Thoughts on Resistance- Motivational Interviewing News October 05
MOTIVATION NEWS
Published by Cathy Cole, MSSW, LCSW Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers
October 2005 http://www.cathycoletraining.com \"What People Need is a Good Listening To\" Mary Lou Casey
MOTIVATION NEWS MAIN FEATURE THOUGHTS ON RESISTANCE
KEEP DOING YOUR PLANNING FOR YOUR MI TRAINING!!!!
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
***********A FEW PLACES REMAIN--REGISTER NOW!*
IF YOU ARE FAIRLY NEW TO MI, THIS IS THE WORKSHOP FOR YOU. Introduction to Motivational Interviewing--November 2005
COURSE INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE
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 $600, 16 hours CE; CE Provider * 886383517 For details, visit http://www.cathycoletraining.com under Onsite Training
DISTANCE LEARNING TRAINING NEXT TELECLASS WILL BEGIN IN JANUARY
COURSE INFORMATION WILL BE POSTED ON WEBSITE
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 January 23 and concludes April 17, 2006
Teleclass Schedule
Introduction to MI: 8 one hour teleclasses
Mondays 3-4pm Eastern Time on these Mondays:
1-23;2-6,20,27;3-6,13;4-10,17 2006
Fee: $440 by 1-2-06; $490 after 1-2-06
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.
THOUGHTS ON RESISTANCE
Resistance is fascinating! And being able to roll with resistance adds to the excitement and energy of working with others
It is usually easy to perceive and has the quality of getting toes stepped on or stepping on toes in the dance of change
We clearly have to attend it!
Resistance is behavior.
It happens in some context and for our purposes, we are looking at resistance in the context of the helping relationship.
So, how do we determine what is resistance?
Follow a simple rule of thumb: speech, actions in the direction of change is viewed as change talk or behavior. Speech/actions away from change is called resistance.
Consequently, resistance is just another, albeit it often stronger feeling or sounding, manifestation of ambivalence.
Consider this: when a client brings up a problem, it is likely the client has
some automatic assumption that the person hearing the problem expects a
solution and already has thoughts about what that solution should be.
If the client had already decided on change and how to accomplish it, likely this person would not be talking about it in a non decisive way in the first place. If the ambivalence about change and how to go about it are decided, you will hear statements of “I’m going to ……’ or if the ambivalence has been resolved and how to go about it are unclear, then we will hear ‘I just need to figure out how….’
And,….often the client already knows some possibilities for solving the problem but has not resolved the ambivalence about acting.
If we look at resistance from this perspective, we can see that internal resistance is on board prior to any contact with us; the interaction in the context of our helping relationship can either increase or decrease the resistance.
HOW CAN WE MAKE RESISTANCE WORSE!
Focusing on the wrong thing: client is struggling with hyperension, diabetes, with inherent difficulties with food and exercise; we decide to focus on food without asking.
Pressing for change prior to readiness: getting ahead of the client.
Providing solutions rather than eliciting.
Not helping enough; not providing information that might help the client resolve ambivalence by virtue of knowing some menu of options.
WHAT TO DO WITH RESISTANCE GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!
The MI text references the use of various levels of reflections (simple, amplified, double sided) , emphasizing personal choice and control; shifting focus, adding a new perspective, coming alongside.
Simple: Client: ‘I can’t do anymore’
Coach: ‘You feel you are doing as much as you can right now’
Amplified: Client ‘That’s nonsense; I would never consider that!’
Coach: ‘It would be ridiculous for you to consider any different way of acting with your boss, no matter what the outcome!’
Double sided: Client: ‘Stopping smoking would save me money but I know I would gain wt’
Coach; you feel two ways about it: not so pleased with the possibility of weight gain and happy about saving money
Personal choice and control: Client: no one will tell me how to act at work.
Coach: it’s true, only you can decided to to conduct yourself at work
Shifting focus: Client; I hate thinking of myself as diabetic.
Coach: it’s hard to use those words about yourself
New perspective; Client; I hate thinking of myself as diabetic.
Coach: it’s hard to use those words about yourself, considering what you know about how not controlling diabetes has affected your mother.
Coming alongside: Client: ‘I don’t think this is the right time for me to be making all these changes; too much is happening otherwise’
Coach: ‘you could be right; it may be premature for you to tackle this’
I hope these thoughts on resistance are useful.
Keep practicing!
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.