Funded by the Public Health Agency (PHA)

Practitioners and leaders across Northern Ireland who support individuals and groups affected by substance use, mental health challenges, suicidal ideation, and smoking are invited to take part in this three-day online Motivational Interviewing (MI) training.

Each course runs from 9.30am to 4.30pm and offers an engaging, interactive learning experience that combines theory, demonstration, and practice. Participants will explore the evidence base for MI, develop core skills through guided exercises, and reflect on how these tools can enhance their everyday work with clients and teams.

Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative, person-centred approach that helps people explore and resolve ambivalence about change. It strengthens motivation by focusing on personal values, self-efficacy, and readiness for change rather than persuasion or instruction. Widely used across health, social care, and community sectors, MI has demonstrated effectiveness in supporting individuals managing addiction, mental health concerns, and smoking behaviours.

Across the three days, participants will:

• Explore the spirit and principles of MI, including partnership, acceptance, compassion, and evocation.

• Practise essential MI skills, such as reflective listening, affirming, summarising, and evoking change talk.

• Learn how to recognise and respond to ambivalence and resistance while maintaining engagement and empathy.

• Apply MI tools and strategies to real-world scenarios in substance use, mental health, and smoking cessation contexts.

The programme is designed for practitioners, managers, and leaders who wish to strengthen their confidence in using MI to support meaningful, sustainable change. Each training cohort will provide opportunities for small group discussion, live demonstrations, and individual reflection within a supportive online environment.

This training is funded by the Public Health Agency (PHA) as part of its ongoing commitment to developing a skilled, compassionate workforce capable of fostering positive change and wellbeing across Northern Ireland.

Upcoming Training Dates

Each training runs across three full days online from 9.30am to 4.30pm:

1. 30th, 31st October & 7th November – FULLY BOOKED

2. 10th, 11th & 14th November – FULLY BOOKED

3. 18th, 19th & 21st November – FULLY BOOKED

4. 24th, 25th & 27th November – [Click to Apply]

5. 9th, 10th & 12th December – FULLY BOOKED

6. 15th, 16th & 18th December – FULLY BOOKED

7. 6th, 7th & 9th January – FULLY BOOKED

8. 19th, 20th & 23rd January – FULLY BOOKED

Each link will direct you to the registration page for that cohort. Early booking is encouraged as places are limited.

WE WILL BE RELEASING DATES IN 2026 IN THE NEAR FUTURE