LAUSR

Despite the proliferation of biological treatments and the increasing reliance on other mental health professionals to provide psychotherapy, psychiatrists continue to train in psychotherapy, and competence in common psychotherapeutic modalities is expected in order to practice independently. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) currently requires competence in brief and longterm supportive, psychodynamic, and cognitive-behavioral therapies [2]. Motivational interviewing is widely recognized as a valuable modality in addressing substance use and behavioral change; yet there is variability in resident exposure and training in motivational interviewing [3], and competency in it is not currently required in residency training. In this paper, we argue that motivational interviewing is an effective and teachable psychotherapeutic modality with wide applicability and that adding competence in motivational interviewing as an ACGME requirement would ensure that universal training is provided. We utilize the four processes of motivational interviewing to structure the paper—and thus, we aim to engage the reader in the origin story of motivational interviewing, focus on its uses, evoke the rationale for competence in it, and finally hint at a plan to implement universal motivational interviewing training in psychiatric residency. Engaging: Motivational Interviewing in Context