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Tag: DoMore24

There are 9 posts with this tag.

June 19, 2014

In our last list of ways that we do more to end chronic homelessness, we concluded with #24: motivational interviewing and how it helps us seek lasting solutions to homelessness one person at a time.

But how? you may be asking yourself. How exactly does motivational interviewing end homelessness?

Great question. When using motivational interviewing, also called motivational enhancement therapy, a case manager, doctor, or clinician first identifies a client’s “stage of change.” These stages are: pre-contemplation, contemplation, determination/planning, action, maintenance, and relapse. Dr. Morse, our psychiatric resident from George Washington Hospital, is a specialist in this technique and has been helping all of refine our skills.

That’s cool, you think. What next?

Then, we match our approach and tone to bolster motivation for behavioral change according to the client’s stage of change. For example, someone who is abusing alcohol and is in the contemplation stage has some awareness of both the costs and benefits of using alcohol — it makes them feel better and makes living on the street easier, but it’s expensive and if they’re not drinking, they feel terrible.

When we sit down to talk to this person, we work to get them to recognize the additional costs of drinking in hopes of tipping the balance toward wanting change.

Oh, I get it. So what happens after they start to want change?

After the contemplation stage is the determination/planning stage. We’d then work with our client to make a plan of action that they can get behind. For example, one of the first steps may be, “Tomorrow at 7am, I will go to DC’s APRA center and complete an intake for a 30-day detox and treatment program.”

By getting a client to want change for him or herself and to help come up with next steps and goals, the chances of him or her meeting those goals increases. 

One of the powerful insights from motivational interviewing is that the intervention must be matched to the stage of change. Pushing someone to go to treatment when he or she is still in the contemplation stage and doesn’t see all the benefits of going to treatment may evoke a defensive behavior, which then actually moves the patient further away from change rather than closer.

At GMC, we meet each person where he or she is and guide them toward housing and stability by using motivational interviewing. Then, we are able to truly create lasting solutions to homelessness one person at a time.

 

(Thanks to Dr. Michael Morse for his insights, helping us learn more about motivational interviewing, and for providing examples of how motivational interviewing is used to create change.)

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June 19, 2014

Today’s the day! Today is DO MORE 24!

Today is June 19. From midnight to midnight, thousands of people across DC will be doing more by giving generously to organizations all over the city. We hope you will take a few minutes to give to GMC on our Do More 24 giving page.

This 24-hour fundraising campaign is powered by the United Way and is designed to motivate community to get involved with local organizations. We’ve been inspired by sharing with all of you 24 ways that we do more, and we hope you will take advantage of the opportunity to end chronic homelessness by giving today.

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June 18, 2014

Do More 24 is almost here!! Tomorrow, June 19, from midnight to midnight, please help us by encouraging your friends and family to give here. We CAN end homelessness, but it starts with your donation of as little as $24. Bring your lunch to work today and tomorrow and donate the $24 you would’ve spent on lunch to GMC.

Remember, midnight to midnight on Thursday is DO MORE 24!

18-20

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June 17, 2014

In order to get ready for Do More 24 on June 19, we are sharing 24 different ways that we do more. We hope that on Thursday, you’ll be inspired to do more by giving to GMC through our Do More 24 page. If we have the greatest number of unique donors, we could win up to $15,000!

Today, we’d like to share with you #16-17 — GMC’s Winter Shelter.

16-17

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June 16, 2014

In the days leading up to Do More 24, we’re posting 24 ways that GMC does more. Street outreach is one of Executive Director Gunther’s favorite things to do at GMC.

Only 3 days left until Do More 24 starts! Did you know that there are a bunch of awesome awards that the United Way is giving to organizations that have the greatest number of unique donors or the greatest dollar amount raised? If we can get a lot of people to donate $24, we could win up to $15,000!

Remember, Thursday, June 19 is your chance to do more! You can help us end homelessness one person at a time.

13-15

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