Talking To Change - A Motivational Interviewing Podcast - Ep 97 – Motivational Interviewing with Families

Sunday, September 6, 2026

Summary

In Episode 97 of Talking to Change: A Motivational Interviewing Podcast, Glenn Hinds and Sebastian Kaplan welcome Douglas C. Smith, Ph.D., LCSW, to discuss Motivational Interviewing with families. The conversation explores what changes when MI moves beyond a single client and a single target behaviour, including working with change talk across family members, balancing autonomy and practitioner direction, and avoiding what Doug describes as the “superfluous engagement trap”.

About Professor Douglas C. Smith

Professor Douglas C. Smith Douglas C. Smith, Ph.D., LCSW, is Professor of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Director of the Center for Prevention Research and Development (CPRD). He received his Ph.D. in Social Work in 2006 from the University of Iowa and has over twenty years of experience in substance use disorder prevention and treatment as a clinician, clinical supervisor and researcher.

His research focuses on improving treatments for adolescents and young adults experiencing substance use disorders. He is the author of two books, including Emerging Adults and Substance Use Disorder Treatment (Oxford Press) and Motivational Interviewing with Families (Guilford Press).

Go deeper with the MI Practice Companion

This episode also has a Talking to Change: MI Practice Companion, developed to help practitioners explore and apply the learning from the conversation. Explore Motivational Interviewing with Families, Adolescents and Substance Use: Practice Lessons from Professor Doug Smith.

Episode Index

0:00 – Glenn and Sebastian introduce the episode and key themes

3:58 – Doug Smith’s route into Motivational Interviewing

8:39 – Moving from individual practice to work with adolescents and families

13:18 – Family engagement, blame, empathy and what MI contributes

20:47 – Motivational Interviewing with Families: why Doug wrote the book

30:40 – Change talk across family relationships

33:48 – Individual, family and multi-level target behaviours

43:45 – Bringing structure and focus into family conversations

46:02 – Practitioner direction, autonomy and the “superfluous engagement trap”

1:00:22 – Current research and where MI with families might go next

1:04:30 – End of episode

Links and episode resources

Guilford Press 15% listener discount for Motivational Interviewing with Families by Douglas C. Smith

Email: smithdc@illinois.edu

Book: Motivational Interviewing with Families by Douglas C. Smith

15% listener discount: Guilford Press is offering listeners to this episode 15% off Douglas C. Smith’s Motivational Interviewing with Families. Use promotional code AU2E when ordering. The special offer is valid in the U.S. and Canada only.