Series Overview
Motivational Interviewing: “What Works” is a four-module series exploring eight qualities of effective helpers: evocation, empathy, unconditional positive regard, genuineness, acceptance, focus, hope and collaborative/autonomy-supportive information exchange. These eight qualities help describe “what works” in any type of helping conversation.
Through interactive exercises across the four modules, participants have opportunities to learn about and practice applying each quality, explore behaviors that can interfere with effective helping and identify ways to shift their approach in both easy and challenging conversations. Follow-up activities will be suggested to support continued development through communities of practice or individual study.
Module 1: Overview and Evocation
This module provides an overview of the eight effective helping qualities and their connection to the spirit, skills and tasks of motivational interviewing. Through an interactive exercise, participants compare evocation with its opposite, “telling.” They also identify underlying impulses to tell and ways to shift toward evoking.
Learning Objectives
After attending this training, participants will be able to:
- Name at least three of the eight effective helping qualities.
- Identify one option for increasing evocation in their work.
How This Series Helps Transform CalWORKs
Motivational interviewing aims to strengthen both relational and technical skills to improve outcomes. Developing these eight qualities can help professionals add value to helping conversations and build strong alliances with the people they serve at every stage of service delivery, from outreach, welcoming and appraisal through case management and resource referral.