Taking Big Steps to Help Consumers

We are thrilled to share that all PDG staff are being formally trained in Motivational Interviewing (MI) through virtual sessions with a certified Motivational Interviewing professional. The training covers all aspects of this profoundly impactful counseling approach over the course of four days.

For those not familiar, Motivational Interviewing is a conversational strategy that asks important questions to help the consumer understand and resolve ambivalence to important, health-related areas of their life. From smoking cessation to unhealthy personal relationships, this compassion-based approach uses a “seeking to understand” perspective, rather than a “I know what’s best for you” directive. 

PDG was able to arrange this training through a grant from the Behavioral Health System Baltimore. The grant’s goal was to provide increased and improved services to their residents, and PDG’s determination to improve the health of Maryland residents fit their goal. PDG connected with certified MI trainer Ali Hall to discuss the possibilities for this grant. Ali has served as the MI Network of Trainers lead trainer for international training in New Orleans, Berlin, and Warsaw. She’s designed and facilitated more than two thousand MI workshops for health care practitioners and behavioral healthcare providers across the globe.

Through her expertise and partnership, PDG arranged what was originally intended as a two-day, in-person training as a four-day virtual training for all PDG staff, taking place in June 2020. Despite being remote, the training was incredibly interactive, with more breakout sessions than actual lecture time. During the first session, participants created a word cloud about what MI meant to them, with “compassion” and “understanding” rising to the top. 

“These training sessions are live, interactive, and rich with valuable information for everyone in our field,” says Tory Morgan, Vice President of PDG, who was instrumental in obtaining the grant and arranging the sessions.  

There’s no doubt that MI skills will be invaluable for PDG consumers going forward. Staff across the organization are excited for the new opportunities this training will present in their work with Maryland residents and thank Behavioral Health Systems Baltimore and Ali Hall for making it happen! We look forward to helping our consumers achieve their goals in 2020. 

Learn more about Motivational Interviewing here.  

To contact Ali Hall about MI training, email her by clicking here. 

To learn more about the Behavioral Health Systems Baltimore, click here.