Applying Motivational Interviewing with Clients Less Ready to Change: Tips and Strategies

Motivational interviewing (MI), as a counseling style, has been shown to be effective with a wide variety of problem behaviors such as substance abuse, adopting healthy behaviors (eating, exercise), treatment adherence and compliance, and other psychological problems. Because of this MI in increasing in popularity. Many practitioners from diverse backgrounds are integrating MI into their clinical repertoire. This training will build on the “Fundamentals of Motivational Interviewing” by introducing participants to the specific application of MI to clinical challenges encountered when clients are less ready to change. After a brief review of the foundational concepts, principles and processes of MI, participants will be introduced to MI consistent strategies to address these common clinical challenges. Each challenge will be briefly discussed followed by proposed MI consistent strategies. The webinar will conclude with a brief overview of the evidence base for MI. Participants are encouraged to have completed the Fundamentals of Motivational Interviewing webinar prior to this one.

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this seminar, participants will be able to:

• Describe the philosophy or spirit of Motivational Interviewing.
• Explain the MI perspective of clients less ready to change.
• Identify different clinical challenges associated with clients being less ready to change.
• Identify MI consistent and inconsistent strategies to address different clinical challenges.
• Explain the current research supporting the efficacy of Motivational Interviewing with various behavioral problems.

CONTENT

• MI Philosophy
• Principles
• Processes Stages of Readiness to Change
• Clinical Challenges and Strategies
• Challenge: No-Shows
• MI-consistent referrals
• Planning
• Challenge: Non-adherence
• Evocative questions
• Scaling questions
• Looking forward
• Revising the change plan & discussing options
• Challenge: Clients in the legal system
• Emphasizing autonomy
• Initiating discord
• Evidence base for MI

FOR WHOM

Psychologists, Social Workers, Counselors, Therapists, Psychiatrists and Nurses

TRAINING METHODOLOGY

The training methodology combines lectures, discussions, group exercises and illustrations. Participants will gain both theoretical and practical knowledge of the topics. The emphasis is on the practical application of the topics and as a result participant will go back to the workplace with both the ability and the confidence to apply the techniques learned to their duties.