Which stage of the Motivational Interviewing process focuses on establishing a therapeutic engagement?

The stage of the Motivational Interviewing process that focuses on establishing a therapeutic engagement is indeed the engagement stage. This initial stage is crucial as it sets the foundation for the relationship between the clinician and the client. During this phase, the goal is to create an atmosphere of trust and rapport, ensuring the client feels understood, accepted, and supported.

Building this engagement is essential for effective intervention, as it encourages clients to open up about their thoughts, feelings, and motivations related to their challenges. The clinician actively listens and reflects on the client's concerns, which further helps in fostering this supportive environment.

While the other stages, such as focusing, evoking, and planning, play significant roles in the overall process of Motivational Interviewing, they occur later in the sequence after a solid therapeutic engagement has been established. These subsequent stages involve guiding the client to explore their motivations for change, collaboratively setting goals, and developing a plan for achieving those goals. In contrast, the engagement stage is purely about building that initial connection and is fundamental to the success of the entire process.