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Motivational Interviewing is an evidence-based method of facilitating and engaging intrinsic motivation within a client to elicit behavior change and resolve internal conflicts. Multiple clinical trials prove its effectiveness in treating mental health disorders and substance abuse, promoting healthy lifestyles, and helping patients follow medical recommendations.

The Institute for Health Professionals offers both the basics that will lay the foundation for your work to facilitate change using Motivational Interviewing, and the Intermediate skills you will need to make behavioral adaptations possible for your patients.

Foundations of Motivational Interviewing 

Learn how to use the core Motivational Interviewing strategies to facilitate alterations in the behaviors your clients. During this practice-based class, we’ll focus on giving you a foundational understanding and skills of the MI process so you can help people create meaningful changes in their lives. You will learn:

  • Methods and principles of Motivational Interviewing
  • Motivation theories underlying MI
  • The 4 processes of Motivational Interviewing, and how to apply them
  • The stages of change, using Wheel of Change as a tool
  • Integrating the Spirit of Motivational Interviewing into your practice
  • Applying the core strategies of MI: Open ended Questions, Affirmations, Reflections, Summaries

"My background is with the department of Public Safety. I decided to take this course to be able to communicate/interview students and staff with a better understanding. This course has helped me have a better understanding of the motivational interview process. In addition, it has helped me develop a skill-set to guide the clients to make healthier choices." - Ubaldo Garcia, Fall 2016

Your Investment

Time:  1 day, 8 hours of in-class instruction

Tuition:  $159

Approved by NASW-OR and ACCBO to receive 8 CEU hours. 

Intermediate Motivational Interviewing

You already have a basic understanding of Motivational Interviewing, but there are additional skills you’ll need to implement MI effectively with your clients and patients.

Learn how to apply strategies that will prepare patients to shift their behaviors, assess client readiness, support and maintain change. Our practice-based class will also train you to adapt Motivational Interviewing methods for cross cultural considerations. You will learn:

  • Further applications of Motivational Interviewing as an approach to facilitate change
  • Using the 4 processes of Motivational Interviewing in your practice
  • Preparatory change talk
  • Gauging readiness to change
  • Transitioning to planning
  • Supporting change as a daily, long-term practice
  • Cultural considerations, and how to adapt MI strategies accordingly

Your Investment

Time: 1 day, 8 hours of in-class instruction.

Tuition:  $159

Approved by ACCBO to receive 8 CEU hours. 

Meet Your Lead Instructor

Charles Smith, MSW, CSWA, is the Principal at Charles Smith and Associates LLC, providing clinical services and therapeutic martial arts with adults, youth and families. He is a also teaches at Portland State University and Tennessee State University. He has 17 years of family preservation treatment experience, 27 years of training experience, and 19 Years of supervision and management experience. He became a Certified Motivational Interviewing Trainer in 1993, and is also a Certified Trainer in Social Services Competency Based Training (1996).

Upcoming Courses

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For more information, please email Amy Evans.