Basics of Motivational Interviewing

Course description

This course teaches therapists and health practitioners how to encourage behavioral change through motivational interviewing (MI). We explore approaches to psychotherapy developed by Stephen Rollnick and William R. Miller to assist people in changing through their own motivations. This course focuses on helping therapists and practitioners develop and maintain MI skills, and assisting patients adhere to treatment recommendations.

Research indicates that motivational interviewing (MI) is as good as or better than cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and pharmacotherapy, as well as superior to non-treatment controls for reducing alcohol and drug use in individuals. This course is designed to teach therapists and practitioners the fundamentals of motivational interviewing, a client-centered approach to psychotherapy pioneered by Stephen Rollnick and William R. Miller. We begin by covering the fundamentals of MI, such as its principles, approaches, and history.

MI practice necessitates the skillful application of a variety of strategies and techniques, one of which is OARS (open-ended questions, affirming, reflective listening, and summarizing), a quick and easy way to remember the basic approach used in MI. You will learn how to encourage behavioral change in patients by assisting them in exploring and resolving their ambivalence about the change. You will also learn about stages of change and the possibilities of group-based MI. Finally, you study motivational interviewing theories and MI in various health settings as well as how to develop and maintain your MI skills.

This course focuses on using MI to assist therapists and practitioners in developing rapport with patients in the early stages of counseling relationships. The knowledge gained will assist therapists in dealing with one of the most difficult but rewarding challenges: helping people change long-standing habits that pose significant health risks. Take this course today and advance your career in motivational therapy.