Introduction to Motivational Interviewing

Introduction to Motivational Interviewing

User profile image Leslie - EENet Yoda Master

Event date: -

Event Location: Online

Event type: Ongoing events (4+ days)

Many professionals struggle with how to help support clients with making positive and healthy changes in their lives, all the while honouring their autonomy and choice. Motivational Interviewing is a widely used evidence-based approach in health, mental health, addictions, social services, justice, and developmental services. This is a hands-on practical training that will help you develop skills of reflective listening, empathy, resisting the righting reflex, increasing compassion, and honouring autonomy. Participants will leave with a new approach and specific skills that can greatly enhance their clients’ lives and improve their own work satisfaction and reduce burnout.

Motivational interviewing is an evidenced based and trauma informed approach. Several books have been written on MI and there are over 1000 publications and over 1100 clinical trials. It is a guiding, client-centered counselling style for eliciting behaviour change by helping clients/patients explore and resolve ambivalence. It is most centrally defined not by technique but by its spirit as a facilitative style for interpersonal relationship. Relatedly, the practice of Motivational Interviewing has four guiding principles: (1) to resist the righting reflex, (2) to understand and explore the person’s own motivation (3) to listen with empathy, and (4) to empower the person, encouraging hope and optimism. 

Motivational Interviewing helps us listen for the language of change and, as a guide, empower people to consider making positive and healthy changes in their lives, all the while honouring their autonomy and choice. 

Please Note: This is an interactive training. Videos, polls, individual and group exercises will be utilized to enhance the learning experience. Participants will be strongly encouraged to keep their camera on throughout the sessions and to participant to the level in which they are comfortable. 

Learning Outcomes 

  1. Outline the components of Motivational Interviewing and understand the spirit of Motivational Interviewing. 
  2. Explain The Four Processes: Engaging, Focusing, Evoking, and Planning.
  3. Recognize and Respond to Change Talk.
  4. Understand and implement the Righting Reflex.
  5. Practice and Apply Core Skills: Open Questions, Affirmations, Reflections, and Summaries. 

Who Should Attend  

Professionals who work in the following areas can benefit from Motivational Interviewing: health care, mental health counselling, social services, justice, addictions and developmental services. 

Course Dates & Format  

May 21, 22, 28 & 29, 2025

12:30pm – 4:00pm ET

This is a 14-hour training. This course consists of four 3.5-hour interactive virtual sessions using Zoom. 

Instructor:  Marie Delorme, M.Ed., RSW, Certified Motivational Interviewing Trainer 

Marie Delorme, works in the field of mental health and addictions and has been training Motivational Interviewing for over ten years. Her career has spanned the fields of intellectual disabilities, bereavement counselling, mental health and addictions. Marie currently holds a position as a manager for clinical teams working with people with severe and persistent mental illness and addictions as well as people with a dual diagnosis (people with mental illness and developmental disabilities). She also teaches meditation, yoga, and mindfulness to help clients relax, rejuvenate, and release stress. In addition to MI training, Marie also provides motivational interviewing coaching and coding and has a private psychotherapy practice. 

Training Fee 

Member Fee: $375.00 + $48.75 (HST) = $423.75

Non-Member Fee:  $425.00 + $55.25 (HST)= $480.25

Group Registration: Save 20% off individual fees with a group registration of 4 or more participants. Download the group registration form HERE.

Continuing Education Information  

14 CECs with OAMHP 

Licensing boards and professional organizations will grant Continuing Education credits for attendance at their discretion when participants submit the course outline and certificate.  

In-Service  

This is available as an in-person or virtual in-service training and customized to suit your needs. 

To Register 

Register for May 21, 22, 28 & 29, 2025 here https://www.safeguards-training.net/course/motivational-interviewing/