Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Listening very well....

I haven't done clinical work in almost 4 years, and I have found that I am losing the skill of listening actively.  Listening actively means actually being present with the client, not planning my grocery list or how I have to pee.  It is (for me) listening with my "eagle ear" so that as the client continues, I begin to get an idea of where they are at in the world.  Not completely.  Whoever could?

Yet everyone has a story and wants very much to be heard.  And there is the explicit content of our conversation and then there is the implicit "story within the story", which is usually a powerful emotion.
It is usually sadness, and if they begin to pool up in their eyes or start to weep, it is all over.  I am weeping with them.  I weep with everyone because their suffering touches my suffering, and in that moment, we are kinfolk.

That is compassion, I believe.  More than empathy, it takes some sort of action on the part of the practitioner to express compassion to the client.  You can't just say "I am feeling compassionate for you right now."  That ain't gonna cut it.  Yet, if you meet their eyes and allow your suffering to touch theirs, if you touch their hand, if you offer them a kleenex (which many find disrupting yet please, boogers are rolling down their noses and they are so grateful for the kleenex!)

I am still so nosy to see how compassion plays out in MI as if it can be introduced as a core principle of the Spirit score, folks will actually have to act or speak in compassionate ways.

Going to go do my sitting meditation, which I forget today and I am working on compassion for myself and all of you.

Love to you all,
XXOO

Jacque

Monday, March 10, 2014

Intro to MI and Intermediate MI Online courses coming up!

Hi everyone!

My new website is up and our new course schedule is on there.

We have an Introduction to MI Online beginning on Tuesday, 4/15/14 through 5/20/14.  The cost is $500.00 USD and I will be the trainer.  The course runs for 6 weeks and we have a weekly 90 minute
Skype call that meets at 10 am CST and 6 pm CST.  Syllabus and registration are available on the website.

Intermediate MI also runs 6 weeks online and begins Tuesday, June 3 through July 8, 2014.  Once again, the cost is $500.00 USD.  The Skype calls for both courses are always on Tuesdays and we have the 2 times to accommodate non North American folks.

I find myself very busy teaching at Dominican University part time and most of my MI work is coding and teaching coding.  Lots of changes in coding have already occurred and it will be exciting when the MITI 4 comes out.  There is no due date for it at all at this time.

Many thanks and pass this info on if you know anyone looking for some good MI training with no airfare, hotel costs, time off from work and you can work in your jammies if you want!

Jacque

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Behavior change for MITI coders...

Hi all:

As a MITI coder and trainer, I have had the lovely experience of behavior change for myself as I listen to practitioners' session.  I remember one project I coded where I listened to about 50 sessions with dentists as the practitioner.

When it come to Giving Information (facts about dental hygiene), I repeatedly heard facts and techniques of dental health.  I learned so much about dental health that my teeth were the healthiest that had been in my life.

I have had the same experience when doing role-plays (or real-plays) in f2f trainings.  I began using cloth napkins instead of paper napkins after doing a real-play in which I was the practitioner.  After hearing all the reasons why my "client" thought it was important for the environment to not use as many paper projects, I bought into her arguments for change.  I still use cloth napkins to this day and think of her every time I do.

I learn more from my trainees that they can possible imagine, and I have heard from many trainees that they made big behavior changes after being the client in a real-play.  It goes both ways.  I have found (as practitioner) that I make behavior changes just after coding sessions, listening to clients or working with trainees.

It is not only free therapy for the trainees.  It is free therapy for me.

Jacque

Friday, January 10, 2014

Morning folks!

I have been offering MI and MITI coding training for over 4 years now, and as a result, my f2f training business has trickled to almost nothing.  I used to think that was a bad thing yet now, I find myself enjoying the online courses.

Why?  Because I get to know the trainees much better, they get a lot more of my attention than in a f2f course, we continue to roleplay on Skype, I am able to produce more audios and videos for training
and of course, the weather provides no problem when you are working from your computer.

The course evaluations are excellent because folks are getting a good deal for their training fee.  No airline, hotel, rental or per diems required.  Their employers seem to like saving money and thus are much more willing to pay for online.

Online/blended/Skype works!

Jacque

Motivational Interviewing Resources

FREE INTERVENTIONS FOR FAMILIES WHOSE LOVED ONES ARE STRUGGLING WITH A SUBSTANCE

I WILL DO FREE INTERVENTIONS FOR FAMILIES WHO HAVE LOVED ONES WHO ARE AT THE LAST STOP. Formal Interventions used to be free in Illinois. Does anyone remember that? I do. I am a Licensed Couple/Family therapist and in order to stop interventionists who are charging any money, let alone ridiculous amounts of money for ripping you off, I will do this at no cost. Yes, I have experience. I have done them, and they are difficult for you, the family. Not me. Yet I care about people living instead of dying, and I am angry with counselors and therapist who are preying on misery of families, and taking what is supposed to be a Step of Alcoholics Anonymous and Charging for it. That is against the Traditions of AA. And they know it.
Now, I cannot afford transportation or anything as I am not employed right now at all yet I will do my best to assist you.
These interventions should be saved for the person who you believe you may never see again because they may die from their substance misuse. Other counseling interventions work better than Formal Intervention (which can often tear families apart rather than keeping them together) yet talking about it and getting the details will help determine that.
Don't pay a penny for an intervention. Please.