Be Curious, Not Judgmental Motivational Interviewing for Every Patient Conversation

Every patient interaction is an opportunity to build trust, encourage meaningful conversations, and support positive change. But how do we move beyond simply giving patients information and truly engage them in their own care? This interactive training will introduce healthcare professionals to practical motivational interviewing techniques that can transform everyday patient conversations. While motivational interviewing is often associated with behavioral health and counseling, it is a communication approach that can be valuable across healthcare disciplines and settings. These skills can be used by all healthcare professionals to engage patients in conversations about their health, treatment, goals, and readiness for change. By incorporating motivational interviewing tools into their everyday practice, healthcare professionals can strengthen patient engagement, improve communication, and better support patients in making informed decisions about their health. These skills can be applied across healthcare disciplines and care settings; from brief patient encounters to more in-depth conversations about health and behavior change.

Learning Objectives

• Describe key principles and techniques of motivational interviewing.
• Apply motivational interviewing strategies, including open-ended questions and reflective listening.
• Use motivational interviewing to strengthen patient engagement and support behavior change. 

Continuing education credits available: Nursing Home Administrator and Social Worker

Presenter: Loretta Bryan, BSN, RN, CPHQ, Clinical Improvement Consultant, SDAHO 

Presented: October 27, 2026