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Building Motivational Interviewing Competency Certificate

A page within Motivational Interviewing

Earn your competency certificate in Motivational Interviewing!

  • Online self-study (26 hours): October 1–December 15, 2024
  • 4 - Live online sessions from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. on Tuesdays (12 hours)
    • Oct. 8, Oct. 22, Nov. 11, Dec. 3

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a well-established, evidence-based communication practice for addressing behavioral change across multiple settings and systems. This 38-hour group-paced certificate is for participants wanting to learn or relearn the knowledge and skills necessary to reach proficiency in the use of MI.

Throughout the certificate course, you will be observing, practicing, and applying the person-centered MI skills of:

  • Engaging
  • Focusing
  • Evoking
  • Planning

At completion, participants will be able to demonstrate the requisite attitudes, knowledge and skills (competency) to practice MI with fidelity and begin the initial integration of MI into their routine practices.

In this group-paced online course, you will:

  • Develop your competencies in MI through 12 hours of highly interactive live online webinars (divided up into four, 3-hour sessions).
  • Participate in partner work, small and large group discussions, and instructor-guided practice.
  • Enhance your learning with 26 hours of independent self-study on the Canvas online course site.
  • Review pre-captured video lectures and workbook readings.
  • Demonstrate your skill development through written assignments and practice recorded simulated client audio samples.

Registration Fee: $1,299

The registration fee includes two practice sessions with a simulated client with instructor feedback and access to Canvas, an online learning management system. The course workbook is not included in the fee. Please see the summary for details on where the text can be purchased.

University of Wisconsin-Madison Continuing Studies:

  • Is the course provider. 
  • Will process your registration.

Cancellation policy: If you withdraw three business days prior to the start date of the class, you'll receive a full refund of your tuition minus a $25 administrative fee. No refund is given after that date.

38-Hour Group-Paced Certificate

Online self-study (26 hours): October 1–December 15, 2024

4 - Live online sessions from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. on Tuesdays (12 hours): 

  • October 8
  • October 22
  • November 11
  • December 3

All times are shown in Central Time (CT).

Objectives

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Describe MI purpose, benefits and limitations.
  • Identify key concepts, attitudes, processes, skills and strategies of MI.
  • Describe Engaging tasks and behaviors.
  • Identify MI-consistent attitudes for Engaging.
  • Describe Focusing tasks and apply strategies for agenda setting.
  • Recognize client change talk, sustain talk and discord.
  • Describe Evoking tasks and apply strategies to cultivate change talk and soften sustain talk.
  • Identify MI-consistent attitudes for Focusing and Evoking.
  • Recognize client signals of readiness for Planning.
  • Describe Planning tasks and apply strategies for goal setting and change planning.
  • Identify MI-consistent attitudes for Planning.
  • Design a personal MI competency-based professional development plan.

This program will be a mix of live online session(s) using the Zoom platform, and self-study in the Canvas online course site. As a learner of this course, you are required to purchase a copy of Building Motivational Interviewing Skills: A Practitioner Workbook, Second Edition by David B. Rosengren (2017) by the start of the class. Many online vendors sell this required textbook. Please look for ISBN number 9781462532063. It is generally available at Guildford Press or Amazon.

The 38-hour online group-paced course includes:

  • Four, 3-hour highly interactive live online webinars (12 hours total)
  • 26 hours of independent self-study on the Canvas online course site

Minimum Course Requirements:

Participants will receive 38 hours of continuing education by meeting the following requirements:

  • Fully participate in all live online webinars
  • View all online course lectures
  • Complete all assignments
  • Complete two simulated client calls
  • Complete three knowledge checks

Competency Certificate

Participants will receive the UW-Madison MI Competency-Based Certificate by meeting the following requirements:

  • Complete minimum course requirements
  • Demonstrate burgeoning (fair) or higher fidelity on the MITI (an evidence-based tool to assess MI competency) on one of two simulated client calls
  • Score at least 80% or higher on the summative knowledge check

Your registration fee includes instructor feedback on two samples of simulated client practice sessions.

Evaluation of your progress will be measured with knowledge checks, skill observation with individualized fidelity feedback and a summative competency quiz. Participants who successfully complete all course requirements will earn the noncredit "MI Competency-Based Certificate" from University of Wisconsin-Maidson Continuing Studies.

By participating in this UW-Madison Continuing Studies class you will earn:

Instructional Hours 38
University of Wisconsin Continuing Education Units 3.8
American Psychological Association - Continuing Education Credit 38
Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services - Substance Abuse Counselors - Continuing Education Credit Hours 38
Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services - Marriage and Family Therapists - Continuing Education Credit Hours 38
Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services - Social Workers - Continuing Education Credit Hours 38
Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services - Licensed Professional Counselors 38

Explanation of UW-Madison Continuing Education Hours

 

This course is delivered completely online via live online delivery. 

  • 100% online instruction
  • Real-time lectures
  • Lessons and discussions presented via web conferencing or virtual classroom software
  • Assignments and projects may be scheduled for completion outside of class.

Instructors


Laura SaundersLaura A. Saunders, M.S.S.W.

Member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers

Laura A. Saunders, M.S.S.W., is with the Great Lakes Addictions, Mental Health and Prevention Technology Centers serving as the State Project Manager for Wisconsin. Her position is housed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she’s worked since 1988. Since 2001, Laura has provided Motivational interviewing training to physicians, nurses, medical students, psychologists, specialty addiction treatment providers, social workers, physical therapists, health promotion specialists,  health educators and staff who work in correctional settings. Laura designs, facilitates, and delivers training and coaching in person, online, and via distance learning in the fields of health care, human services, public health, public safety and criminal justice. She has delivered over 120 beginning, intermediate, advanced-skills and code workshops. She has provided feedback and coaching to hundreds of social workers, correctional staff  and other human service providers who are interested in using MI to fidelity. She joined the International group of Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) in 2006 (Sophia, Bulgaria) and is an active member of the Wisconsin MINT group.

Adrienne AllenAdrienne Allen, M.S.W., LCSW

Member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers

Adrienne Allen, M.S.W., LCSW has worked in health care settings for over 15 years, including long-term care management, health promotion and organizational development. Adrienne has been practicing Motivational Interviewing since 2015. She joined the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers in 2020. In addition to training numerous healthcare professionals in Motivational Interviewing (MI), she has experience implementing MI peer learning groups as well as a MI coding evaluation and coaching program. Adrienne is a Certified Professional Coach, receiving her ACC from the ICF in 2022. Currently, she trains Motivational Interviewing in a variety of settings, provides coding and coaching to MI learners, and is a Social Work Field Faculty instructor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.