This episode explores the evolution of Motivational Interviewing (MI) training and its pedagogical approaches, featuring David Rosengren, President and CEO of the Prevention Research Institute. Against the backdrop of the 21st annual Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) forum in New Orleans, Rosengren recounts the organic growth of MINT from its early days, highlighting the collaborative and adaptable nature of MI's development. More significantly, the discussion pivots to Rosengren's personal journey as an MI trainer, emphasizing the importance of individualizing training methods and embracing a growth mindset—a concept he directly relates to client interactions. For instance, he introduces the "batting practice" exercise, a creative approach to practicing responses to client resistance, and the "branching script" exercise, which helps learners predict client responses and categorize them as change talk, sustained talk, or neutral language. In contrast to traditional, "masked" practice methods, Rosengren advocates for "interleaving," a technique that involves switching between different MI skills during training to enhance long-term retention and discrimination. This means for MI trainers that a more effective approach involves focusing on mastery over fluency, incorporating retrieval practice, and fostering a growth mindset in learners, mirroring the principles of MI itself.
