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Kevin O'Doherty

This course is fully accredited by IAOTH (International Association of Therapists) and a certificate is provided upon completion.  This course gives a comprehensive interview to Motivational Interviewing, a set of tools and techniques to help people overcome barriers, make changes and achieve their goals.  The course comprises of a range of lecture videos, handouts and lots of resources to help the individual solidify their learning.  This is a very hands on, enjoyable and 'motivating' course that is suitable for anyone who wants to use Motivational Interviewing for the clients they work with, or perhaps they themselves want to acquire skills to overcome their own barriers to change and achievement. 

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This course is fully accredited by IAOTH (International Association of Therapists) and a certificate is provided upon completion.  This course gives a comprehensive interview to Motivational Interviewing, a set of tools and techniques to help people overcome barriers, make changes and achieve their goals.  The course comprises of a range of lecture videos, handouts and lots of resources to help the individual solidify their learning.  This is a very hands on, enjoyable and 'motivating' course that is suitable for anyone who wants to use Motivational Interviewing for the clients they work with, or perhaps they themselves want to acquire skills to overcome their own barriers to change and achievement. 

One of the very valuable aspects of the course is where we look at some of the unhelpful assumptions that serve to prevent change, development and the achievement of goals, such as:

1. The person ought to change behaviour

2. The person wants to change behaviour

3. Health is the person’s primary motivator

4. The intervention has failed if the person doesn’t choose to change

5. Persons are either motivated to change or not

6. Now is the right time to choose to change

7. A tough approach is the best approach

Motivational Interviewing is also used frequently during staff development meetings to help the individual achieve their very best and in turn, help make the company to become more successful.

The course is taught by Kevin O'Doherty, Psychologist, Forensic Mental Health Expert Witness and CBT Therapist. Kevin has worked in mental health for over 20 years and has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and experience during that time. This course is also available via live streaming and face to face upon request. Individuals and organisations alike are encouraged to get in touch.  Kevin has a wide range of other courses available online via Udemy, why not take a look at them also.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • What is motivational interviewing?
  • What is behaviour change and how does it happen?
  • How can we help people overcome barriers to change?
  • What motivational interviewing strategies are and how can we use them?
  • How do we help people maintain constructive behaviour change?
  • How can we help people to deal with relapse?
  • What is relapse and why does it happen?

Syllabus

Introduction

Introduction and welcome to the course.  Brief overview of the course and what is covered.

In this brief task, you are asked to have a think about what MI is and what you hope to achieve throughout this course.

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This video explains the acronym we work by in Motivational Interviewing: RULE.

Here we delve a bit more deeply into what MI is and is not.  The nature of the supportive relationship in MI and the type of people we work with in using MI techniques.

Here we explore some of the many benefits of using and learning about Motivational interviewing.  It is used in a wide range of settings, but one thing remains common, MI helps people remove barriers to change and progress.

In this lecture we explore the nature of change, how does change happen? when does it happen? what help and support might people need to implement and maintain change?

According to Prochaska and Diclemente, we pass through 4 main stages when considering and making change.  This video explains each of those stages.  begin here, to think about how you might recognise change readiness in a client? or yourself perhaps?

A comprehensive description of the stages of change and how we need to work appropriately with each stage that the client is at.

More info about how we work with the client, depending on where they are at with change

There are a range of unhelpful thoughts about change, progress and development that naturally, create obstacles to our progress (or the progress of people we are working with).  This video explores some of those unhelpful thoughts.

This term comes up a lot in Motivational Interviewing.  We explore Ambivalence, where there is a discrepancy between, for example, the change and progress we want to make and some other aspect of our life.

More info here about the nature of Motivational Interviewing, how it works, how it doesn't work, the nature of the relationship between the peron providing MI and the client.

Here we explore the nature of the collaborative partnership in Motivational Interviewing.  We are not seeking to impose or push people into making changes, but rather we work in partnership with the client, just like dancing!

In order to work constructively with the client, we need to begin to understand their internal world.  This doesn't mean we start analysing them, but it means that gradually, throughout the sessions, we begin to find out what motivates them, what ahs demotivated them in the past, how best we can support and help to motivate them etc.

We adhere to 4 guiding principles in the provision of Motivational Interviewing.  This lecture focuses on those principles and explains them and why we try and adhere to them.

Unconditional positive regard is a term taken from client centred therapy and is used in Motivational Interviewing.  In this video we explore the meaning of that term and how we need to work from the standpoint of this and crucially, to have compassion for the client and their struggle with change.

Clients will often experience fear and anxiety about change that leads them to resist within sessions.  This video explains the approach we take with resistance, we need to "roll with it" rather than be defensive against it.  Resistance is part of the whole change process and we all experience it for ourselves at some point.

We have to avoid being overly directive or judgemental and we need to resist the reflex where we feel the need to put the client 'right'.  This video explains the 'righting reflex'

In supporting the client through change, we need to ensure that we work in such a way as to increase self efficacy, confidence for the client.  This video begins to explain self efficacy and how we can encourage the development of it.

In this video we begin to look at the structure of MI sessions, from beginning to end.  There are a number of stages that we go through in the working relationship and its important that we go through each of the stages in order.

This is a group or individual task to encourage you to pause and reflect about changes you might like to make in your own life.

We use Evocative Questions (as opposed to Provocative) questions in MI in order to help the client consider change and how this might be planned and implemented.  This video explains how we use these questions and gives some examples.

We need to monitor these aspects within the client and how they improve during the process of providing Motivational Interviewing.  We also relate the increase ins elf efficacy etc with the increased likelihood for implementing and maintaining change.

As the client grows in confidence and self esteem for example, change talk becomes more prevalent during sessions, this indicates and increased appetite and readiness for change from the client and we must respond appropriately.

More in-depth discussion here about the role of resistance in the change process and how we can help manage this in a constructive fashion.

We need to be aware of the increasing signs that we see, informing us that client is increasingly ready for change.  We then respond appropriately, as identified in this video.

In this phase, we begin negotiating the all important plan for change, or plan of action for the client.  This video explains how and why we begin to do this at this stage.

There are several headers we often use on our plan of action with the client.  In this video, these headers are explained and you are tasked with designing your own plan of action form for use with clients.

Although relapse is a natural part of the change process, we do well to try and minimise it as far as is possible.  This video explains the nature of relapse and how we can help prevent or deal with relapse.

This brief lecture explains the outline of session form that we often use in Motivational Interviewing.

Thankyou very much for taking this introductory course in Motivational Interviewing.  Please leave feedback (hopefully positive!) and also, please do get in touch with me to ask any questions you like.  My best wishes to you.

This video is a brief promotion for one of my most popular courses on Udemy; Introduction to CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy)

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Provides tools and techniques applicable to various settings, making it valuable for both personal development and professional application in helping others overcome barriers and achieve goals
Explores unhelpful assumptions that hinder change, which is beneficial for understanding and addressing resistance in oneself and others, fostering a more effective approach to personal and professional development
Accredited by IAOTH, which may enhance credibility and recognition for learners seeking professional development or continuing education in therapy and related fields
Taught by Kevin O'Doherty, a Psychologist, Forensic Mental Health Expert Witness, and CBT Therapist, who brings over 20 years of experience in mental health to the course
Examines the stages of change according to Prochaska and Diclemente, which is a widely recognized model in behavioral science and health psychology
Requires learners to reflect on changes they might like to make in their own lives, which may be challenging for some learners who are not ready for self-assessment

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Reviews summary

Practical introduction to motivational interviewing

According to learners, this course provides a strong introduction and practical overview of Motivational Interviewing. Students consistently praise the instructor's expertise and clear explanations, finding the content easy to understand and apply. Many appreciate the course's focus on providing actionable tools and techniques that can be used immediately in professional settings or for personal growth. The accreditation and the certificate upon completion are seen as valuable additions. While some learners found it to be a great starting point, others with prior knowledge felt it primarily served as a useful review rather than introducing deeply new concepts, indicating it's best suited for those relatively new to MI.
Good reinforcement for those with some prior knowledge.
"While not entirely new material for me, it served as a very useful review and solidified my understanding."
"Good if you need a refresher, maybe less so if you're already advanced."
"It reinforced concepts I was familiar with and offered some new perspectives."
Great for beginners or those new to MI.
"As someone new to Motivational Interviewing, this course was the perfect starting point."
"Provides an excellent foundation for understanding MI principles."
"Helped me grasp the basics quickly and effectively."
"Ideal for anyone looking for a comprehensive intro to the subject."
Accreditation adds significant value.
"The accreditation from IAOTH is a great bonus for my professional development."
"Receiving a certificate upon completion adds credibility."
"Knowing the course is accredited gives me confidence in its quality."
"This accreditation makes the course worthwhile for career purposes."
Instructor is knowledgeable and easy to follow.
"The instructor is clearly an expert and makes the topic engaging."
"Kevin's explanations are incredibly clear and his experience shines through."
"I really connected with the instructor's teaching style; very knowledgeable and approachable."
"The lecturer's passion for the subject made learning enjoyable."
Content is easy to understand and applicable.
"I found the content easy to digest and immediately applicable to my work with clients."
"The course breaks down complex ideas into simple, actionable steps. Really practical!"
"The explanations were so clear, I finally feel confident using these techniques."
"I appreciated the focus on practical skills rather than just theory."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Introduction to Motivational Interviewing (Fully Accredited) with these activities:
Review Stages of Change Model
Reinforce your understanding of the Prochaska and DiClemente's Stages of Change model, a foundational concept for understanding client readiness and tailoring MI interventions.
Show steps
  • Review the different stages: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance.
  • Consider how MI techniques can be adapted for each stage.
  • Reflect on personal experiences with change and identify the stages involved.
Read 'Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change'
Deepen your understanding of the core principles and techniques of Motivational Interviewing by studying a foundational text in the field.
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change' by Miller and Rollnick.
  • Read the book, paying close attention to the spirit of MI and the four processes.
  • Take notes on key concepts and techniques.
Practice MI Skills with a Partner
Solidify your MI skills through role-playing and feedback with a peer, focusing on open-ended questions, affirmations, reflective listening, and summaries (OARS).
Show steps
  • Focus on practicing OARS skills.
  • Provide constructive feedback to each other.
  • Find a partner who is also learning MI.
  • Take turns role-playing as the therapist and the client.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Develop a Motivational Interviewing Script
Reinforce your understanding of MI techniques by writing a script for a mock MI session, focusing on addressing ambivalence and evoking change talk.
Show steps
  • Choose a specific behavior change goal for the client in your script.
  • Write a script that demonstrates the use of OARS skills.
  • Incorporate techniques for addressing resistance and ambivalence.
  • Include examples of change talk and commitment language.
Explore 'Motivational Interviewing in Health Care'
Expand your knowledge of MI applications in healthcare by reading a book that focuses on using MI to promote positive health behaviors.
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'Motivational Interviewing in Health Care' by Rollnick, Miller, and Butler.
  • Read the book, focusing on the specific examples and strategies provided.
  • Consider how you can apply these techniques in your own practice.
Apply MI to a Personal Goal
Deepen your understanding of MI by applying its principles and techniques to a personal behavior change goal, tracking your progress and reflecting on the process.
Show steps
  • Identify a personal behavior change goal.
  • Use MI techniques to explore your ambivalence about the goal.
  • Develop a plan of action based on MI principles.
  • Track your progress and reflect on the challenges and successes.
Answer Questions in Online Forums
Reinforce your understanding of MI by helping others learn the material, clarifying concepts, and providing support in online forums.
Show steps
  • Find an online forum or community related to Motivational Interviewing.
  • Regularly check the forum for questions and discussions.
  • Provide helpful and accurate answers to questions.
  • Offer support and encouragement to others who are learning MI.

Career center

Learners who complete Introduction to Motivational Interviewing (Fully Accredited) will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Life Coach
A life coach helps clients identify goals and develop strategies to achieve them, very often assisting them through various life transitions. This course on Motivational Interviewing is extremely relevant to a life coach because it provides a structured approach to understanding how people make changes and overcome obstacles. The course covers crucial aspects like identifying unhelpful assumptions about change and provides techniques to help clients move through various stages of change. A life coach who has completed this course will have skills to enhance their client's self-efficacy, manage resistance, and use evocative questions to encourage action. A life coach should take this course to learn how to help people overcome barriers to change and achieve their best outcomes.
Social Worker
Social workers often engage with individuals facing significant challenges and needing to make meaningful changes in their lives. A course on Motivational Interviewing directly aligns with the core skills required for a social worker, including fostering change in various community settings. This course will help a social worker understand behavior change, how to help people overcome barriers, and maintain constructive behavior. Through learning to identify unhelpful thoughts about change and supporting clients through resistance, the social worker can greatly enhance client outcomes. A social worker should take this course to gain a practical and effective approach to helping their clients achieve their goals by learning the principles of motivational interviewing.
Addiction Counselor
Addiction counselors work with individuals struggling with substance abuse and related issues, guiding them toward recovery and improved well-being. This course on Motivational Interviewing is highly relevant for an addiction counselor, providing a framework to evoke intrinsic motivation and support the change process. The course's focus on understanding the stages of change, addressing ambivalence, and managing resistance directly applies to the challenges faced by those struggling with addiction. An addiction counselor who has taken this course will be better equipped to engage clients, encourage self-efficacy, and support a plan for change. An addiction counselor should take this course to learn effective techniques for assisting people who are seeking to overcome addiction.
Health Educator
Health educators empower individuals and communities to make informed health decisions and adopt healthier behaviors. This course on Motivational Interviewing aligns perfectly with the role of a health educator by providing strategies to help people overcome barriers to health behavior change, which is crucial for health education. The course addresses common unhelpful assumptions about change and provides structured approaches to help people move through the stages of change. A health educator will gain specific tools and techniques in maintaining change, dealing with relapse, and promoting self-efficacy in clients. A health educator should take this course to learn how to engage clients in their health journey and enhance their own efficacy.
Human Resources Specialist
Human resources specialists play a key role in staff development, often facilitating employee growth and addressing performance issues. A course on Motivational Interviewing provides an effective approach for human resources specialists to help employees achieve their best. The course focuses on understanding and managing resistance which is helpful in handling various workplace situations. A human resources specialist who has completed this course will be better equipped to promote effective communication, and empower employees during performance reviews. A human resources specialist will find this course very helpful, as it provides an approach for supporting employees to overcome barriers and achieve their professional goals.
Case Manager
Case managers coordinate services for individuals with complex needs, helping them navigate systems and achieve their goals. This course on Motivational Interviewing provides case managers with essential tools to help their clients through challenging situations. The course helps in understanding behavior change, addressing barriers to change, and managing setbacks. This course will help the case manager work collaboratively in partnership with their clients and empower them to find their own internal motivation. This course will allow any case manager to provide support which is non-judgemental. A case manager should take this course to gain a more effective approach to assisting clients in achieving positive outcomes.
Therapist
Therapists use various techniques to help people manage mental health challenges and improve their overall well-being. This course on Motivational Interviewing provides a valuable framework for a therapist. The course will help a therapist understand how people make changes, and how to provide empathy and support to clients in the process of change. The course looks at some common pitfalls in the change process and the nature of the working relationship between therapist and client. A therapist will be able to implement a range of strategies for assisting clients to overcome ambivalence and create a plan of action for change. A therapist should take this course to gain additional tools for supporting their clients' progress toward positive change.
Career Counselor
Career counselors guide individuals through various career transitions, helping them make informed decisions about their professional lives. A course on Motivational Interviewing helps a career counselor apply a structured and effective approach to support clients in overcoming barriers to change. This course will help the career counselor recognize unhelpful thoughts about change, build client self-efficacy, and assist in creating concrete plans for their future. A career counselor will greatly benefit from a course that provides approaches to engaging clients, understanding ambivalence toward change, and supporting them in creating actionable plans. A career counselor should take this course to learn useful strategies for empowering clients and supporting their career development.
Probation Officer
Probation officers work with individuals who have been involved with the legal system, aiding them in making positive changes and reintegrating into the community. This course on Motivational Interviewing will be helpful for a probation officer because it provides a framework for supporting clients during change. This course will help them learn about change readiness, identifying unhelpful assumptions about the change process, and working through resistance. A probation officer can utilize key aspects of this course to help clients create realistic plans and to avoid relapse. A probation officer should take this course to enhance their ability to motivate clients to make positive changes and comply with the terms of their probation.
Teacher
Teachers play a vital role in helping students grow not just academically, but also personally. A course on Motivational Interviewing provides approaches that will be beneficial for a teacher as they support students in their development. The course will help any teacher deal with any resistance that students may have, helping them to achieve their best and overcome barriers. Additionally, as this course explores the nature of change, a teacher can apply these to their own life, becoming an even more effective educator. A teacher should take this course to gain insights on motivating students and supporting their overall growth.
Mentor
Mentors provide guidance and support to individuals, helping them navigate challenges and achieve their goals. This course on Motivational Interviewing may be particularly useful for mentors, as it offers a framework for understanding how people make changes and overcome obstacles. Mentors can use specific techniques in this course to learn how to address resistance and encourage self-efficacy. A mentor should consider taking this course to develop a more structured approach to guiding their mentees through change.
Consultant
Consultants work with various organizations to improve performance and solve complex challenges. This course on Motivational Interviewing may help a consultant by providing them with insights into human behavior change. The consultative process always requires collaborative work, so the mentor can draw on insights from this course to build better working relationships with their clients. This course may help any consultant foster better communication and help clients become more amenable to change. This course equips consultants with skills for overcoming resistance to change, and in turn make progress with clients. Any consultant may find this course useful.
Team Leader
Team leaders guide teams and foster individual growth, requiring excellent leadership and communication skills. This course on Motivational Interviewing may be useful for a team leader, providing practical approaches to help team members overcome barriers. The course provides useful information for team leaders who wish to empower team members, helping to encourage engagement between managers and teams. This course will help any team leader learn to recognize unhelpful assumptions and help team members with resistance. A team leader may find this course helpful for supporting team development and achieving goals.
Project Manager
Project managers oversee projects across various industries, guiding teams to achieve set objectives. This course on Motivational Interviewing may be useful for a project manager as they are required to handle various team dynamics. This course may help the project manager guide team members to embrace change. The course will help the project manager understand the nature of resistance but also how better to approach managing teams. A project manager who takes this course will have a framework for promoting a positive work environment. A project manager may find this course helpful in improving team performance and achieving project goals.
Sales Representative
Sales representatives work to convince customers to purchase goods or services, requiring persuasion and relationship building. This course on Motivational Interviewing may be helpful to a sales representative who has to overcome resistance to change. This course could help the representative to understand the nature of those objections and find ways to overcome them. A sales representative could apply the ideas in the course to build better relationships with clients and guide them toward purchasing. A sales representative might find this course useful.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Introduction to Motivational Interviewing (Fully Accredited).
Is considered the definitive guide to Motivational Interviewing. It provides a comprehensive overview of the theory, principles, and techniques of MI. It is widely used as a textbook in academic settings and by practitioners in various fields. Reading this book will significantly deepen your understanding of MI beyond the introductory level of this course.
Focuses on the application of Motivational Interviewing in healthcare settings. It provides practical guidance on using MI to address a variety of health-related behaviors, such as smoking cessation, weight management, and medication adherence. This book is particularly useful for those who plan to use MI in a healthcare context, as it provides specific examples and strategies tailored to this setting.

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