Motivational Interviewing: From Ambivalence to Action
Motivational Interviewing: From Ambivalence to Action is a 3-hour continuing education course for licensed mental health professionals. Participants will learn to analyze the four fundamental processes of motivational interviewing and their application in therapeutic practice and to evaluate client ambivalence using the stages of change model to inform treatment planning. [AUTO-DRAFT — review and edit before publishing.]
3
CE Hours
3
Modules
15
Quiz Questions
3
Est. Minutes
What you'll learn
- Articulate the theoretical foundations of Motivational Interviewing, including the spirit of MI, its roots in humanistic psychology, self-determination theory, and the transtheoretical model of change.
- Identify and demonstrate competency in the four core processes of MI: engaging, focusing, evoking, and planning.
- Apply the OARS micro-skills (Open questions, Affirmations, Reflections, and Summaries) with clinical precision across diverse client presentations.
- Differentiate between change talk and sustain talk, recognizing subcategories of each, and employ evidence-based strategies to elicit and reinforce change talk.
- Integrate MI with other evidence-based treatment approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and trauma-informed care models.
- Adapt MI techniques for diverse populations including adolescents, older adults, individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, and clients from diverse cultural backgrounds.
- Identify common clinician traps and righting reflexes that undermine the MI process and implement strategies to avoid them.
- Evaluate clinical scenarios using MI-consistent decision-making frameworks and determine appropriate interventions.
- Utilize MI fidelity measures, including the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity (MITI) coding system, to assess and improve personal MI competence.
- Apply ethical considerations specific to the practice of MI, including informed consent, cultural responsiveness, and managing dual relationships in motivational enhancement contexts.
Who it's for
Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Psychologists
Approval & credit
CounselorReady is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP #7760). This course awards 3 NBCC-approved CE hours; a certificate is issued on completion. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CounselorReady is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.