Trauma and Addiction: Taking Motivational Interviewing to the Next Level

In this course, Beryl J. Armstrong briefly discuses models of trauma and addiction, followed by examination of how motivational interviewing can help clients navigate change and reduce/eliminate avoidance-type behaviour that maintains the addiction and prevents the trauma being worked through. Course participants hear about the power of genuine engagement and validation, the stages of change and the helper’s role in those, the four “Rs” of resistance, and how to use advanced motivational interviewing skills to listen for both sustain talk and change talk. Armstrong presents her client Jennifer in detail, demonstrating how the principles of motivational interviewing are applied in a particular case.