Gaia Community

Re: Introductions

Sunflowerz said Jul 1, 2006, 10:54 AM:

Hi,

I am a a counselor, licensed and living in Ohio. Eventually I will have my independent license - that is a bit more work :) I have worked for the last 9 years at a women's agency/shelter. I have worked with domestic violence, but currently work with the chronically homeless women. These women all have a mental health diagnosis, and many have issues with substance use/abuse. What I do is more like social work most times, but it is good for the moment.

My influences are primarily Rational emotive and Rogerian, but I have recently learned about motivational interviewing. What little I have done with it has produced wonderful results. www.motivationalinterviewing.org - it is powerful stuff :)

Blessings,

Sunflowerz

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Motivational Interviewing

Billy said Jul 1, 2006, 3:24 PM:

I love motivational interviewing. It is commonly used in the addictions field. I like how the emphasis is placed on the “therapeutic alliance” between therapist and person. I also find the stages of change very useful in my group practice. Just this past week I drew the “change wheel” on my group room marker-board and we discussed the stages – from pre-contemplation on through relapse. I then asked each of the group members to place themselves on the change wheel. It helped them to see that not all of them were at the same stage of change. It also helped them to empathize with those who were at an earlier stage of change. Discussing it helped us develop more cohesion in the group.

It is great to have you as a member of this group. I am new to zaadz. I am also new to pods. I do hope that this group will be a success. You are certainly free to invite others that you feel might be interested.

Billy

Re: Motivational Interviewing

shannonorama said Jul 5, 2006, 2:39 PM:

hey–

i've done my spiel on my history with the Work in the “inquiry” pod, so won't repeat it here…

I am a mental health and addictions counselor, currently working in the “special offenders” unit at a men's prison here in WA state. They are 'special' due to their extreme mental illness. Ever politically correct!

but, I've been on the non-duality road for 10 years or so officially, but had thought that way long before reading my first book, or meeting the first 'teacher' that I met. As I said in the other pod, this is difficult to use with the people that I work with, they are all severely mentally ill. (i mean severely! hearing voices, seeing demons, etc.) But I do manage to get a little in….

I've also read “motivational interviewing” and have attended workshops that lean heavily on it, and have seen videos of Miller and Rollnick doing their thing. Have you seen them? They are fascinating to me in their ability to be so neutral looking and sounding! I have a difficult time in general not jumping around a lot, showing expressions of sympathy, etc. Still, I do use what I can.

I have considered myself a master at developing therapeutic alliance for a long time! It just came naturally. I said about 20 years ago, “if I don't have them by my door, I won't have them for awhile”. That being, I would go and get them in the waiting room, and was usually able to 'have them' by the time we reached my office.

this is my first week in Zaadz too. I am working on recruiting some of my more enlightened counselor friends…. thanks for starting this, Billy!

~peace

Shannon