Many traditional counseling methods have emphasized a more directive, agenda-based style, and perhaps understandably, counseling in juvenile justice settings has followed suit—favoring behavioral change via compliance versus self-determination. Unfortunately, conventional strategies have shown themselves to lead to misattunement, client resistance, and poor outcomes. In this new video, Motivational Interviewing expert Ali Hall demonstrates a refreshing approach to counseling for this challenging population. Here, she and two colleagues provide accessible ways for clinicians to establish rapport, handle resistance, and turn mere compliance into motivated action.

To start, Hall outlines the key principles of MI, known as the “MI Spirit,” and then details each component alongside annotated case vignettes. Covering “OARS-plus” skills, the four MI processes, change and sustain talk, “the righting reflex,” and “elicit-provide-elicit,” Hall describes the method’s collaborative, client-engaging nature. Then, four sessions follow in which she and fellow MI clinicians Daniel Domaguin and Deborah Collins work with mandated teen clients. Each clinician conveys partnership and empathy, and you’ll learn how to ask open-ended questions, use affirmations and reflections, diffuse escalated emotions, make important summaries, and identify sustain/change talk. In addition, you’ll see how to hold an MI-based peer consultation group, with structured activities and MI-consistent feedback.

This video is invaluable for clinicians who want a primer on MI, effective strategies for adolescent therapy, or interventions for incarcerated populations. Add this title to your library today.

By watching this video, you will:
 • Get an overview of Motivational Interviewing (MI) and its application to adolescents in juvenile justice settings.
 • Learn MI skills that support the therapeutic alliance and manage client resistance.
 • Understand how to structure an MI-based peer consultation group.