Eleison recently completed a Motivational Interviewing (MI) training for the entire team at North Star Initiative (NSI). NSI is a nonprofit organization based in Pennsylvania (U.S.) that provides residential care for survivors of human trafficking, addressing the physical, psychological, emotional, and educational needs of survivors. Eleison’s MI training provides staff with the necessary skills and techniques to communicate with survivors using a trauma-informed approach.
MI is a humanistic, evidence-based counseling approach designed to strengthen a person’s motivation for and commitment to change within an atmosphere of partnership, acceptance, compassion, and evocation. Through its empathetic and non-confrontational style, MI fosters a supportive environment where individuals feel heard and respected. It helps enhance positive behavior change, client engagement and retention in services, and client satisfaction. During a recent interview, Melinda Clark, NSI’s Executive Director, shared that most of her team had their first exposure to the concepts of MI through the training provided by Eleison. She affirmed Dr. Laura Cordisco Tsai, Eleison’s Executive Director and facilitator of the MI training, for providing clear, thoughtful, and thorough discussion to help the NSI team understand the benefits of MI, saying:
“We understood the benefits of using open-ended questions and reflective listening with our residents, even family members and friends. We saw the importance of not jumping in with directives or ideas, but instead pausing to evoke the other person’s ideas for change. We had immediate opportunities to apply the training with the clients we serve, and many times since the training we have responded to situations with, ‘What does the client think? Have we listened to what she needs?’ Motivational Interviewing is now a required part of onboarding for new staff. We will practice the PACE (i.e. the spirit of MI) and OARS (i.e. skills of MI) in staff meetings and implement them in our case management.”
MI can serve as a guiding framework for strengthening trauma-informed practice by aligning with its principles of building trust, honoring autonomy, avoiding re-traumatization, addressing ambivalence, and recognizing the impact of trauma on behavior. This integration enhances the effectiveness of service providers in providing support for individuals who have experienced trauma, ultimately contributing to a more compassionate and empowering approach to care. When asked about her thoughts on how the training impacted their organization’s ability to implement trauma-informed practice, Melinda said:
“We realize that without the concepts of MI, we cannot truly implement trauma-informed practice. MI centers the client’s needs from the beginning of the conversation and protects us from directing them with steps based on our viewpoint. Understanding ambivalence helps us to sit with them as they discern their goals for change. The practical tools we received such as the readiness ruler and decisional balance sheet allow us to navigate conversations with them in the driver’s seat choosing what is best for them.”
Eleison is currently open to conduct MI training at other service providers. Trainings can be provided anywhere globally and can be customized to match the organization’s specific needs. If your organization is interested in receiving MI training, please email info@eleisonfoundation.org or message us here.
