Summary

This workshop offers participants an opportunity to connect motivational interviewing techniques to fostering antiracist, diverse, equitable, and inclusive (ADEI) learning experiences. It is imperative that leaning environments value and actively welcome multiple perspectives and voices through authentic exchanges. These exchanges require individuals to first engage in honest reflection and self-examination, challenging biases, contributions to and/or passive complicity. The philosophy and practice techniques of motivational interviewing aligns with foundational social work theories including person and relationship centered approaches, self-determination, and the stages of change. The guided, collaborative conversation style of motivational interviewing can be used to assist a program in examining its mission and values, exploring discrepancies and conflict, assessing readiness for change, building motivation and consensus, and securing commitment to change. Using active awareness and curiosity, individuals can explore and determine how their behaviors are consistent with and reflect social work values. Through the creation and implementation of a ADEI implicit curriculum, one which is framed by motivational interviewing practices of partnership, acceptance, compassion, and evocation within it, social work programs may recognize and develop what motivational interviewing calls the “habits of the heart”. This interactive workshop provides an opportunity for participants to examine their programs with respect to readiness for change and commitment to ADEI in their respective learning environments. Participants will explore ways to engage in critical dialogue and elicit change talk to value human exchange, appreciate diversity and difference, and challenge injustices and oppressive status quos. Participants will have an opportunity to exchange ideas and participate in an experiential activity using motivational interviewing techniques (e.g., values exploration, OARS) to learn how they may be applied to their programs.  

Keywords (separate with commas)

motivational interviewing, anti-racism, diversity, equity, inclusion, ADEI, learning environment, implicit curriculum