Spicing up your Motivational Interviewing Skills
Motivational Interviewing is a language and skill that takes time to learn. As one of the founders of MI Bill Miller states:
“In some ways MI is simple, but mastering it is neither quick or easy.”
So how do you increase your skills besides just going to a workshop and reading MI materials?
Submit a client conversation tape for coding. It’s the sweet way to build your collection of skills.
Getting permission from a client to tape a confidential 20-minute tape is a way to quickly increase your skills. You can do 2 things: you can submit a tape to get coded according to the new MITI 4.1 coding system. In addition, you can schedule a coaching session with MINT member who is trained in coding to go over your conversation with what you did well, and what you can improve on.
Although this can be scary it is a great way to up your MI skills, and allow you to “see” what you are doing well and what to adjust to evoke more change talk in your clients.
When I was first learning MI, going over conversations with my coach on what I did well, what worked, and what I needed to improve upon was beyond beneficial in enhancing my skills to get into the TNT MINT training.
If you’re attended a few workshops and are wondering what your next step should be, a tape may be in your future. Mastering a new language is never easy or simple but there are resources available to help you along your journey.
