William R. Miller 
On Second Thought 
How Ambivalence Shapes Your Life

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. Psychologist William Miller–one of the world’s leading experts 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, Dr. Miller explores what happens when people allow opposing arguments from their “inner committee members” to converse freely with each other. Learning to tolerate and even welcome feelings of ambivalence can help you get unstuck from unwanted habits, clarify your desires and values, explore the pros and cons of tough decisions, and open doorways to change. Vivid examples from everyday life, literature, and history illustrate why we are so often ‘of two minds, ‘ and how to work through it.

Table of Content

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

 

About the author

William R. Miller, Ph D, 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.