August MI News--The Righting Reflex and the Impact on Ambivalence
MOTIVATION NEWS
Published by Cathy Cole, MSSW, LCSW Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers August 2005 http://www.cathycoletraining.com \"What People Need is a Good Listening To\" Mary Lou Casey
MOTIVATION NEWS MAIN FEATURE THE RIGHTING REFLEX AND THE IMPACT ON AMBIVALENCE
IT'S NOT TOO EARLY TO PLAN FOR YOUR FALL MI TRAINING!!!! WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IS JUST BELOW.
IF YOU DO NOT SEE TRAINING THAT WILL FIT YOUR NEEDS, PLEASE EMAIL ME AT cathy@cathycoletraining.com IN ORDER TO DISCUSS HOW I CAN PROVIDE TRAINING TAILORED TO YOUR NEEDS.
ABOUT MY WORKSHOPS; I have elected to limit the size of my workshops in order to maximize the opportunity to provide learning that can both address the concepts and practice of Motivational Interviewing while at the same time assist in the application of MI to each participants work setting.
I offer all participants the opportunity to submit a 15 minute audio-tape of an interview using the MI approach before and after each workshop. This will allow for you to have feedback on your progress in learning.
Onsite training is limited to 15 participants, both in Advanced and Introductory MI; Distance Learning classes are limited to 10.
ONSITE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
Advanced Training in Motivational Interviewing--October 2005 A two day workshop at the Friday Center, Chapel Hill, NC Monday and Tuesday October 10-11, 2005; limited to 15 participants $580, 13 hours CE; CE Provider * 886383517 For details, visit http://www.cathycoletraining.com under Onsite Training
Introduction to Motivational Interviewing--November 2005 A 2 1/2 day workshop at the Friday Center, Chapel Hill, NC Monday, Tuesday and am Wednesday, November 15-16, 2005 Limited to 15 participants $580, 16 hours CE; CE Provider * 886383517 For details, visit http://www.cathycoletraining.com under Onsite Training
DISTANCE LEARNING TRAINING
Fall/Winter Teleclass Schedule
Join me and fellow classmates for the ease and convenience
of learning via telephone bridge line...no special equipment needed.
There are eight one hour sessions for this Basic MI training.
Class begins September 12 and concludes December 12, 2005
Teleclass Schedule
Introduction to MI: 8 one hour teleclasses
Mondays 3-4pm Eastern Time on these Mondays:
9-12, 9-19, 9-26, 10-3, 10-24, 10-31, 11-7, 11-28, 2005
Fee: $400 by 8-17; $450 after 8-17-05
CE approval via the National Association of Social Workers
CE Provider * 886383517
For full course description and registration click Distance Learning on my web site http://www.cathycoletraining.com or write to me at cathy@cathycoletraining.com
MI COACHING For individuals and agencies with previous MI training either with me or another MI trainer, I offer ongoing coaching/supervision in the application of MI. Please email me at cathy@cathycoletraining for more information.
This letter may be forwarded to anyone you feel could benefit as long as it is forwarded in its entirety. Past newsletters available via web site http://www.cathycoletraining.com
Welcome to Motivation News, a newsletter devoted to clinical information on the use of a Motivational Interviewing (MI) approach to change. The authors of this approach, William Miller, PhD and Stephen Rollnick, PhD define MI as a 'client centered, directive method for enhancing an intrinsic motivation for change by exploring and resolving ambivalence\". This collaborative approach to working with clients has wide application in coaching, mental health, addictions, health care and health education. Information in this newsletter is taken from various source material from the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers and specifically from the book Motivational Interviewing, Preparing People for Change; Miller and Rollnick, 2nd edition, 2002, Guilford Press.
THE RIGHTING REFLEX AND THE IMPACT ON AMBIVALENCE
Take a moment to think of an example from your own life when you were trying to sort out your thoughts on some issue, say changing jobs. Likely you were feeling at least two ways about this decision and could be called ‘ambivalent’. Now think about what happened or could have happened when you tried to discuss this with a friend, family member, or perhaps, even a therapist.
It might have gone like this: Y is you; P is the person responding
Y (You): ‘I just can’t decide about this job change; it’s hard to make a decision.’
P (Person responding): ‘You have been talking about how miserable you are for at least a year! Just change and get it over with!’
Okay, how might you be feeling about now? Of course, some of you will be saying ‘that’s just what I needed to hear’ and it may be correct.
However, let’s say you weren’t on the brink, looking for someone else to push you over the decision line….(.hmmm, is that really making your own choice after all or just passing the decision to someone else?). Let’s say you honestly wanted to sort this out. Would you have been listened to, understood?
Not likely. So what happened above is what is labeled In MI as the ‘righting reflex’, that tendency to make it okay, solve the problem for someone else. This is one of the first things we need to confront with ourselves when we are learning MI. The righting reflex usually leaves the other with a sense of not being heard and frequently just increases the ambivalence.
Let’s say the conversation went like this instead.
Y: ‘I just can’t decide about this job change; it’s hard to make a decision.’
P: ‘What reasons have you thought of for not making the change?’ (MI concept: Eliciting change talk via cons, reasons against)
Y: ‘Well, I’d have to drive farther each day so I’d have less time at home; I’d have to learn new stuff and meet new people and I might not like them as much as I like the people where I work now. That’s about it.’
P: ‘So longer drives, learning new stuff and new people’ (MI concept: simple Summary/reflection) And why have you considered this new job; what are reasons For the change?’ (MI concept eliciting change talk pros/reasons for)
Y: ‘More money; more chance for advancement; better retirement; hmm, a health facility at work’.
P: ‘Future potential and an added benefit with the health facility.’ (MI concept complex reflection)
Y: ‘Yes, lots of good stuff’
P: ‘And what is getting in the way of you making a decision, whether to stay or move to the new job?’ (MI concept eliciting change talk in exploring barriers) (Also, note that the person responding did not fall into the trap of pushing a decision one way or the other).
Y: ‘I think just the idea of the change, kinda afraid….do I have what it takes for the new job?’
P: ‘What let’s you know that you have what it takes, if you decide to make a change?’ (MI concept attending to self-efficacy and emphasizing personal choice)
Y: ‘Well, I felt that way when I started this job and I have done very well; I’ll be able to do well if I change jobs again.’
P: ‘So, if you look forward, say 6 months out, and you have taken the new job, what do you think things will be like for you? And if you don’t take the job, what will things be like for you?’ (MI concept eliciting change talk by looking forward)
Does this conversation seem different, perhaps more useful in resolving ambivalence? This is just one example of how MI would look and how avoiding the righting reflex would look.
For more information on MI training and Cathy Cole visit http://www.cathycoletraining.com
Additional Educational/Coaching Offerings: Use of the MITI (Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity Code) for feedback on taped interviews.
Onsite workshops: one to three day training in MI for agencies or educational consortiums
Onsite consultation: Preparing your agency for MI. Combining this with specific training for agency staff increases the effectiveness of implementing MI.
Additional Advanced MI training: 8 one hour teleclasses for active case supervision and focus on MI skills or on site training for staff groups already trained in MI; feedback on tapes using the MITI.
MI Coaching: assessment of a taped client session with phone supervisory consultation; feedback on tapes using the MITI.
For information on any of these MI trainings, send email to cathy@cathycoletraining.com
Cathy Cole, MSSW, LCSW is an educator and clinician.
She received her Masters of Science in Social Work from
the University of Tennessee and has maintained a varied clinical and
education practice throughout her career. Since her training in
Motivational Interviewing in 1995, she has provided extensive training.
For more information on Cathy visit http://www.cathycoletraining.com
To contact Cathy, use cathy@cathycoletraining.com
cathycoletraining Mission: to provide excellent education and coaching with a specific focus on the use of Motivational Interviewing for exploring and resolving the natural ambivalence for change. Training in the use of Motivational Interviewing is offered on site or via teleconference. Contact Cathy at cathy@cathycoletraining.com for more information or visit http://www.cathycoletraining.com
For more information on Motivational Interviewing, visit the web site http://www.motivationalinterview.org
(919) 967-9653 — 
cathy@cathycoletraining.com© 2009 Cathy Cole Training, Inc.