of Psychology, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville


“With the first edition of this book, Naar and Suarez introduced adolescent mental health professionals to applications of MI with youth. The second edition provides updated evidence that supports MI, along with expanded practical strategies for working with youth struggling with a wide range of concerns in mental health, substance use, and medical settings. Graduate faculty and clinical supervisors will be impressed by the scholarship on every page; trainees will appreciate the practical tools and examples.”

—Terry Stancin, PhD, ABPP, Chief of Psychology, The MetroHealth System; Professor of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University


“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 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 in diverse settings. The second edition will 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, Missouri Prevention Science Institute, University of Missouri


“Naar and Suarez expertly describe the nuances of applying MI principles to the unique needs and issues of teens and young adults. The second edition incorporates recent research on the importance of fostering change talk and avoiding sustain talk, and includes a thought-provoking chapter on working with caregivers of teens. The authors do an excellent job of explaining MI spirit, skills, processes, and change talk in an accessible, warm, and reader-friendly manner. Chapters include helpful tables, guides, tips, and examples of what is and is not consistent with MI spirit, along with activities that allow clinicians to practice and reflect on each topic area. I recommend this book for graduate-level classes in psychotherapy and child clinical psychology. It would serve as an excellent companion reference to a graduate-level clinical practicum, internship rotation, or postdoctoral fellowship.”

—Tracy O’Leary Tevyaw, PhD, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University