“Listening harder is often the work, not having the clever answer. I catch myself being clever and then I think, stop, that’s not the point. The point is to be helpful.”

With Dr. Trevor Simper, Counsellor & Psychotherapist

In this candid episode, Dr Trevor Simper’s academic background and therapeutic grounding inform our discussion around motivational interviewing (MI). MI is a collaborative and thoughtful approach to counselling that draws heavily on person-centred principles and includes practical communication tools such as open questions, affirmations, reflections, and summaries.

We also explore the different parts of our role and identity as therapists, and how these aspects show up in the therapy room.

Trevor first encountered counselling while visiting a rural Yorkshire project led by a practitioner named Jean, who was holding space for women sharing their experiences of disordered eating — an experience that deeply shaped his path into therapy.

This episode is full of many technical terms, so if you are interested in learning more, please connect with Dr. Trevor Simper’s podcast Counselling with Dr Trevor.

This conversation was recorded in September, 2022.

In this episode

02:22 Why Trevor Chose Counselling
07:35 Carl Rogers and Person Centered Work
14:06 Motivational Interviewing Tools
25:58 Listening Congruence and Power
31:53 Showing Up Fully
33:06 Therapist Vulnerability Boundaries
35:20 Grief as Connection Point
40:52 Private Practice Reality Check
50:30 Supervision and Unhooking Thoughts

About Dr. Trevor Simper

Dr. Trevor Simper practices counselling and psychotherapy with a wide variety of clients, including those dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, alcohol and other drugs, disordered eating, and weight management. His work focuses on supporting people who are struggling, and colleagues who are working to help others.

Trevor describes himself as a “ping-pong pom” who has been living in Western Australia for the past few years, having grown up in a rural part of England.

His work explores both the relational and technical aspects of motivational interviewing for helping others, as well as the usefulness of understanding our own inner dynamics through ego states within transactional analysis.

References & Resources

Trevor’s Book with Jean O’Keefe

Trevor Simper, Jean O’Keefe & Helen Berry (2013).
Small Changes: Key behaviour change skills for weight management professionals. Small Changes: Key Behaviour Change Skills for Weight Management Professionals.

Carl Rogers
A pioneering psychologist and founder of person-centred therapy. Rogers’ work emphasises empathy, congruence, and unconditional positive regard, forming the foundation of many modern counselling approaches and the practice of deep listening in therapeutic relationships.

William R. Miller ~ A clinical psychologist and co-creator of motivational interviewing.

Stephen Rollnick ~ A clinical psychologist who co-developed motivational interviewing alongside William Miller. Together, Miller & Rollnick’s work has been influential in healthcare, counselling, and behaviour change conversations that centre on collaboration rather than persuasion.

Richard Ryan & Edward Deci ~ Psychologists known for developing Self-Determination Theory, a framework for understanding human motivation and wellbeing. Their research explores how people are motivated by intrinsic drives such as autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and how supportive environments can foster sustainable personal change.