Foundational Motivational Interviewing

Our Motivational Interviewing training equips client care professionals with the skills to foster trust, guide conversations effectively, and drive meaningful behaviour change.

Start planning your learning today

Start planning your learning today

Motivational Interviewing Online Course – Foundations

This learning pathway includes three online courses that cover the spirit of MI, core skills like OARS (open-ended questions, affirmations, reflections, summaries), responding to change talk, creating Brief Action Plans, and addressing resistance.

Course details

  17.5–19.5 hours of self-paced online learning

  Includes three 30-minute practice and feedback sessions with expert trainers

  For professionals and peer helpers

Foundational Motivational Interviewing – Faculty-led

Led by members of MINT either at your location or as a webinar, this training builds understanding of spirit of MI and core skills, including OARS, responding to change talk, creating Brief Action Plans, and addressing resistance.

Course details

  • Webinar: 17.5 hours of training spread over 5 weeks + 2 x 30-minute practice and feedback sessions for up to 12 people
  • Workshop: Two full days (16 hours) of onsite training + 2 x 30-minute practice and feedback sessions for up to 12 people

  For professionals and peer helpers

 

What Learners Are Saying

Best Motivational Interviewing Training in Vancouver

Oh my goodness, I liked so many things about the program. The material is amazing. The staff, I can’t say enough about how you helped me in my work with clients.

Mental Health Professional, Vancouver

Easy-to-follow course

I loved the course! It exceeded my expectations. We learned very useful tools (how to use it properly). And it was presented in an easily understandable fashion. Even though it is my second language I could understand well.

Counsellor, BC

Practical MI course

The structure of the course was excellent, plenty of opportunity to practice alone with the case studies and in person with the staff. The live practice and feedback session were really valuable for me.

Healthcare professional, BC

Excellent program!

Very well-structured content. Easy to work through at my own pace. Combination of written, auditory and visual content along with practice activities and live practice sessions worked very well to help reinforce my learning. Excellent program!

Healthcare professional, BC

Great online course

The Motivational Interviewing online course succinctly captured the important elements of MI and made helped me to integrate knowledge. The best MI course I’ve taken.

Healthcare professional, BC

Building MI skills

What I really liked about the program was gaining a better understanding and approach to MI skills, how to incorporate skills more fluently and natural. Understanding how certain approaches can guide conversation outcome.

Allied Health Professional

Community, valuable resources

Easy to navigate online course, multiple options of presenting info, simple graphics, clear submission process, downloadable PDFs for reference, reading forum comments on, support and feedback from all CCMI members

Allied Health Professional

MI practice sessions with the trainer

I like the way this program is designed with quizzes, assignments, videos, audios, helpful hand outs and especially have one-on-one sessions with CCMI trainers to go over the materials. I wish I had more one-on-one sessions with CCMI trainers to practice things that I have learned.

Allied Health Professional

Wonderful way to learn Motivational Interviewing online!

Everything in the course was actually useful, and it felt like it had been curated with a good deal of care and intention. I spent longer on this course than I normally would for other online education because I wanted to take the time to really digest the material – it was that good!

Nurse, Vancouver, BC

Thanks for the course and supporting resources!

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.

Nurse, Vancouver, BC

Useful course

The course exceeded my expectations. We learned very useful tools (how to use it properly). And it was presented in an easily understandable fashion. Even though it is my second language I could understand well.

Healthcare professional, BC

Great Motivational Interviewing course

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!

Healthcare professional, BC

The best MI course I’ve taken.

It succinctly captured the important elements of MI and helped me to integrate knowledge. The best MI course I’ve taken.

Healthcare professional, BC

Practical and relevant workshop

The workshop was informative, supportive, helpful, and I will take these skills into my workplace to enhance client-centred care.

Healthcare professional, BC

Simply the best

The class was awesome and material presentation was amazing! Best training I have taken in 8 years!

Healthcare professional, BC

Useful and engaging Motivational Interviewing training

I found the presenter (Lori) to be very engaging, and I appreciated how interactive the session was. I have already used some of the tools taught both at work and at home, and I feel this is one of the best and useful courses I have taken in a long time.

Employment counselor, Courtenay, BC

Practice and feedback on MI skills

I liked the interaction in practicing the different concepts and techniques. Being able to practice with different people who were also taking the course as well as to receive feedback from the instructor was great.

Employment counselor, Courtenay, BC

Well-structured MI training

Good overview of spirit of MI and introduction to skills (OARS, bringing focus to sessions, complex reflections, action planning, etc). I particularly enjoyed the interactive elements to the training as it provided an opportunity to practice the skills

Healthcare professional, Vancouver

Wonderful instructor

The presenter, Brittany, was dynamic, really knew her stuff and was so engaging.
The content was presented via a variety of teaching mechanisms to facilitate all styles of learning, and included so much interaction, which I felt was very effective.
What I appreciated most was the “work-shopping’ of our responses to various challenging client interactions.

Healthcare professional, Vancouver

Great way to learn MI

The variety of methods used for information transfer. It was very engaging. Practicing using personal goals was helpful. It was a safe space; I wasn’t afraid to try to use the techniques, even in the larger group. The instructor was able to reframe any mistakes as great attempts and provided support and feedback so that everyone could learn

Healthcare professional, Vancouver

Interactivity makes a difference

I really enjoyed how interactive the program was and how the MI instructors listened to our recommendations with what works best for us. This really made a difference in how we understood the material.

Endo social worker, California, USA

Good balance between MI theory and practice

This program was super! Very well balanced between theoretical knowledge and opportunity to practice. The course wouldn’t have been the same without Cathy — her knowledge, insight and courageous vulnerability was such an asset, and so helpful in understanding the client perspective. She’s an absolute inspiration. She offered such an important reminder that change and growth is possible for folks, even when they struggle to see it themselves in a given moment. Grateful for her presence, and of course, Sebastien’s skill and expertise in MI.

Perinatal health professional, Vancouver

MI workshop and support after workshop

The workbook and slides worked in tandem with the instruction. Made it easy to follow along plus we have a post-workshop study guide. The instructor was very personable.

Employment counselor, Courtenay, BC

Intermediate MI courses

This training enhances your ability to elicit change talk, navigate resistance, and support clients in achieving their goals.

Start planning your learning today

Start planning your learning today

MI Beyond Foundations: Online Mini Courses

  30 to 90 minutes self-paced online content per course plus one 30-minute practice and feedback session with an expert

  For professionals and peers with foundational MI knowledge, focus on deepening skills and strategies through practical, concept-specific learning

The MI Beyond Foundations mini courses are designed for learners who want to deepen their MI knowledge, skills, strategies. Each mini course focuses on one concept and is designed with practical application in mind.

MICA Coding with Ali Hall

  4 x 3 hour webinars over 4 weeks (12 hours total)

  Any individual with knowledge of motivational interviewing

This webinar series will introduce participants to the Motivational Interviewing Competency Assessment’s two strategies and five intentions, plus provide multiple opportunities to rate motivational conversations using the assessment.

Motivational Interviewing Beyond Foundations Virtual Training

  Combination of webinar, self-paced online content, and practice and feedback sessions, totaling 18 hours.

 Appropriate for a wide range of professional helpers and peers.

This training will go beyond foundational skills, delving deeper into the spirit of MI, the four processes of MI and working with people who may not seem ready or interested in making changes.

MI Train the Trainer

Motivational Interviewing Foundations and Brief Action Planning Train the Trainer Workshop

   16 week train the trainer pathway, plus 4 days (32 hours) train the trainer workshop

  Appropriate for educators who are certified in Brief Action Planning.

   Prerequisites: Successful completion of a 26 week Train the Trainer Preparation Pathway

This workshop will prepare educators to deliver the MI Foundations (MI) Workshop and Brief Action Planning (BAP) Workshop.

MI Skills Demonstration

  30-minute skills demonstration session and 30-minute follow-up coaching call.

  Any individual with knowledge of motivational interviewing

Learning MI is a journey. We all start out at different places and proceed at a pace that works for us. Knowing where you are on your journey, just like knowing where you are on the map, helps you recognize how far you’ve come and consider where you want to go. MI skills demonstrations are an opportunity to record an interaction with a CCMI trainer acting as a standardized patient/client.

For those interested in joining the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers, participating in MI Skills Demonstration with feedback is one element that may be an indicator of experiences the applicant has sought as part of their efforts to acquire competency in MI.

A-MICA course

Abbreviated Motivational Interviewing Competency Assessment Rating Form

  Approximately 3-4 hours of self-paced with milestones and scheduled activities. Learners have 30 days from enrollment to complete.

  Appropriate for anyone with a foundational knowledge of motivational interviewing.

In this course you will complete an MI skills recording and learn how to use the Abbreviated Motivational Interviewing Competency Assessment (A-MICA) rating form to rate it.  The A-MICA rating form is a practical assessment tool that can be used to help you know where you are on your MI journey and identify areas for growth.

MINT Training of New Trainers Prep Program

   Depending on scope of request

  Ideal for people who have taken MI Foundations, MI Beyond the Foundations or equivalent and have done some MI training and are committed to excellence in MI.

CCMI’s Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) Preparation Program will support MI learners who would like to apply for membership in MINT, an international organization promoting high quality MI practice. The program will include access to CCMI’s MINT trainer team, materials, and services to prepare their application. Each cohort of learners will co-design their experience which may include MI journal club, practice & feedback, peer review of recordings and applications, and webinars on selected topics.

Frequently asked questions

What is Motivational Interviewing?

Healthcare professionals often face the challenge of supporting patients in making changes to improve their health and well-being, such as quitting smoking or adopting healthier eating habits. When advice is ignored, many practitioners may push harder, but this can increase resistance. Motivational Interviewing (MI) offers a better way. It’s a collaborative communication method that helps patients explore their own reasons for change, reducing resistance and building motivation from within.

CCMI’s Unique Approach to MI Training

At CCMI, we offer a variety of training: foundational courses like Motivational Interviewing Online or Motivational Interviewing Workshops and Webinars. A selection of advanced Motivational Interviewing Courses are also available. As a trusted partner of BC Ministry of Health and a part of Patients as Partnerts initiative, CCMI has provided thousands of clinicians in BC with Motivational Interviewing training. According to Motivational Interviewing 4th Edition when observed practice and/or expert coaching were included in training, it substantially improved the learning and maintenance of skills. Moreover, both practice and coaching are needed to make a change in how clients respond. All of our foundational MI courses include 1-on-1 practice and feedback calls with our trainers. This personalized approach helps participants refine their Motivational Interviewing skills through real-life practice, making the learning process more practical and effective.

Practice & Feedback

Practice & Feedback calls increase trainees' confidence and proficiency in MI skills. These one hour video sessions provide opportunities for participants to practice skills in groups of up to four with an MI trainer. Activities may include clarification of a topic, discussion of case studies, role play, real play, or something else that the learner suggests. This handout gives more information about what to expect from video practice and feedback sessions. These calls are an integral part of skill development, and we encourage learners to attend a session if further skill development is wanted. 

Join our free group Practice and Feedback sessions.