Motivational Interviewing in CalWORKs: What It Is, Why It Matters and When to Use It

What is Motivational Interviewing (MI), and how can it support your work with CalWORKs participants?

This introductory webinar explores the fundamentals of Motivational Interviewing (MI), a collaborative, person-centered approach that helps people explore their motivations, navigate uncertainty and make decisions about change.

Through practical examples and interactive activities, participants will learn what MI is (and isn't!), when it can be most useful, and how it can strengthen engagement, build trust and support participants in pursuing their own goals.

Learning Objectives

After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Describe the purpose and foundational principles of Motivational Interviewing.
• Identify when and why MI can be useful in CalWORKs practice.
• Recognize how MI differs from more directive approaches to helping.