Many AOD Clients have respiratory health concerns and are at a higher risk of severe illness if they contract a respiratory disease.

This workshop will explore Motivational Interviewing (MI) principles and practice, and how MI can support discussions concerning AOD service user’s respiratory health and wellbeing, particularly in relation to infectious respiratory illnesses, such as COVID-19, influenza, or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and complications such as bronchitis or pneumonia.

Spaces are limited for this fully funded workshop. Please register only if you are available to attend. Given the interactive nature of the workshops, the session will not be recorded.

Training Objectives:

AOD service providers have an increased confidence in practicing MI and in particular, discussing respiratory health concerns with service users, including:

Communicating the measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of contracting a respiratory illness.
Recommending services users that are concerned about their respiratory health meet with a trusted respiratory healthcare provider.
Raising awareness that vaccine side effects and respiratory illness symptoms can feel like AOD Withdrawal symptoms.
Promoting acceptance and trust that vaccines are safe and effective at reducing the severity of many respiratory illnesses.
Empowering peers to discuss what they’ve learned about respiratory health with their peers.
Encouraging an understanding of what Antivirals and Antibiotics can do to reduce the severity of certain respiratory illnesses.

About the Facilitator:

Helen Mentha is a clinical psychologist and specialist trainer in Motivational Interviewing. She worked in the AOD sector for the first 13 years of her career, as a therapist supervisor and manager. Since 2009 Helen has run her own business providing training, supervision, coaching and consultation for a wide range of helping professionals and organisations.

Learn more about Helen here.

This training is delivered as a part of the COVID Community Grants Project, funded by the Victorian Department of Health