Motivational Interviewing Foundations Online Learning Pathway:
Self-paced with milestones and scheduled practice and feedback. Approximately 16-18 hours. See suggested schedule.
Appropriate for a wide range of professionals and peer helpers.
This learning pathway contains 3 courses, focused on building an understanding of the spirit of MI and developing core skills, including using OARS (open-ended questions, affirmations, reflections, and summaries), responding to the way people talk about change, helping people to make Brief Action Plans, and understanding ‘resistance.’
The pathway can be completed in 16-18 hours, with a 90 day timeline for completion of required activities. The majority of the learning content and activities are self-paced and can be completed individually online with some scheduled virtual interactions with the course trainer and other learners. For 12 weeks after the course, learners receive a series of weekly emails with resources and examples, prompting them to practice a specific skill in their interactions that week and then check in with a study partner or team. Sponsors receive updates on participant progress.
This course can accommodate 12 learners per group.
Contact us for more information about registration.
What learners are saying:
“I definitely took away a lot from this course. I learned many practical strategies and tools that can help me address the various ways ambivalence shows up in my clients. I appreciated the information broken down into easily understandable categories with handouts available for future reference.”
“What a great course! I have been exposed to MI in the past, but feel that this has encouraged me to take small steps at incorporating the processes so that it becomes more familiar and easier to use…like a forming a habit and not feeling at a loss of words. I agree that reflections and more patient engagement will be the key!”
“It succinctly captured the important elements of MI and helped me to integrate knowledge. The best MI course I’ve taken.”
- Define motivational interviewing (MI).
- Describe the spirit of MI and ways to express it.
- Recognize the difference between three styles of helping interactions.
- Contrast MI consistent and inconsistent practices.
- Discuss listening with an uncluttered mind.
- Describe and demonstrate the core skills for MI (open-ended questions, affirmations, reflections, and summaries).
- Identify ways to provide information and advice consistent with the spirit of MI.
- Demonstrate ask-tell-ask.
- Recognize change talk and contrast with sustain talk.
- Strategically respond to sustain and change talk.
- Respond to change talk using the core skills for MI.
- Describe the four processes of MI.
- Demonstrate focusing.
- Demonstrate Brief Action Planning.
- Identify contributors to “resistance” and demonstrate MI consistent responses to “resistant patients or complex situations.
- Consider ways to apply skills to practice.
This is an interactive course that is designed for participants who want to consider practical applications to their work. CCMI uses learner-centred, performance-based approaches to adult education. The MI Foundations online course includes:
- Pre and Post skill level comparison via written exercise.
- Learning activities that evoke understanding and build skills. These include interactive online activities, journal assignments, class forum discussions, and short quizzes to reflect learning and encourage application to practice.
- Practice activities that increase practical understanding and allow trainers to provide constructive feedback.
An important part of the online course is the motivational interviewing practice and feedback practice sessions. These sessions give learners an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills that they are learning. MI foundations practice and feedback sessions are one-on-one conference sessions with an instructor. They are 30 minutes in length and focus on communication skills (OARS and Ask-Tell-Ask), strategies, and application to practice. Learners schedule their own sessions, based on a selection of available times. All of the information to schedule these sessions is contained within the course.
We use the Zoom platform for practice and feedback for several reasons. Zoom with video allows us to see each other’s body language, which can be important in interpreting what people are saying. Many professionals interact with the people they serve on the phone or via video, so this also provides an opportunity to be comfortable with virtual interactions.
During practice and feedback sessions, learners can decide how they want to spend their time. Here are some common options:
- Clarification of a topic: Learn more about information covered in the online course. Learners will receive a short description or demonstration, have an opportunity to briefly discuss the topic, practice and get feedback on skills as needed.
- Case study: Learners can bring a situation with a patient or client that they would like to discuss. This would be a situation where someone might be “stuck” or would benefit from a new perspective and how to apply what they are learning in the online course. The learner and instructor will discuss the situation and the principles, skills, and strategies that might apply. Then they can role play the situation and get feedback on skills as needed.
- Role play: The CCMI trainer will play a patient or client and the learner will have an opportunity to practice your skills and then receive feedback.
- The learner’s idea: The Learner may have an additional way that they would like to spend their time working with a knowledgeable instructor.
Learners who complete the course and would like additional practice and feedback time, are encouraged to attend drop-in group practice and feedback sessions. Up to 4 people can book a spot in a 1-hour group session.
The course takes approximately 16-18 hours, and a certificate of completion is provided to learners who finish all three courses in their entirety:
- Learning content
- Learning checks
- Assignments
- 3 x 30 minute practice and feedback sessions
In order to complete this course, learners will need:
- Access to a computer, laptop, or tablet with the capability to watch and listen to videos and audio recordings.
- Internet connection
- Microphone and camera for zoom practice and feedback sessions.
- Up to date browser including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, or Microsoft Edge. The course will not run with Internet Explorer
See our CCMI Services page for an overview of all of our offerings and details like prerequisites, duration, and capacity.