Trainings in Vermont and New Hampshire

Trainings in motivational interviewing and other topics take place throughout the year in both Vermont and New Hampshire.
If you have more than 6 staff interested in participating in any training offered by True Azimuth, LLC, consider hosting a training at your site. Contact Scott Graham for more information.

Do you want your staff to learn about motivational interviewing, or do you want them to actually be able to do it?

The research is clear: people do not develop the ability to competently practice motivational interviewing (or any other counseling technique) by reading about it, watching videotapes, or attending a workshop. Motivational interviewing is a complex set of skills, like learning a sport or a musical instrument.

Development of proficiency involves coaching.

Coaching is most easily provided by an on-site supervisor.

The research is also clear: helping professionals consistently self assess their abilities to be greater than they are.

Development of proficiency involves feedback based on observed practice.

While coaching is most easily provided by the on-site supervisor, most on-site supervisors already have a full plate heaping with clinical, administrative and "pitch-hitting" responsibilities. So the time to consistently observe the people they supervise to provide critical feedback is a challenge. Agencies might consider putting training resources into session coding to provide ongoing quality feedback for motivational interviewing skills.

There is no substitute for listening to recordings of actual practice. Imagine asking a pianist to teach you to play the piano but not listen to you, or a golf pro to teach you how to play golf but not watch you.

To encourage this, trainings are offered at no charge to counselors receiving feedback on their motivational interviewing skills through session coding.

The following motivational interviewing trainings are offered on a regular basis:

As with sports and music, there is no fixed dose of training that is sufficient to produce competence. People start from different points and learn at different rates.

Think, therefore, in terms of training to criteria, to a standard of performance competence.

A seminar can be a good starting point, but follow-up is needed over time to develop real skill.

Introduction to Motivational Interviewing (1 day seminar)

This seminar is designed for people who are interested in the concept of motivational interviewing. This seminar is for anyone who has heard of motivational interviewing and is looking to learn more about this counseling technique.
The goal of this level of motivational interviewing training is to experience the basics of motivational interviewing and understand the efficacy of the technique then decide on level of interest in learning more.
The seminar includes lecture activities that embodies the spirit of motivational interviewing. Participants will get an orientation to the overall focus of motivational interviewing and the basic concepts.
Neither proficiency nor experience in the practice of motivational interviewing are required at this level of training.

At the conclusion of the seminar, participants will be able to:

state the fundamental spirit and principles of motivational interviewing
be acquainted with relevant evidence of efficacy
directly experience the MI approach and contrast it with others
decide level of interest in learning more about motivational interviewing

CEUs: 6
Next Seminar Date: TBD
Seminar Location: TBD
Investment: $110.00

Fundamental Skills in Motivational Interviewing (Level I, Intermediate, 1 day seminar)

This seminar is designed for people who are interested in providing motivational interviewing. This seminar is for anyone who has completed the Introduction to Motivational Interviewing seminar (or similar) and would like to explore in more depth the principles and intricacies of the effective motivational interviewing process.
The goal of this level of motivational interviewing training is to learn one or more specific applications of motivational interviewing.
The seminar includes lecture, group practice and activities that embodies the spirit of motivational interviewing. Participants will expand their knowledge of basic concepts, identify specific application for their work settings.
No proficiency nor experience in the practice of motivational interviewing are required at this level of training, but participants should have an understanding of the basic concepts including the spirit of motivational interviewing. This knowledge can be gained from an introductory training or by reading the book, "Motivational Interviewing."

At the conclusion of the seminar, participants will be able to:

understand the fundamental spirit and principles of MI
explore integration of motivational interviewing into practice
identify practical guidelines for a specific application the spirit of MI
have direct practice in and experience of this particular application
begin to develop the ability to self-assess / identity motivational interviewing techniques in one's own practice

CEUs: 6
Next Seminar Date: 12/19/2012
Seminar Location: Headrest, Lebanon, NH
Investment: $110.00

Advanced Skills in Motivational Interviewing (Level II, Advanced, 2 day seminar)

This seminar is designed for people who have learned the fundamentals of motivational interviewing and practiced it over time and now seek to validate, deepen and expand their motivational interviewing skills.
The goal of this level of motivational interviewing training is to strengthen the basic clinical style of motivational interviewing and identify how to continue learning it practice.
The seminar includes analysis of practice audio or videotapes. Participants will focus on differentiating change talk from commitment language, and learning how to elicit and shape the two and can expect more demonstration and practice exercises and less didactic material.
Prior proficiency and experience in the practice of motivational interviewing are critical. Participants should have completed the Motivational Interviewing Fundamental Skills training (or similar) and be able to demonstrate basic motivational interviewing skills (OARS) and correctly identify change talk from a video tape of a counseling session..

At the conclusion of the seminar, participants will be able to:

strengthen empathic counseling skills (OARS)
understand and practice the directive aspects of MI
experience and practice an motivational interviewing style for addressing sustain talk with discord
identify the fundamental client language cues (change talk and resistance), that allow continued feedback and learning in practice
explore the application of motivational interviewing techniques in group counseling

CEUs: 14.5
An additional 2.5 hours if available with the submission of a audio tape of a participant's counseling session. The clinical supervision session will be MITI coded and the participant will engage in a 1:1 coaching call of 30 minutes.
Next Seminar Date: TBD
Seminar Location: TBD
Investment: $285.00

Supervision Skills in Motivational Interviewing (2 day seminar)

This seminar is designed for people who have responsibility for the ongoing supervision of clinicians who are providing motivational interviewing.
The goal of this level of motivational interviewing training is to prepare an on-site expert supervisor who can continue to guide and shape the practice of clinicians in a program or system.
The training builds expertise in debriefing session tapes coded with the MITI for clinical practice.
Prior proficiency and experience in the practice of motivational interviewing are critical at this level of training.
Completion of a Motivational Interviewing Level II Course (Fundamental Skills in Motivational Interviewing) and a Motivational Interviewing Level III Course (Advanced Skills in Motivational Interviewing) or similar is required.

At the conclusion of the seminar, participants will be able to:

identify a strategy of building an alliance with staff and motivating them to their "best" work with clients / patients.
understand how to interpret and debrief standardized coding systems (MITI) for evaluating competency of staff using motivational interviewing.
enhance intrinsic motivation by helping supervisees explore and resolve their own ambivalence as it relates to professional development, skill building and work environment.
improve their motivational interviewing skills for use with supervisees.
learn how to use the sociogram in supervising a counselor's group work can enhance motivational interviewing skills.
create a supervision climate that is consistent with motivational interviewing principles.
negotiate a motivational interviewing skill development plan with supervisees.
identify next steps in their own professional development of motivational interviewing

CEUs: 14.5
An additional 2.5 hours if available with the submission of a audio tape debriefing a MITI coding of a supervisee's counseling session. The clinical supervision session will be MITI coded and the supervisor will engage in a 1:1 coaching call of 30 minutes.
Next Seminar Date: TBD
Seminar Location: TBD
Investment: $285.00

Motivational Interviewing Training Packages

Of course, if you participate in motivational interviewing session coding, you can attend trainings at no charge. You can also invest in a package of trainings

Counselor Training

(includes Introduction to Motivational Interviewing, Fundamental Skills in Motivational Interviewing and Advanced Skills in Motivational Interviewing)
Package Investment: $600.00

Supervisor Training

(includes Introduction to Motivational Interviewing, Fundamental Skills in Motivational Interviewing and Advanced Skills in Motivational Interviewing and Supervision Skills in Motivational Interviewing)
Package Investment: $800.00

Pay for Motivational Interviewing Trainings

You can easily pay for individual motivational interviewing trainings or motivational interviewing training packages through PayPal using your credit cards, bank account or PayPal account.