Motivational Interviewing

Registration deadline 9/17/2025

Trainer: Megan Kiernan, LCMHC, LADC

Megan Kiernan is dually licensed counselor working in her own practice, Lionheart Counseling, LLC, in Essex Junction, VT. Ms. Kiernan has experience with evidence-based practices, providing supervision in busy work environments, and motivational enhancement techniques having worked for Phoenix House as a clinician and as Director of the Women’s Substance Abuse Program in the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility (CRCF). She also worked as the Risk Reduction Coordinator at CRCF where she organized and supervised the running of mandated programming for high-risk offenders in Department of Corrections custody.

Additionally, Ms. Kiernan has worked as a psychotherapist, supervisor, and trainer at Networks, Inc. in Burlington, VT. She has created and led trainings for the New England Addiction Technology Transfer Center, Vermont Addictions Professional Association, and AdCare Educational Institute of New England’s Summer School and Best Practices conferences, as well as other local organizations. Ms. Kiernan has a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Vermont. She is a current board member for the Vermont Addictions Professional Association.

Description:

This training presents and encourages practice of motivational interviewing as created by William Miller and Stephen Rollnick. Motivational interviewing is a counseling style that can be used to help those who struggle with substance use disorder find the motivation to change their habits. It is also an effective style to use with other forms of addictive behavior. This skills-based training is appropriate for counselors who are beginners or intermediates in this style, or for anyone looking to brush up on their MI skills.

Agenda:

Morning: 9:00 am – 10:15 am
Welcome and Introductions
Why use Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Understanding ambivalence
The spirit of MI
What’s New in MI
Break 10:15 – 10:30 am
Core Counseling Skills of MI
EXERCISE: Practice OARS skills
The processes of MI: Engaging
Lunch: 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Afternoon: 1:00 – 2:45 pm
The processes of MI continued: Focusing and Evoking
EXERCISE: Practice Evoking Change Talk
Review Ways to Respond to Sustain Talk
EXERCISE: Practice responding to sustain talk with reflective responses
Break 2:45 – 3:00 pm
Watch and discuss Effective MI clip
EXERCISE: Practice developing discrepancy
EXERCISE: Learn and practice using confidence ruler
The processes of MI continued: Planning
Review and Questions
Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Learning Objectives:

• Understand ambivalence and why to use motivational interviewing
• Practice core counseling skills: open-ended questions, affirmations, reflections, and summaries
• Be able to use processes for engaging, focusing, evoking, and planning
• Recognize and evoke change talk
• Use reflective listening skills to respond to sustain talk
• Use effective MI tools including importance ruler and confidence ruler

Lunch is on participants own (1 hour) AM coffee & fruit / PM cookies provided

6 Credits: NAADAC CU’s are approved

Social Worker CE’s, Allied MH CE’s and Psychologists CE’s pending