Robert Rhode is an Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center.

He has been learning and teaching motivational interviewing since 1986. Dr. Rhode was in the first (1993) "Training of Trainers for Motivational Interviewing and Brief Interventions" offered by University of New Mexico and facilitated by Dr. William Miller and Dr. Steve Rollnick.

He has published in peer reviewed journals on the training of motivational interviewing: Shafer, M. S., Rhode, R., & Chong, J. (2004). Using distance education to promote the transfer of motivational interviewing skills among behavioral health professionals. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 26, 141-148.

In his own clinical work he uses this style to help clients with a variety of health behaviors including losing weight, increasing exercise, and decreasing substance use. He has conducted motivational interviewing trainings for groups as small as three and as large as 300, for physicians, counselors, nurses, social workers, parole officers, and students. Participants in his workshops have had clients who are overcoming mental disorders, substance use disorders, dual disorders, homelessness, or improving health related behaviors. His trainings describe the concepts and make them memorable using popular media like movies.

A list of trainings Robert has provided.

Some words from participants in his trainings:

"One of the best trainings I have been to in 20 years"

"I found your lecture and demonstrations to be very beneficial and helpful in my professional and personal life and I will be applying the steps to my life. Thanks!!"

"The new information will improve my skills as I practice."

"As always, your presentations are exciting, even when this is the 3rd time I have attended over the years [ : )."

"The practice activities, use of mneumonics, & use of video clips were helpful."

"New ideas in an organized useful manner."

"It improved my ability to engage clients."

"I learned skills to enhance treatment compliance / motivation."

"The PowerPoint was excellent! Good training."

"Let me start by saying that your lecture today was the best Social and Behavioral Science lecture we have had yet! I was blown away. You kept my attention throughout. As medical students...."

"The hands on suggestion were great."

"Examples used were relevant to my job."

"A better way to deal with probationer's."

"Let us look at what we do in different ways."

"Enhanced my interviewing skills, my work with resistive clients, and empowering clients to own their responsibilities & increase motivation."

"How to work with unmotivated populations that are court ordered - and reduce professional frustration."