A word from MINT member Chris de Beer! – Hillary
I’m so pleased to be able to be on the team with Hillary and Chris – both trainers and clinicians that I truly respect. I look forward to meeting more of you in the coming year!
Training others in MI is one of the most gratifying jobs I’ve had. It’s a wonderful rush to see the pieces “click” and to help others find a path for really connecting with clients.
I’ve been thinking recently about just how deceptively complex Motivational Interviewing is.
At first glance – it seems simple: listen to the person in front of you, and reflect instead of instruct!
However, new learners often tell me that once they have learned the basics, putting it into practice is much harder than it looks.
Do we just listen? Reflect everything we hear? Avoid giving any advice? When should I ask a question, when should I give a summary?
There is no script for MI, and each response depends on what you hear from your client. It can be overwhelming to choose from the many possible responses.
The good news is that we learn listen WELL!
We get the information from the client about how to respond effectively in the moment. Listening well requires being a detective – seeking out what lies within the client that will help them move towards change.
At the heart of Motivational Interviewing is the core belief that people are experts in themselves, and they carry within them the building blocks necessary for making difficult behavioral changes.
Motivational Interviewing Tip of the Week: Put on your detective hat! When we listen in MI, we are listening strategically. We are listening for those bits and pieces of “change talk” that are so vital in the process of change. What change talk is your client offering you? (Remember, change talk is language that is an argument in favor of change). Reflect the change talk you hear! Notice what happens in the conversation!
Best of luck on your journey as a detective for change talk!
Sincerely,
Chris de Beer, MSW, LCSW
