DAY 6 - "Be A Relief"
The 100 Day Motivational Interviewing Experiment
Blown Away
I am blown away by all the beauty and skillfulness in the comment sections from yesterday, on supporting client autonomy.
"It makes a lot of sense why you'd consider leaving (they had given their reasons prior to this and I then reflected them back). You know you best. And you know this situation better than anyone else. So what makes the most sense for you here?" - Jason
“You know what works for you and any decisions about changing how you eat is up to you; you’re in the drivers seat and you’re noticing that changing might help you worry less about your health.” - Melani
And there were so many more. Check them all out here.
Don’t have anyone to practice with today?
Don’t have time to practice? No Problem! You can always take a day off!
And at the same time …
You might consider giving someone a reflection in the comment section,
a fast and easy way to get those MI practice steps in
Here’s a great example of a reply to a comment!
“Dana, your reflection on today’s practice session is such a great example of what happens when a coach really connects with the spirit of MI. The way you noticed how autonomy support made such a difference—and how it gave you more energy and confidence—is such a strong sign of how your skills are growing. That kind of awareness doesn’t just show up out of nowhere; it’s a reflection of how committed you are to this work.” - Carol
Want to join in? See what others are sharing? No problem!
Todays Prompt: DAY 6 - “Be A Relief"
Todays prompt refers to my favorite little poem-y thing from MINTie Helen Mentha’s meditation book on the spirit of MI: “Someone Good to Talk To”.
Be someone good to talk to
If you offer appointments, be someone worth going to see.
If you do home visits, be someone you would want to let in the house.
If you see mandated clients, be a relief.
I’m really curious what you will come up with today on this.
It might mean - being a relief to a stranger,
Maybe letting someone go first in line.It might mean - being a relief to a client,
Maybe letting a client get it all out and feel understood.
Even though they have made some really ‘bad’ choices.It might mean - being a relief to yourself,
Maybe seeing that you did something well, or that you are learning.
Or that it is ok to take some time off sometimes.Looking forward to seeing what the day brings.
And what you bring to it!
Sky
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May 23, 2024
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June 13, 2025
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We are all in this together
Sky Kershner, LPC, ALPS, LCSW, DMin
Assistant Professor, WVU School of Medicine
MINT Certified Trainer of Motivational Interviewing
AAMFT Approved Supervisor / Member IEDTA / PACT L2
304-220-0088 / www.wv-mi.com / the mi-ai practice space
What a wonderful permission slip! I was just reviewing the craziness of a 4-day week next week and realized I'd triple-booked myself for Thursday evening. Using "be a relief" - for myself, I prioritized the events and decided I could let myself off the hook for one and sent a cancellation notice. The relief I felt afterward was enough confirmation that I'd done the right thing. We can't say "yes" to everything while sending us a "no" - giving one "no" was a "yes" to ME. What a relief!
I make a point of noting each client’s favorite place—the one where they feel most at peace and most themselves. One client looks forward to spending weekends at their lake house, another finds joy in biking along a nature trail, and another relishes the peaceful moments sitting in her sunlit kitchen with morning coffee. I write these places down on notecards and before each session, I pull that card out as a reminder to myself of where they can be. When I sense they’re struggling in a way words haven’t named, I help them return to their peaceful place. That moment—that shift—is everything to my clients, and when they thank me for helping them find peace and breathe again, it means everything to me.