Virginia Reel

'''Abstract''': Counselors have the opportunity to talk sequentially to different clients, in order to practice specific counseling skills.

'''Overview''': The Virginia Reel is an American folk dance that involves two facing lines in which partners change regularly. This exercise is an opportunity for counselors to practice specific skills in sequential interaction with different clients.

'''Guidelines''': Form two facing lines of four (or more) trainees each. Have pairs face each other, leaving enough space between pairs to allow separation of conversations. One line is designated as clients, and the other as helpers. Participants may stand in pairs, or pairs of facing chairs can be arranged in lines.
Clients may be asked to talk about something personally relevant (something I am thinking about changing), or to role-play a client they have seen. Also coach the clients to give opportunities for the helper to practice skills, rather than doing all of the talking. Clients stay in role, and rather than starting over with each counselor continue the same exploration, giving the new counselor a brief summary of what has happened thus far.
Counselors are given a specific task, to practice particular skills. Counselors can be given a card with instructions for how they are to respond. Allow a total of 4-5 minutes per pair.
Give a one-minute warning (bell) before ending each dyad, then signal the counselors to shift partners. Clients stay in place, and counselors shift one place to the left, with the left-most counselor moving to the right end of the line. (This mimics the American line dance from which the exercise takes its name.) The specific role given to each counselor can be kept secret, enhancing the element of surprise.

'''Example(s)''':
This exercise can be used for counselors to practice the four opening strategies (OARS) of an initial interview.
Ask OPEN questions to elicit client change talk
AFFIRM the client appropriately; agree, support, emphasize personal control
REFLECT - try for level 3 reflections
SUMMARIZE ambivalence, offer double-sided reflection
One counselor can also be given a non-MI role, such as Advise, Give Information, Take up the change side of the ambivalence.

'''Notes''': This exercise can leave the “clients” feeling fragmented or frustrated if they have been talking about personally relevant material. Under this circumstance it can be helpful to follow this exercise with dyadic extended reflective listening.
This is a good exercise for after lunch, or during a lull time in training.
All counselors may be given the same skill to practice, or different counselors can be instructed to use different skills. Protagonists is an extreme variation in which four counselors use dramatically different styles. The roles of the two lines can be changed, so that former clients become counselors and
vice versa. If the lines are longer than four or five, it is not necessary for every counselor to talk to
every client.
Another variation on Virginia Reel is to make it a Bicycle Chain whereby, when a participant reaches the right end of one line, he or she switches over to the other line. Thus a counselor, when reaching the right-hand end of the counselor line, steps across and becomes a client. This can be more confusing than the Virginia Reel, but is fun.

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from Motivational Interviewing Training for New Trainers (TNT), Resources for Trainers, http://www.motivationalinterviewing.org/