Hi folks, I want to share what I’ve learned about a technique called Motivational Interviewing (MI). I have to admit before I chatted with our NWESD Behavioral Health Team I didn’t know about this technique. I learned that it was first developed for use in the substance use counseling field. And it has been especially helpful when talking to someone who needs support, but who may resist being told what to do. This may sound like any of us on any given day and on any given topic but it can be particularly beneficial when talking to adolescents according to Ken Duckworth of the National Alliance for Mental Illness. 

Motivational Interviewing began in the 1980s by Drs. William Miller and Stephen Rollnick as a technique to help clients with behavior change and to explore and resolve ambivalence. Since then, thousands of research projects have shown MI is effective in a broad range of settings, including, business, coaching, and education.

“MI is all about communication,” explains Chris Miles, MSW, LCSW. Miles is a lead trainer for the MI Center for Change and will be doing trainings for the ESD in March and April. (See below for more information.)

Miles says she uses the spirit of MI in all parts of her life and work. “MI helps me to empower clients to overcome what gets between them and their innate ability to reach optimal health and happiness and it also helps me to connect more fully with my family and friends.”

Another resource available to educators is the book Rollnick co-authored, Motivational Interviewing in Schools: Conversations to Improve Behavior and Learning. Rollnick has described the book as an MI guide for busy teachers, counselors, administrators, and other staff. It aims to give anyone working with students MI skills to use anywhere behavior change would improve outcomes.

In-depth MI training drills down into the microskills such as open-ended questions, affirmations, and reflective listening. While those trainings are still available and valuable, trainings that focus on the spirit of MI may make it accessible to more people. The spirit of MI is the attitude, empathy, collaboration, and evocation that’s about, “I’m going to learn about you from you,” explains Hillary Bolter, founder of the MI Center for Change. “It’s also about bringing the attitude of hope, unconditional positive regard, curiosity, and empathy,”

“If you practice MI long enough,” Miles says. “It becomes a natural part of who you are.”

With all of this in mind, the NWESD Behavioral Heath and Prevention Services team wants to put this powerful tool into the toolboxes of educators and anyone who works with youth . The NWESD is hosting a series of free trainings in March and April led by Chris Miles, MSW, LCSW, a lead trainer with the MI Center for Change.

The webinar will be recorded so anybody who registers can access it for 60 days. We hope this helps get MI to teachers who may benefit but who cannot attend the webinar. The webinar is a sort of introduction to MI. 

  • Thursday, April 13, from noon to 4  The Spirit of Motivational Interviewing. Participants will integrate MI skills into their current roles through discussion and practice. Topics covered include why people don’t change, common beliefs and solutions to change, ambivalence, stages of change, roadblocks to listening, 

REFERENCES: 

Bolter, Hillary. “What Helps You Stay in the Spirit of MI?” MI Center for Change, 1 July 2021, https://blog.micenterforchange.com/what-helps-you-stay-in-the-spirit-of-mi/ 

Duckworth, Angela. “How to Encourage Teens to Open Up About Mental Health: Getting to “yes,” and getting them the treatment they need.” Psychology Today. 26 September 2022, https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/actionable-advice-help-kids-thrive/202209/how-encourage-teens-open-about-mental-health.

Miles, Chris. “Meet our Team.” https://www.micenterforchange.com/about.

Miller, W. R., & Rollnick, S. (2013). Motivational interviewing: Helping people change (3rd edition). Guilford Press.Rollnick, S., Kaplan, S. G., & Rutschman, R. (2016). Motivational interviewing in schools: Conversations to improve behavior and learning. Guilford Press.