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This session provides a strong foundation in Motivational Interviewing (MI) for clinicians working with individuals in forensic settings. Participants will explore how the MI Spirit of partnership, acceptance, compassion, and evocation guides effective communication even in mandated or high-resistance environments. The session also introduces the Stages of Change model and teaches participants how to assess a patient’s level of readiness, particularly when motivation is inconsistent or obscured by challenging behaviors. A focus will be on using MI to build engagement during brief interactions, such as on busy inpatient units or in fast-paced restorative programming. Through practical demonstrations and structured exercises, clinicians will learn how to reduce defensiveness, enhance rapport, and create openings for meaningful dialogue, even when patients appear shut down, oppositional, or disengaged.