ODL 300: Mastering Motivational Interviewing: Advanced Techniques for Building Client Motivation and Commitment to Growth

Created On: 10/1/24  

Target Audience:

This course is targeted for social workers, psychologists, counselors, nurses and case managers.

Counselor Skill Groups: 

3. Treatment Plan
4. Counseling Services
5. Documentation

Overview:

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative, relationship-centered approach that helps people explore and resolve their ambivalence to strengthen their own motivation, resources, and commitment to change and growth.  MI practitioners often encounter resistance and discord when guiding clients through the process from engaging to planning.  The Mastering Motivational Interviewing training is designed to equip social workers, case managers, nurses, and counselors who have intermediate knowledge of MI with advanced techniques and practice to enhance their skills in MI.  Building upon foundational MI principles, this comprehensive training will delve deeper into the effective strategies of client engagement to gain clarity on direction; resolve ambivalence, resistance, and discord; and elicit and amplify change talk.  You will explore the ways we can support and prepare clients for change and guide them to commitment for growth.  You will learn ways to effectively use peer feedback and practice self-reflection for continued growth in competency-based MI practice.  You will know how to integrate MI principles with other therapeutic modalities among diverse populations in a variety of settings.

Course Objectives:

By the end of the session, the participant will be able to:

• Demonstrate engaging the client and appropriately respond to the client’s stage of change, ambivalence, and resistance.
• Identify a variety of communication skills to soften client sustainability talk and elicit and amplify change talk.
• Recognize and employ effective strategies for resolving relational discord.
• Distinguish signs of readiness for change planning and offer strategies to assist clients in preparing for change and supporting their commitment for growth. 
• Consider peer feedback and practice self-reflection and monitoring for professional growth in MI competency-based practice. 
• Develop a plan to integrate MI principles with other evidence-based interventions, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT), to enhance client engagement and outcomes in a variety of settings.

Presenter:

Rhonda DiNovo, LMSW, Clinical Assistant Professor, University of South Carolina College of Social Work

Rhonda DiNovo serves as Clinical Assistant Professor, MSW Program Coordinator, and Coordinator of the Graduate Drug and Addictions Studies Certificate Program in the College of Social Work at the University of South Carolina.   She teaches students important theoretical and practical approaches in interdisciplinary health and mental health, as well as principles and practices of motivational interviewing and cognitive behavior therapy. DiNovo also serves as Field Supervisor and Director of the West Columbia Outreach Program, a police social work outreach service offered through the West Columbia Police Department that provides brief screening, assessment and referral to treatment services and community resources to those in mental health and substance use crises.  Prior to becoming a full-time faculty member in the College of Social Work, Rhonda served 3 years as Director of Substance Abuse Prevention and Education for USC and 8 years as Prevention Specialist for adolescents and their families at LRADAC.  Rhonda was recently awarded “Professor of the Year” for the College of Social Work at South Carolina by Garnet Media Group.