Which of the following is one of the Motivational Enhancement Therapy strategies that helps consolidate motivation by reviewing the session?

• A. Summarizing
• B. Providing lectures
• C. Confrontation
• D. Ignoring resistance

Answer: (A)

Summarizing at the end of a Motivational Enhancement Therapy session acts to consolidate motivation by briefly restating what the client expressed, highlighting their change talk, and tying these insights to the plan for next steps. This reflective recap helps the client see a cohesive narrative of why change matters to them, reinforces the commitments they voiced, and provides a clear, motivating endpoint to the session. It also reinforces progress and clarifies what happens next, which strengthens readiness to move forward.

Providing lectures shifts into a didactic stance that can stifle client collaboration and provoke resistance. Confrontation can provoke defensiveness and damage the therapeutic alliance. Ignoring resistance misses opportunities to address ambivalence and tailor the session to the client’s needs.