The Department of Professional Counseling will host a “From Our Own” presentation entitled “An Introduction to Motivational Interviewing: Basic Principles and Practical Applications” on Thursday, Aug. 29 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. This event is facilitated by the department’s alumni organization, Counseling Alumni Connection (CAC), and will take place at Monmouth University’s Graduate Center in room 225.
The workshop will serve as an introduction to motivational interviewing (MI), an evidence-based clinical method for counseling clients with substance abuse and other mental health issues, for novice counselors and those unfamiliar with the practice of MI. Theoretical foundations and their practical applications, primary principles, and clinical tools and techniques of MI will be covered. Populations and psychological disorders appropriate for the utilization of MI will also be discussed. Two continuing education credits will be provided, and the fee is $20 for alumni/professionals. Current students can attend this presentation free of charge.
The workshop presenter, Matthew Tirrell, M.S., L.P.C., N.C.C., is a nationally certified counselor and licensed professional counselor in New Jersey. He also serves as an administrator and adjunct professor in the Department of Professional Counseling at Monmouth University. Tirrell provides supervision and facilitates the professional development of master’s degree candidates through his roles in field placement and alumni affairs.
Tirrell participated in a year-long training on integrating motivational interviewing into the treatment of people with co-occurring disorders, via Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care. His clinical focus is on counseling people with co-occurring disorders through a multicultural lens, and his areas of teaching include counseling theories and drug and alcohol abuse. He will begin his doctoral studies in counseling at Montclair State University in fall 2019.
More information and registration for the “From Our Own” presentation is available online. Registration is open to the public until Tuesday, Aug. 27.