Motivational Interviewing (MI) is "a collaborative conversation style for strengthening a person's own commitment to change" (Miller & Rollnick, 2013) and is recognized as an evidence-based practice. Providers who are trained in MI learn how to support people who are contemplating change through reflective and empathic listening, focusing and evoking change talk. 

Motivational Interviewing (MI) has become a gold-standard communication style used in behavioral health, medical and judicial settings, but do people who are trained actually become proficient in MI after a standard two-day class? The answer to this question is a resounding “no”. Although participants in an introductory workshop often report feeling confident in their new MI skills, changes in practice behavior are usually modest at best (Miller & Mount, 2001) and quickly diminish after training if nothing more is done to consolidate them (Miller, et al., 2004; Schwalbe, et al., 2014). This advanced workshop is designed to offer opportunities for continued learning and practice by focusing on skill builiding through practice and feedback.

Topics presented in this workshop include:

• Complex Reflections and Affirmations
• MI and Social Dominance
• Cultivating Change Talk
• Softening Sustain Talk
• Introduction to MI Coding and Feedback
• Implementation
• Deliberate Practice and Community Learning Groups

The Trainers:

Alicia Shiver and Lindsay Worth are members of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers and the co-owners of MITC Training based in Albuquerque, NM, USA. MITC was established in January 2017 and has since trained upwards of 10,000 people in motivational interviewing and other evidenced based practices. Together Lindsay and Alicia have over 35 years of experience in behavioral health, addictions, clinical research, corrections, and education settings.

Alicia Shiver is a licensed addictions and mental health therapist in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. She is currently acting as the Treasurer of MINT and is a Scientific Research Manager at the University of New Mexico, Center on Alcohol, Substance Use & Addictions (CASAA). Her professional interests include motivational interviewing, public health, harm reduction, neurodiversity, and community-based participatory research.

Lindsay Worth is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and has worked in mental health and addictions research for 23 years. She has had the opportunity to work in a number of settings including prisons, schools, treatments centers, and tele-health environments. She currently spends time coding and coaching in MI using the MITI and MICA and serving as the MI Training Certification Coordinator for MINT.