It is common for people to struggle and experience ambivalence when considering making a change or when others may be expecting them to make one. When those working in helping roles encounter this ambivalence in their clients, it is often interpreted as resistance, and they may feel unable to respond in an effective way.

MI is a method for helping people find their internal motivation for finding solutions to their problems. Participants will learn strategies that start from a place of empathy and draw on the client’s personal motivation to create their own goals for change. This introductory-intermediate level workshop is for social service and health care professionals, social workers, school personnel, and anyone supporting people. The workshop includes presentation, video, experiential practice, case study exercises, personal reflection, and small group discussions.

At the end of this workshop, participants should be able to describe the principles of MI, recognize ambivalence and resistance, identify change talk in clients, and identify strategies that support a client’s own motivation.

Topics include:

Motivational Interviewing Principles
Understanding your Client’s Motivation
Listening to your Client
Foundational Skills OARS (Open questions, Affirming, Reflecting, Summarizing)
Recognizing and Supporting Change Talk
Four processes of MI (Engaging, Focusing, Evoking, and Planning)
Common Traps to Avoid
Reflective Listening
Roadblocks to Listening
Approaches to Ambivalence and Resistance
When to use MI
Readiness to Change