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| WDOC Employees Accepted into Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers |
| By The State of Wyomind Department of Corrections |
| Published: 11/28/2016 |
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Cheyenne – Two members of the Wyoming Department of Corrections (WDOC) have been accepted into the elite Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), an international organization committed to promoting high quality practice and training in the art of Motivational Interviewing (MI) which is a collaborative, person-centered form of guiding to elicit and strengthen motivation for change. Kayla Opdahl, WDOC’s Policy & Planning Manager, and Carrie Stanley, WDOC’s Adult Community Corrections Coordinator, join approximately 1,400 members throughout the world who are dedicated to helping individuals change their behavior. As MINT members, they are part of a network that provides a wealth of knowledge and resources around MI benefits, training and research. While there are a number of MI Trainers throughout the department and state, Opdahl and Stanley are two of only four people in Wyoming who have achieved MINT membership. It is the highest level of international recognition in the MI field. WDOC adopted the practice of MI in 2008. All staff receive varying degrees of MI training and coaching so they can be better equipped to work with the inmate and offender population. In their training staff learn how to facilitate behavior change through reflective listening, empathy and positive reinforcement. “MI is a whole new language,” said Opdahl. “It’s about truly listening and encouraging a person to talk about reasons for change, versus directing or telling them. It’s truly one of the most effective communication skills, and it can be used in any conversation when addressing behavior change.” In early 2016, Opdahl and Stanley decided to further invest in their professional careers by applying (on their own time and out of their own pocket) for MINT membership. It was a rigorous and time consuming process. “I chose to go down this path to ensure the department is utilizing the most current curriculum available. The curriculum is constantly evolving, so you need to stay current with the research,” said Stanley, who said she received some valuable instruction on adult learning styles and how MI can be taught in an experiential learning environment versus lecture based training. In order to obtain MINT status, Opdahl and Stanley had to demonstrate a high level of proficiency by submitting a lengthy application as well as a recording showing their MI skills in practice. Approximately 125 people are selected every year. Upon the acceptance of their application, the women were invited to attend an intensive three day training course in Montreal, Canada where they further developed their skills by working with top experts in the MI field, including Dr. William R. Miller, who is considered one of the fathers of the Motivational Interviewing technique. “We learned how to do a better job of applying MI in all aspects of our life, and especially the workplace,” said Opdahl. “We received an incredible amount of information and training in Canada that we can take and share with the rest of our staff, which will really help us to examine how our department is doing business and what we can do to serve the inmate and offender population even better.” “Learning MI has changed my focus and the trajectory of my career in working with offenders,” said Stanley. “Early on in my career I was very compliance based, but I’ve learned that MI is a much more empowering way of communicating with offenders and supporting their autonomy. People are much more likely to change their behavior if they get to make their own decisions instead of just being told what to do.” |
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