Group Reflective Practice
“In the services team at Back Up we still run 6-weekly reflective practice sessions we set up a couple of years ago with Majella. We use them as a type of ‘clinical supervision’ bringing tricky situations and celebrating successes, each time supporting each other and using our experiences to learn and improve. We also use Majella’s motivational interviewing training every time we have a session on the phone with a service user; be relaxed for the call as if you have all the time in the world, explore, don’t direct, listen effectively and get rid of your agenda and your preconceptions – this call is about them, not you. Majella’s training enables us to look after ourselves and our service users better”.
Introduction to Motivational Interviewing
To me, Motivational Interviewing, is simply Awareness.
The two day course l have attended offered me the opportunity to explore this new understanding of Awareness or Mindfulness, from both perspectives:
The Listener and The Speaker positions. Motivational Interviewing made me become immediate, present, centered, non-judgenmetal and above all Positive.
From The Speaker’s perspective it showed me that my tendancy was always to look and indulge only with the negative aspects of my life, constantly feeding onto them. No wonder that any Positive and organic change was finding its way very hard to happen, despite my readiness to change.
From The Listener’s point of view, it brought to my recognition, that half of the time, l was not even listening to the other in front of me, and not only, but also that l was always trying to fix their own problems, assuming that l knew what was best for them.
It only took a few simple basic steps (which l have learnt during the two day course) to become conscious of it all, and an Immediate positive and strong rooted response will take place.
Motivational Interviewing was truly a life changing encounter. And is here to stay.
“When talking to my patients, listening is the key to understanding what they need from me and what is motivating them to make the change they are seeking for their lives and from their treatment. The Motivational Interviewing training I have had with Majella Greene, her; insight, patients and experience, has been invaluable in stepping closer to the goal of helping people make the change in their life to reduce their pain and achieve the quality of life they are looking for”.
Ian Sadler, Clinical director of BxClinic. Muscular Skeletal Specialist Podiatrist.