Motivational Interviewing

Training Name

Motivational Interviewing

Training Description

Motivational interviewing is a strategy for working with young people that is goal-oriented and client-centered. It is a hands-on approach to supporting youth to change risky or problematic behaviors. In this workshop you will be introduced to Motivational Interviewing and practice two of the strategies that create this innovative way of being with and supporting young people. This 2-hour interactive training explores Motivational Interviewing as a strategy for working with young people. Motivational interviewing (MI) refers to a supportive approach developed by psychologists Professor William R Miller, Ph.D. and Professor Stephen Rollnick, Ph.D. MI is a goal-oriented, client-centered counseling style for supporting behavior change, and in this training we apply it to working with young adults. It is a very hands-on approach to supporting youth to change risky or problematic behaviors and participants will take away tools and activities to use with the young people that they work with.

Training Type

In-Person One-Time Workshop

Training Topic

Motivational interviewing to support behavior change

Training Learning Objectives

• Define Motivational Interviewing – Participants will accurately define Motivational Interviewing and identify at least 3 core principles or techniques associated with it.
• Identify components of active listening – Participants will identify at least 4 key components of active listening and demonstrate at least 2 components through a practice activity or discussion.
• Practice strategies for supporting behavior change – Participants will practice at least 2 evidence-based strategies for supporting behavior change in young people through role-play, case study, or guided exercises.

Training Syllabus / Curriculum

• Overview of Motivational Interviewing (MI) as a goal-oriented, client-centered approach to working with youth
• How Motivational Interviewing supports positive behavior change and reduces risky or problematic behaviors
• Core principles and definition of Motivational Interviewing
• Key components of active listening when working with young people
• Practical skills for engaging youth in collaborative conversations about change
• Hands-on practice with two Motivational Interviewing strategies used to support behavior change
• Applying MI techniques to real-world youth support settings
• Building a supportive communication style that empowers youth decision-making

Instructor Information

Laurie Jo Wallace; Leslie Rivera

HRiA; UTEC

Laurie Jo Wallace — Ms. Wallace has spent the last 30 years promoting healthy communities and healthy youth in Boston. She has special expertise in the areas of training and facilitation, and she has provided consulting and support to numerous programs, coalitions, and public health and other nonprofit agencies in the Boston region, Massachusetts and nationally. She has considerable expertise in the field of youth development, community engagement, management and supervision, and issues of diversity, equity and inclusion. Leslie Rivera — Leslie Rivera is a dedicated community advocate, youth worker, and mentor from Lowell, Massachusetts, with 31 years of experience in youth development—18 of those years spent at UTEC. As Senior Director of Training and Capacity Building at UTEC's Training Center for Excellence, she has championed the importance of culture, advocating for the recognition and appreciation of direct service staff. A trained Peacemaking Circle Keeper and culture keeper, Leslie brings deep expertise in gang mediation, peace treaties, street outreach, and community healing. Her leadership at UTEC has included managing the Streetworker and Transitional Coaching teams, serving on the Theory of Change committee, and chairing the DEI Advisory Committee. Leslie is not only committed to professional excellence but also to transformative leadership. For her, leadership is about leading by example—rooted in equity and fostering an environment where everyone collaborates and supports one another. Beyond her professional achievements, Leslie is also a mother, grandmother, and a mentor who celebrates culture while uplifting those who work on the front lines of community service.