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Increasing Engagement in the Therapeutic Process: Integrating Mindfulness-Based Skills and Motivational Interviewing

John Bruna
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Information

Date & Time

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • 1. Identify how MI’s four processes (Engaging, Focusing, Evoking, Planning) align with the Mindfulness in Recovery® framework’s emphasis on awareness, values, and skill development.

  • 2. Explain how mindfulness practices such as intention setting, self-reflection, and values clarification support motivation and reduce resistance to change.

  • 3. Describe at least two practical ways to integrate MI techniques with mindfulness-based interventions to enhance self-efficacy, emotional regulation, and commitment to recovery.

Educational Goal

This presentation will provide clinicians with practical methods to enhance client engagement in the therapeutic process by integrating mindfulness-based skills with Motivational Interviewing techniques. Participants will learn how to foster self-awareness, strengthen motivation for change, and support values-driven recovery while reducing resistance and practitioner burnout.

Description

Active engagement in the therapeutic process is a critical predictor of long-term recovery, yet many individuals struggle to maintain motivation and commitment. This presentation explores how integrating Motivational Interviewing (MI) with mindfulness-based skills can enhance therapeutic alliance, support values-driven action, and foster deeper emotional resilience. Participants will examine how MI’s four processes—Engaging, Focusing, Evoking, and Planning—align with mindfulness principles of awareness, reflection, and intentional living. Through practical tools and case-based examples, the workshop offers strategies to reduce resistance, strengthen client autonomy, and increase clinical effectiveness. Additionally, participants will learn how these integrated approaches can reduce practitioner burnout and promote sustainable, values-aligned care.

Target Audience

  • Addiction Professional
  • Counselor
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Social Worker

Presenters

John Bruna
John Bruna M.Ed. is the co-founder of the Mindfulness in Recovery® Institute. He is an author, educator, counselor, mindfulness and wellness trainer. In addition to successful careers in counseling and education, John is a former Buddhist monk and has over three decades of experience working in the field of recovery. Since 2017, he has successfully trained SUD counselors, therapists, psychologists, and social workers in mindfulness interventions for both self-care and integration in the therapeutic process. John has developed the Mindfulness in Recovery® curriculum and training program and has presented at TEDx, Google, Facebook, and conferences throughout the United States. He is known for his practicality, humor, and depth of experience.

Financially Sponsored By

  • Mindfulness in Recovery® Institute