Since 2004, I have been integrating into my clinical practice an approach called Motivational Interviewing (MI). In 2016, I completed a training to teach this method to other health professionals. In the last 3 years, I led 35 trainings and I trained over 400 health care professionals in Motivational Interviewing. Below you can find information about Motivational Interviewing and the various trainings I provide.
Motivational Interviewing
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based guiding method of communication for enhancing motivation for change. It was developed for healthcare professionals to help individuals change health related behaviors such as alcohol and drug use, smoking, diet, exercise and medication compliance.
MI fosters effective ways to help individuals who feel stuck and who have difficulty changing. Instead of relying primarily on information and recommendations to bolster motivation, MI helps people explore their ambivalence and their values. Motivational Interviewing teaches techniques to avoid trying to convince or persuade individuals to change. Instead, MI guides individuals by evoking their own reasons for change by connecting what they care about and their concerns to the behavior change.
The effectiveness of Motivational Interviewing has been studied extensively in the past 30 years. There are over 4000 research articles that examine the impact of Motivational Interviewing and over 200 randomized clinical trials that assess its benefits in promoting healthy behavior changes. MI is emerging in the curriculum of several medical schools and residency program across the United States.
Training Options
Depending on the needs of your program and staff availabilities, I offer various trainings for health care professionals:
- 1-hour lecture: Overview of MI and its basic concepts.
- 3-hour workshop: Overview of MI as well as its basic concepts and techniques, including demonstrations and discussions.
- 2-day training: In depth teaching of core MI concepts, techniques, and skills. Participants will deepen their understanding of MI strategies by participating in group discussions, practice exercise, reviewing videos and live demonstrations.
- Practice groups: monthly supervision groups including case presentations and role-plays
Recent Trainings
December 2019: 1-hour workshop to physicians at the McGill Annual Refresher Course for Family Physicians, Montreal, Canada
McGill Family Physician Refresher Course – Mobis
October 2018: 3-hour training to residents in Internal Medicine, Baystate Hospital, Springfield MA
October 2018: 1-hour lecture to physicians, Family Medicine rounds at the Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada.
2015-2020: In working for the department of professional development at Behavioral Health Network in Springfield Massachusetts, I provide 2-day trainings in Motivational Interviewing to staff. I teach therapists, social workers, care coordinators, nurse practitioners and psychiatrists within the organization.
References
Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change
Motivational Interviewing in Health Care: Helping Patients Change Behavior
