Which of the following is NOT a recommended skill in Motivational Interviewing?

• A. Express Empathy
• B. Develop Discrepancies
• C. Roll With Client Reactance
• D. Directly confront the client with their inconsistencies

Answer: (D)

Motivational Interviewing centers on collaborating with the client to explore ambivalence and support their own reasons for change. Expressing empathy through reflective listening builds trust and safety, which is essential for open exploration. Developing discrepancies helps clients see how their current behavior conflicts with their values or goals, but in a nonjudgmental way that prompts reflection rather than defensiveness. Rolling with client reactance means you acknowledge and explore resistance rather than pushing back, preserving autonomy and keeping the conversation collaborative. Directly confronting the client with their inconsistencies, by contrast, tends to trigger defensiveness and argument, undermining engagement and the motivational process.