Weekly Motivational
Interviewing Blog

I can remember in my early days of social work how much my enthusiasm clouded my ability to set goals with clients. The main issues were that 1. I was setting their goals more than they were, and 2. the goals weren’t attainable!In retrospect, I can see how much my own...

Last week, I wrote about how MI can be useful in talking with clients about ‘accountability’ to program rules (here’s the link!).Today, my focus is on client accountability to the goals clients set!I gotta break down the work accountable first. What does it mean to...

A past training participant reached out to pick my brain about how keeping clients accountable fits (or doesn’t fit) with MI. She expressed frustration about clients trying to place the blame on us (providers) for what’s not working for them. This happens, doesn’t...

Learning MI has been likened to learning a new sport or language. What is a language or sport you have learned? One that you have gotten good at? Found your flow with?How did you get there?My guess is with three ingredients:Repetition.Practice.Feedback.I grew up...

I used to work in Wilderness.
Meaning, I worked both in the wilderness and in the wilderness industry. 
My undergraduate degree was a BA in Therapeutic Uses of the Wilderness. For real! 
It was a great program, a kind of combo of counseling/psychology and adventure...