Introduction to Motivational Interviewing: Using Compassionate Conversations to Guide People Toward Growth and Change

Part 1: Friday, March 28, 2025
1:00 – 3:00 PM (online only via Zoom)
Part 2: Friday, April 4, 2025 
1:00 – 3:00 PM (online only via Zoom)

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based, person-centered method for fostering change and growth and is applicable across a broad range of helping professions. MI is defined as “a particular way of talking with people about change and growth to strengthen their own motivation and commitment.” (Miller & Rollnick, 2023) MI’s guiding principles, referred to as the “spirit” or “heart-set and mind-set,” include compassion, partnership, acceptance, empowerment, and the promotion of personal autonomy. With these guiding principles, and in concert with its core skills of open questions, affirmations, reflections, and summaries, Motivational Interviewing supports those in the helping professions to develop stronger and more effective relationships with persons served. This highly participatory and experiential workshop will introduce learners to Motivational Interviewing.

Workshop Learning Objectives - Participants will learn how to:

• Describe why Motivational Interviewing can be an effective way of talking with people about change and growth
• Identify how the components of the "Spirit" of Motivational Interviewing (compassion, acceptance, partnership, empowerment) can facilitate conversations about change
• Identify the four MI skills that can be used to help strengthen motivation for and commitment to change  

Presenter:
Sara Schieffelin, LICSW, (she/her/hers), a Smith College School for Social Work alumna, has worked with children, adolescents, families and adults in Massachusetts, Colorado and Thailand. She has worked in outreach, community mental health and school settings, and currently has a private practice and does consulting, teaching and training. Schieffelin is a member of the international organization Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) and has been teaching Motivational Interviewing since 2013. She lives with her husband and son in Florence, Massachusetts.  

This workshop is free to staff of all Massachusetts non-profit ABE and ESOL Programs.

First Literacy does not receive any state or federal funding and we work very hard to raise 100% of our budget from private sources. Please consider making a donation to First Literacy so we can continue to offer FREE high quality professional development workshops.