The skills of good listening and accurate empathy are paramount to Motivational Interviewing. In this webinar session, we will break into small groups to apply MI principles and techniques that strengthen our empathic counseling skills. We will discuss real-life scenarios as related to the fundamental client language cues (change talk and resistance) that allow for ongoing feedback and learning in practice.
Meet the Trainer

Christina Wade, LCSW is certified in Motivational Interviewing/Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MI/MET), with a clinical range of experience including justice-involvement, addiction, suicide prevention, crisis management, and homelessness. Christina earned her MSW from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006 while working concurrently as the Graduate Research Assistant for the Center for Social Work Research. She began her career at the University of California, San Diego, working as the Senior Clinical Social Worker for pre-release services in various California State Prisons. In 2010, she accepted a position working directly for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), specifically San Quentin State Prison. Christina worked a total of 6 years in the California Penal System. While employed at San Quentin, Christina earned her LCSW. In 2012, she transitioned to the Veterans Affairs (VA) Palo Alto Healthcare System as the forensic expert for Addiction Treatment Services, working with Veterans suffering from addiction, PTSD, and mood disorders. In 2014, she transitioned to supervising within emergency services at the University of California (UC) working out of San Francisco General Hospital. Christina left the UC to work as the East Bay Suicide Prevention Coordinator for VA Northern California Healthcare System, before taking on her current role as Sr. Program Analyst for the Rocky Mountain MIRECC for VA Suicide Prevention