Developed in the 1980s as an evidence-based practice, Motivational Interviewing has proven to be effective when working with diverse groups in many settings. MI is an ideal mental health service for the Crestwood Recovery Model and embodies many of our core values and pillars of recovery. Through MI practices, our Crestwood staff are equipped with innovative counseling and communication strategies that help them develop trusting relationships with persons served. As staff successfully connect with persons served, they can facilitate growth in each individual’s life by helping them identify, plan, pursue, and realize recovery-oriented goals that lead to transformational change. MI treatment methods are unambiguous and intuitive, which enables our staff to gain a high level of comfort when using them, yet MI counseling still possesses the nuance and complexity necessary to be impactful throughout our various levels of care.

Motivational Interviewing has defined some essential elements called the “Spirit of MI” that provides guidance for establishing and developing a therapeutic relationship.

These primary elements are:

• Compassion: Unconditional positive regard for people.

• Acceptance: Who people are, where people are in their journey. The absolute worth of every individual.

• Partnership: Shared authority and decision making. The relationship is collaborative.

• Evocation: People are experts on their own lives. The belief is that people have what they need. One goal of this relationship is to guide exploration that helps them find it.

Alongside MI essential elements, we apply other techniques that support movement toward meaningful and sustainable change such as:

• Open-ended questions

• Affirmations

• Reflections

• Summaries

• Eliciting

  
  

Crestwood has been providing Motivational Interviewing training opportunities to the staff and leaders at our programs for several years. We have been committed to learning and developing these skills. In the words of Bill Miller, co-creator of MI, “A big part of learning MI is really, truly embodying the spirit of MI. Humble curiosity. Believing our clients HAVE this knowledge inside of them.”