The Northwest MHTTC team participated in the 2024 Washington Behavioral Healthcare Conference in Kennewick, WA, hosted by the Washington Council for Behavioral Health.
The Re-Indigenization of Motivational Interviewing: Finding the Roots of Integrity
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a way of being with clients and relatives that facilitates the exploration of their experience and thoughts around behavior change, with the intention of helping them to make the best decisions for their life and health. MI has a spirit with foundations in Native/Indigenous cultures, which can be overlooked in traditional MI training. The Northwest Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) works with Dr. Lonnie Nelson at Partnerships for Native Health at WSU to offer training on Indigenized MI, developed specifically for Native serving organizations.
Our session will describe our training efforts and highlight key differences between Indigenized MI training and westernized MI. We’ll recognize the legacies of colonialization in Native cultures & perceptions of “problematic” behaviors; discover the roots of Indigenous/Native foundations of MI; and describe the role of integrity & wholeness in Indigenized MI. Indigenized MI training has been delivered to both urban and reservation-based organizations over many years, and evaluations demonstrate that these specific MI trainings help them feel more prepared to serve Native communities. Join us to learn more!
Presented by Christina Clayton, MSW, LICSW, SUDP, University of WA School of Social Work & School of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry; Lonnie Nelson, PhD, Washington State University, Partnerships for Native Health & IREACH; Aaron Fast, Suquamish Tribe Wellness Center
