Proficiency in motivational interviewing is rarely achieved as an outcome of a single MI workshop. The workshop is most helpful in teaching participants the conceptual framework of MI and giving them a feel for the skills with some initial practice. What has been found to be most effective in helping people develop their skills following an initial training in motivational interviewing is the observation of their practice of MI skills, feedback on performance, and coaching to refine skills. In the master’s class, observed practice and coaching is done in several ways:

a) Taping of real sessions – This can be supervisors using motivational interviewing in supervision sessions with their staff or clinicians working with patients (for patients, written consent must be obtained). The tapes are played in the training and coded by participants and the trainer.
b) Simulations of client sessions in class – Participants bring in examples of real client cases or of supervision of staff and the class does simulations of these encounters with participants getting feedback on their use of motivational interviewing skills.
c) Simulated Patients – participants record their responses to taped simulated patients and are able to assess their proficiency by comparing their responses to expert ratings on the best responses

Small groups (6) of participants meet for a series of five 3 hour sessions. The instructor and participants review how their practice went and do some practice around those areas where needed, as indicated by feedback on the tapes, the trainee themselves, and by the demonstrated practice in the class.

Pre-requisite:
Participants should have taken a 12-hour MI course within the last year, preferably taught by a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT).

This training will be held at Staten Island PPS, 1 Edgewater Plaza (7th floor conference hall) Staten Island, NY. 10305