Motivational interviewing in intake/crisis intervention

Abstract

This Advance Practicum report examines my experiences in further developing my clinical skills, primarily in the area of Motivational Interviewing (MI) techniques, while completing an Advanced Practicum with the Health Sciences North (HSN) Mental Health and Addictions Program (MHAP) as the intake/crisis worker. The intake/crisis program of Manitoulin Island is designed to address the mental health and addiction crisis needs of clients over sixteen years of age who present in psychological distress at either of the emergency departments of the Manitoulin Health Centre (MHC). My goals within this practicum were to enhance my social work practice skills by facilitating motivational interviewing techniques during intake and crisis interventions, working as part of multidisciplinary team, attending clinical supervision, and diligently critiquing my social work practice with reflective MI log journals and a supervision journal. Throughout this report, I reflect on the critical analysis of the practicum as I focus on two distinct observations and insights within my MI experiences: 1) How can MI enhance treatment compliance? and 2) What challenges might MI methods of interviewing present? Throughout the process of completing this practicum and report, I reflected on the effective use of MI with the different populations that presented, increased my MI skill set, and developed increased self-awareness through reflective social work practise.