I started learning about motivational interviewing in 1984 when I was teaching in the Family and Community Medicine Residency program at the Univ of AZ. It was a style that fit with my preference of not arguing with clients. I like the strategic part of motivational interviewing because I was studying engineering before I changed to psychology.
At the turn of the century, I had some worry that motivational interviewing was becoming so widely known that I would soon no longer be teaching it. I subsequently learned that I had, for the first time in my career, been on the leading edge of innovation and various health promoting fields were just starting to explore this approach.
For the next 20 years I provided trainings about 2-3 times a month to some agency or group. I provided trainings for groups as small as three and as large as 750, from Americus, Georgia to Bethel, Alaska, from Nogales, Mexico to Burlington, Vermont for physicians, dentists, counselors, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and students.
I strive to describe the MI concepts and make them memorable using video examples and popular media. Bring your thinking and your popcorn.
Training staff who provide treatment for substance use problems & co-occurring disorders. Physicians, nurses, counselors, health coaches, therapists, case managers. 1-3 hour introductions or 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 day trainings with or without audio feedback on participant's consults with clients. Keynote addresses to large audiences. Extensive use of multi-media for audience participation.
