Motivational Interviewing (MI) Workshops

Professional Development Workshops

Motivational Interviewing

NCHEC Designated ProviderMove your MI skills toward excellence!

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative conversation style for strengthening a person’s own motivation and commitment to change. UWL offers sequential online workshops to advance your Motivational Interviewing practice and hone your skills.

A virtual opportunity to connect, engage, and network with participants across the nation.

Register today!

A workshop option is offered prior to the February 28, 2023 Wisconsin Social Worker license renewal deadline.

Who should participate

Behavioral Health Professionals • Chaplains • Clinical Therapist • Educators • Health Care Providers • Health Education Specialists • Home Health Workers • Human Services Professionals • Nurses • Physicians • Psychologists • Public Health Professionals • Social Workers

introductory

Reaching Toward Proficiency: Motivational Interviewing and Behavior Change

Complete 12.25 hours of continuing education prior to the February 28, 2023 Wisconsin Social Worker license renewal deadline.

February 23–24, 2023
9 a.m.–4 p.m., Central Time | Online Instruction

  • 1.2 CEUs or 
  • 12 Category 1 CECHs for CHES or MCHES
  • 12.25 NBCC CE Hours
Workshop description expanding section

Through this unique experience, you will come to understand the theory behind Motivational Interviewing (MI), including the how and why of lifestyle or behavioral changes. MI focuses on enhancing internal motivation for change. You will be involved in discussion opportunities, view videos, and participate in interactive exercises, coupled with practice of the course content. You will concentrate on the process of engaging in an MI adherent way.

Overall, this workshop will set you on your journey toward proficiency in Motivational Interviewing (MI). You will increase your understanding and use of the relational aspects of MI. There will be ample opportunity to observe and practice MI-specific communication.

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Agenda and learning objectives expanding section

Agenda & learning objectives

Day 1:
9 a.m.–Noon & 1:30–4 p.m. Central Time

Time

Content

Objectives

9–9:15 a.m.

Welcome and introductions; objectives, ground rules
  • Identify the key aspects of the MI style and spirit
  • Examine MI model in action as course instructor demonstrates skills and spirit
  • Predict the usefulness of MI in your own practice setting

 

9:15–10:30 a.m.

Compare and contrast MI and define MI
  • Apply MI skills for efficient and effective engagement (the Relational Foundation).
  • Experiment with and critique the helpfulness of different helping styles
  • Construct a list of typical helping strategies
  • Compare and contrast typical helping strategies to MI style and spirit
  • Justify situations where you would and wouldn’t use MI in your own practice setting

10:30–10:45 a.m.

BREAK

 

10:45 a.m.–11:30

Engaging skills
  • Explain the 4 tasks
  • Distinguish when to move from one task to another

11:30 a.m.–Noon

Listening
  • Complete written and oral exercises demonstrating the style and spirit of MI

Noon–1:30 p.m.

LUNCH BREAK and independent reading #1
  • Predict the usefulness of MI in your own practice setting

1:30–1:50 p.m.

Breakout sessions 
  • Discuss reading

1:50–3 p.m.

Spirit of MI
  • Complete written and oral exercises demonstrating the style and spirit of MI

3–3:10 p.m.

BREAK

3:10–4 p.m.

OARS and a bit of practice
  • Complete written and oral exercises demonstrating the style and spirit of MI

4 p.m.

Adjourn

 

Day 2:
9 a.m.–Noon & 1–4 p.m. Central Time

Time

Content

Objectives

9–9:30 a.m.

Welcome back!

  • Daily agenda setting
  • Reflections from Day 1
  • Examine MI model in action as course instructor demonstrates skills and spirit

9:30–10:30 a.m.

Describe the OARS skills and practice using them

Employ the skill of reflection to deal with discord
  • Complete written and oral exercises demonstrating the style and spirit of MI
  • Point out areas of strength in one-self and in others during exercises

10:30–10:45 a.m.

BREAK

10:45 a.m.–Noon       

Apply knowledge of MI basic skills (OARS) and Spirit (PACE) to the task of engagement
  • Complete written and oral exercises demonstrating the style and spirit of MI
  • Point out areas of strength in oneself and in others during exercises

Noon–1:00 p.m.         

LUNCH BREAK

1–2:30 p.m.

OARS and Pace practice exercises
  • Simulate the task of engaging in practice exercises
  • Complete written and oral exercises demonstrating the style and spirit of MI
  • Point out areas of strength in one-self and in others during exercises
  • Predict the usefulness of MI in your own practice setting

2:30–2:45 p.m.

BREAK

2:45–3:45 p.m.

OARS and PACE Practice, practice, practice!
  • Simulate the task of engaging in practice exercises
  • Complete written and oral exercises demonstrating the style and spirit of MI
  • Point out areas of strength in one-self and in others during exercises
  • Predict the usefulness of MI in your own practice setting

3:45–4 p.m.

Q & A
  • Predict the usefulness of MI in your own practice setting
  • Formulate 2-3 goals for practicing relational skills in your own practice setting

4 p.m.

Adjourn

Intermediate

Beyond the Basics: Recognizing and Amplifying Motivation for Positive Change

March 9–10, 2023
9 a.m.–4 p.m., Central Time | Online Instruction 

  • 1.2 CEUs or
  • 12 Category 1 CECHs for CHES or MCHES
  • 11 NBCC CE Hours
Prerequisites expanding section

If you plan on attending the intermediate workshop, Beyond the Basics: Recognizing and Amplifying Motivation for Positive Change, you should either: 

  • Have attended the introductory workshop, Reaching Toward Proficiency: Motivational Interviewing and Behavior Change.
  • Be familiar with the terms that will be discussed in the intermediate workshop.To help you make the right decision, here's a short list of terms (in no particular order) that you'll be expected to know stepping into the intermediate workshop
    • Sustain talk
    • Change talk
    • Ambivalence
    • Discord
    • Dealing with discord
    • Definition of MI
    • Motivation—where it comes from
    • Helper's role in change process
    • Righting reflex
    • Amplified reflection
    • Complex reflection
    • Simple reflection
    • Double sided reflection
    • Metaphor
    • Affirmation vs. compliments
    • Focusing
    • Engaging
    • Planning
    • Knowing the why vs. the how
    • Affective/feeling reflection
    • Coming alongside
    • Evoking
    • Evocation
    • Partnership
    • Acceptance
    • Emphasizing autonomy
    • Seeking collaboration
    • Compassion
Workshop description expanding section

During the intermediate workshop, you will be provided with multiple opportunities to stretch your use of open-ended questions, affirmations, reflections and summaries (OARS) beyond the basics. The competent use of motivational interviewing also requires you to be highly skilled in the use of complex reflections. You will concentrate on the processes of focusing, evoking and planning.

Register today! Register early and save!
Agenda & learning objectives expanding section

Agenda & learning objectives

Day 1:
9 a.m.–Noon & 1:30–4 p.m.

Time

Content

Objectives

9–9:15 a.m.

Welcome and introductions; objectives, group ground rules

 

9:15–10:30 a.m.

Review the relational foundation
  • Describe each of the 4 elements of MI spirit
  •  List each of the OARS skills and discuss how they are used in the engaging task

 

10:30–10:45 a.m.

BREAK

 

10:45 a.m.–Noon

Focusing-the WHAT of MI
  • Define and summarize the tasks of focusing and evoking
  • Distinguish focusing from engaging
  • Estimate the potential areas of focus in your own clients
  • Predict the value of intentional focusing in actual client interactions
  • Practice using collaborative approaches to set focus

Noon–1:30 p.m.

LUNCH BREAK and independent: Choose from literature in the Canvas folder

 

1:30–2:45 p.m.

What is change talk and what’s the big deal?

 
  • Define and recognize change talk, sustain talk and discordance
  • Discuss how DARN-CAT, importance and confidence indicate motivation

2:45–3 p.m.

BREAK

 

3–4 p.m.

More change talk and sustain talk: hear it, respond to it, draw it out
  • Differentiate between client cues of readiness, ambivalence and discordance
  • Distinguish change talk vs. sustain talk
  • Distinguish signs of discord from sustain talk
  • Construct effective responses to different client cues
  • Demonstrate appropriate responses to change talk and sustain talk
  • Demonstrate skills for drawing out change talk
  • Demonstrate appropriate empathic and empowering responses to discord

Day 2:
9 a.m.–Noon & 1–4 p.m.

Time

Content

Objectives

9–9:15 a.m.

Welcome back!  Review of Day 1 take-away messages and questions

Use interleaving to reinforce Day 1 lessons

9:15–10:30 a.m.

Technical skills (cont.)
  • Differentiate between client cues of readiness, ambivalence and discordance
  • Distinguish change talk vs. sustain talk
  • Distinguish signs of discord from sustain talk
  • Construct effective responses to different client cues
  • Demonstrate appropriate responses to change talk and sustain talk
  • Demonstrate skills for drawing out change talk
  • Demonstrate appropriate empathic and empowering responses to discord
  • Identify different strategies for focusing and prepare to apply them to client interactions

 

10:30–10:45 a.m.

BREAK

 

10:45 a.m.–Noon

Technical skills (cont.)
  • Differentiate between client cues of readiness, ambivalence and discordance
  • Distinguish change talk vs. sustain talk
  • Distinguish signs of discord from sustain talk
  • Construct effective responses to different client cues
  • Demonstrate appropriate responses to change talk and sustain talk
  • Demonstrate skills for drawing out change talk
  • Demonstrate appropriate empathic and empowering responses to discord

Noon–1 p.m.

LUNCH BREAK

 

1–1:45 p.m.

Prep for putting it all together 

 
  • Apply all course lessons on spirit and skills both technical and relational to real play interactions

 

1:45–2:30

Technical Skills (cont.)

2:30–2:45 p.m.

BREAK

 

2:45–3:45 p.m.

Reinforce skills and plan for continuing to learn
  • Practice using all aspects of MI (rational and technical skills) in classroom interaction.

3:45–4 p.m.

Closing review
  • Prepare to use all aspects of MI with persons whom you work with
  • Create a personalized plan for continuing to learn MI based on recommendations
  • Devise strategies for remembering to practice MI elements in practice setting
Special notice for those recertifying as CHES or MCHES expanding section

For those who are CHES or MCHES certified, there is an important recently-initiated recertification requirement by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC) termed Continuing Competency which is to be assessed by Multiple Event Providers (MEPs) like University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Graduate & Extended Learning. We fully support this requirement for those who are certified through NCHEC to demonstrate specified levels of knowledge, skills, and/or ability throughout one's professional career.  Several of our programs will provide learning opportunities that can enable you to demonstrate up to 5 Continuing Competency CECHs as you prepare for recertification through a special  post-program assessment process.  To find out more about the assessment process which needs to be requested, please contact:

Gary D. Gilmore, M.P.H., Ph.D., MCHES, Professor and Director, Graduate Community Health/Public Health Programs 
Dr. Gilmore chaired the national research into the health education Responsibilities, Competencies, and Sub-competencies called the National Health Educator Competencies Update Project for eight years.

Instructor
Register today!
CEUs, CECHs, NBCC