6 Ways to Engage Your Ambivalent Client in Alcohol Use Treatment: A Guide for Attorneys

By Max Pines
SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
August 20, 2025

6 Ways to Engage Your Ambivalent Client in Alcohol Use Treatment: A Guide for Attorneys

By Janeth Nunez del Prado, Max Pines Law

Attorneys often work with clients caught between the desire to change and the comfort of the familiar — particularly those facing alcohol use challenges. Roughly 10.2% of Americans aged 12 and older struggle with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)1 Alcohol and Drug Abuse Statistics (Facts About Addiction). Alcohol plays a significant role in many criminal cases, impacting about one-third of violent crimes nationwide. Obviously, it is the driving force behind most DWI. And our own home state of New Mexico faces a long-standing and powerful problem with drinking. Understanding how to connect with clients who are ambivalent about their alcohol use to engage in treatment can profoundly affect both legal outcomes and their personal growth.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) offers a respectful, evidence-based framework ideally suited for guiding clients toward readiness for change. MI is a collaborative goal-oriented communication style designed to enhance a person’s motivation and commitment to change that can be used by various professionals. Here are six ways attorneys can apply MI principles to engage ambivalent clients with alcohol use issues effectively:

1. Avoid Being Confrontational

While attorneys are trained to be assertive and confrontational in court, this stance is counterproductive when engaging ambivalent clients about alcohol use. Confrontation often leads to client resistance and actually reduces the likelihood of positive change. Instead, adopt a compassionate and collaborative approach that invites discussion rather than conflict.

“I know this may be a sensitive topic, and I want to understand your perspective before we talk about any next steps. What are your thoughts on how alcohol has affected your situation?”

2. Express Empathy to Build Trust

Start by creating a safe, non-judgmental space. Listen carefully and reflect your client’s feelings and concerns. Empathy helps reduce defensive barriers and opens dialogue. For example:

“I hear that you’re unsure about whether treatment is the right step for you right now, and that’s completely understandable. Can we think together about the potential advantages of treatment?”

3. Highlight Discrepancies Without Judgment

Gently help your client recognize how their current alcohol use may conflict with their broader life goals and values —such as family stability, employment, or freedom from legal troubles. When people are made aware of discrepancies between their values and their behaviors, they often change their behaviors to align with what truly matters to them. Attorneys can frame questions like:

“You’ve said your family is very important to you. How do you see your drinking affecting those relationships?”

This style of engagement invites self-reflection rather than defensiveness.

4. Support Client Autonomy

Motivational interviewing respects the client’s control over their choices. Emphasize that the decision to seek treatment is ultimately theirs, reducing resistance and empowering clients on their own change journey:

“At the end of the day, it is your decision whether to enter treatment or not. Whatever you decide about treatment, my role is to support you and help protect your legal interests.”

5. Roll with Resistance

Resistance is often a natural part of the change process. Instead of pushing back when clients express desires for the status quo, explore the client’s reasons for reluctance—whether fear, past disappointments, or doubts about success. Frame it as an opportunity to understand and offer options:

“I hear your saying that there are some real barriers for you to decrease your alcohol use. What do you think would help you to be successful?

6. Elicit Client “Change Talk”

Encourage clients to verbalize their own motivations for change, which strengthens commitment. Ask open-ended questions to draw out positive aspirations and hopes a better future:

“What benefits do you imagine might come from reducing or stopping your alcohol use?”

7. Explore Past Successes and Strengths

Help clients identify previous times they made positive changes or coped well with challenges, reinforcing their confidence in their ability to change.

“Can you tell me about a time when you made a difficult change or overcame a challenge? What strengths did you use then that could help you with reducing your alcohol use now?”

This approach encourages clients to draw on their own resilience and increases their belief in their ability to succeed in treatment and beyond.

Why Motivational Interviewing Works for Attorneys

Research shows that MI can double abstinence rates among those with alcohol problems within months when integrated with treatment. The collaborative, empathetic approach reduces client defensiveness—especially important in legal settings where clients may fear judgment or penalties and may be used to being “talked down to”. By using MI strategies, attorneys help clients engage authentically, paving the way for treatment readiness and better case outcomes.

At Max Pines Law, we believe that effective legal advocacy includes understanding and addressing the whole client experience. When attorneys skillfully engage ambivalent clients using motivational interviewing, they empower them to take critical steps toward recovery and stability—both inside the courtroom and beyond.

Janeth Nunez del Prado, on behalf of Max Pines Law

National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2023 data on AUD prevalence and impact. americanaddictioncenters