Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a respectful approach to preparing people for change that places emphasis on client autonomy and evoking the client’s own reasons for change. MI is a framework that recognizes that resolving ambivalence is required prior to making personal enduring change. This workshop will review MI strategies and techniques that can be used to strengthen suicide intervention.
As a result of participating in this program, participants will be able to:
1) Describe the important role of a guiding style together with reflective listening as a tool to build rapport with a client who may be at risk of suicide; and,
2) Identify MI interventions to use during each of the four processes of MI: engaging, focusing, evoking and planning. Also, describe two or more evoking skills that may help the strengthen client change talk (i.e., life talk) and soften client sustain talk (i.e., death talk). Participant will be able to list criteria for when a verbal intervention such as MI may or may not be appropriate for a client at risk of suicide.
