Objectives:

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based counselling approach that was developed by clinical psychologists Stephen Rollnick and William Miller (1991). It involves a style of communicating with clients that specifically resolves ambivalence and/or resistance and builds motivation for change.

After experiencing a Trauma people find it difficult to motivate themselves in everyday life activities (education, work, relationships and home life). Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) interferes with motivation. As anxiety increases, resulting in both physiological and psychological impact, the tendency is to avoid rather than to engage in our lives. MI can be used in supporting clients to learn to stabilize before going into their stories.

Learning Objectives Include

• Outlining Miller and Rollnick’s motivational interviewing principles
• Learning to use the overarching philosophical underpinnings of motivational interviewing in the context of trauma work
• Learning to listen and respond to change talk
• Ensuring that the focus on future is not used incorrectly in the context of the work with traumatized clients (often people who have suffered trauma may have a great deal of difficulty looking into the future)
• Learning how to use MI when working on stabilizing clients
• Some skills include "Rolling with Resistance, using ‘controlled’ empathy, developing discrepancy and reflective listening"

Who will benefit from participation?

Created for professionals, paraprofessionals, and volunteers who work alongside trauma survivors or are in contact with trauma-related histories or experiences. This program will improve the necessary techniques for activities with individuals or groups who have been exposed to trauma, either directly or indirectly. There are no prerequisites, special requirements, or degrees necessary for this entry-level non-counselling training program.

Course Overview

This program offers a wide variety of non-clinical hands-on approaches for assisting trauma survivors in a community setting incorporating Motivational Interviewing techniques. A strong emphasis is placed on designing activities for recovery and reconnection such as rituals and memorials. Creating or re-creating community connections and healthy outlets will be the main focus of this course. This program will be both engaging and participatory, but will not be directed towards counseling or clinical skills. It will still supply valuable skills to anyone working in this field.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) creates a barrier for clients to hinder the motivation for change due to the physiological and psychological stress of this anxiety disorder. MI can be utilized to support clients to be able to stabilize prior to beginning to share and work through their traumatic experiences.

This program is a constituent part of the COMMUNITY & WORKPLACE TRAUMATOLOGIST Certificate of Completion. TI-1001, 102 – 107. A blend of face-to-face or on-line courses is accepted.

Successful participants of the full Community & Workplace Traumatologist training curriculum will be able to use the TITC-CWT designation (which stands for Traumatology Institute Training Curriculum, Community & Workplace Traumatologist).