Advance Practice for Professionals Using Motivational Interviewing

Advance Practice for Child Welfare Professionals—Focusing on OARS and the Righting Reflex

Trainer: Marya Wright, MSW, ASW #81167

Date: November 7th, 2023

Time: 9:15pm - 3:15pm

Location: Virtual – Zoom

Agency: A Better Way Inc.

Description:

This is an advanced course developed for case managers and clinicians who have a basic understanding of MI. Participants will build on the knowledge gained from an introductory MI course. Participants will increase their understanding of open-ended questions, affirmations, reflections, and summaries (OARS). The content explores each interviewing technique in-depth to enhance the participants tool kit of MI responses with system-involved youth and adolescents. Participants will be able to apply the tools learned in this course to establish reports, collaboration, and understanding for their current clients. This course will provide practical skills and strategies to resist the righting reflex when met with client resistance. Participants will increase their understanding of the righting reflex. The content explores MI four guiding principles, represented by the acronym R.U.L.E. Participants will gain a general understanding of how resistance may show up when working with system-involved youth and families. The course will provide strategies on appropriate response to resistance. As well as what could be said in response to resistance rather than using the righting reflex. The material will be delivered by PowerPoint presentation, short video clips, group discussion, breakout (small group) discussions and participant workbook (handout).

Objective:

• Trainees will be able to evaluate how the righting reflex affects their practice when working with system-involved youth and families.
• Trainees will be able to describe multiple differences between inappropriate and appropriate responses to client resistance.
• Trainees will be able to distinguish at least 2 differences between open- and closed-ended questions and demonstrate the ability to convert questions to elicit change talk.
• Trainees will be able to list five examples of how to respond when a client is ambivalent or expresses resistance to change.

Measurable Learning:

• By the end of the course, trainees will be able to select client strengths and use them to formulate an affirmation for their client.

• When engaging with system-involved youth and families, trainees will be able to distinguish the differences between issue and relational resistance and provide appropriate responses.

Marya Wright Consulting provides innovative, high-value, and culturally responsive training content for professionals that need continuing education training (CEUs) for agencies that service system-involved youth, foster youth, children, and families.

Marya Wright, MSW, is a nationally distinguished social worker, consultant, educator, international trainer, and facilitator with experience in organizational leadership, child welfare services, and curriculum development. A qualified expert witness and private dependency investigator in the family law court, juvenile and dependency court for children, youth, and family services. She is also an elected Board Member of Directors for the California Society of Clinical Social Work (CSCSW). The President and CEO of Wright Community Services LLC, a company that strives to empower system-involved families through awareness, services, and education. Also a registered Associate Clinical Social Worker (#81167) with the Board of Behavioral Sciences and working to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).

Marya holds a Master’s in Social Work from California State University, East Bay, with a focus on Child Welfare Policy and Research and a Bachelor’s in Social Work with an emphasis on Child Welfare Services and Motivational Interviewing from San Diego State University.

Marya has conducted considerable research on Child Sexual Exploitation, Foster Care. She has published an article on algorithmic decision-making in child welfare. In addition to her clinical social work, Marya is a seasoned lecturer. She has taught in the Sociology Department at Cal State East Bay since the Spring of 2020. Her course load includes Sociology of Sexualities, Child Welfare Policy, Sociology of Family, and Sexual Violence.

Event Venue

Online