The rich inner world of a human being is far more complex than either/or. You can love and hate, want to go and want to stay, feel both joy and sadness. A leading world expert on the science of change offers a fresh perspective on ambivalence and its transformative potential in this revealing book. Rather than trying to overcome indecision by force of will, William R. Miller explores what happens when people allow their "inner committee members" to converse freely with each other. Learning to tolerate and even welcome feelings of ambivalence can help people get unstuck from unwanted habits, clarify their values, explore the pros and cons of tough decisions, and open doorways to change.

William R. Miller, PhD, is Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico. He introduced motivational interviewing in a 1983 article and in the first edition of Motivational Interviewing (1991), coauthored with Stephen Rollnick. Dr. Miller's research has focused particularly on the treatment and prevention of addictions and more broadly on the psychology of change. He is a recipient of two career achievement awards from the American Psychological Association, the international Jellinek Memorial Award, and an Innovators Award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, among many other honors. His publications include 65 books and over 400 articles and chapters. His website is https://williamrmiller.net.

I. The Nature of Ambivalence
1. I Want It and I Don't
2. Four Flavors of Ambivalence
3. The Language of Ambivalence
II. How It Works
4. Sources of Ambivalence
5. Social Influences
6. Out of the Depths
7. Consequences of Ambivalence
8. Individual Differences
9. Responding to Ambivalence
III. Working Through Ambivalence
10. Getting Clear on Your Values
11. Getting the Big Picture
12. Getting Out of the Woods
13. Embracing Ambivalence
Notes
Index