Motivational Interviewing

Orbis offers training in MI for a variety of practitioners involved in case work with high-risk clients. We teach counselors, case managers, correctional officers and other professionals helpful techniques for engaging their clients in behavioral change.

MI can be described more as a style of working with people rather than a program. It has become a standard principle of practice for many of our clients who wish to achieve greater buy-in with the people they serve. For example, in the field of corrections MI has revolutionized how many jurisdictions go about their work. Using a number of intuitive techniques, MI has greatly enhanced the ability of case workers to engage high risk clients in the work of behavioral change. An important objective of the method is to have clients take responsibility for the need to change their behavior. Staff who begin to apply the techniques after training are quickly rewarded with response from their clients – gentle shifts in receptiveness about change and cooperation in looking at alternatives to the negative behaviour that brings them into human service settings.

While MI is helpful for case managers involved in developing case plans, it also provides a new language and quality of rapport to a variety of contexts where staff interact with high risk clients. The use of MI is not limited to professional counselors, but can be applied by staff occupying diverse roles within settings that help high risk clients change – probation, parole, substance abuse counseling, correctional custody, and other settings where clients are at risk of experiencing negative outcomes.

The MI approach is reinforced throughout all of our curricula for working with high risk clients – including assessment, case work, and training on interventions. A number of our training associates are certified in the delivery of MI training and all are experienced in using the techniques with high risk clients. Orbis offers a number of options for the MI training experience including brief introductions to more intensive skill building workshops. In addition, we tailor MI workshops to the unique needs of the client group. For example, MI training for correctional officers will emphasize the application of MI to context of that work role, and will vary from the training experience delivered to case management staff. Every attempt is made to customize the learning experience to the needs of our clients.

Orbis offers training in MI for a variety of practitioners involved in case work with high-risk clients. We teach counselors, case managers, correctional officers and other professionals helpful techniques for engaging their clients in behavioral change.