Oppression, Privilege, and Motivational Interviewing: Utilizing MI for Systems Safety Planning

Sarah Solis LCSW & Salina Harrigan LCSW

Training Description

This 6-hour training focuses on the experience of marginalized communities and the means of tailoring Motivational Interviewing to capture an at-risk youth’s experience of oppression. Trainees will identify aspects of their own privilege and use this to better enhance service provision/assess marginalization. The training will include practice of concrete Motivational Interviewing skills, such as readiness rulers, value cards, and OARS (open-ended questions, affirmations, reflections, and summaries). The training will conclude with trainees practicing the facilitation of change plans that highlight the at-risk youth’s means of remaining safe in oppressive treatment systems. Learning will occur in small and large group. All skill levels welcome, prior Motivational Interviewing training helpful.

Learning Objective

• Differentiate between sustain talk and the identification of oppression/structural violence

• Identify aspects of their own privilege and use this to enhance service provision to marginalized individuals/communities