Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative, evidence-informed approach to strengthening a person's own motivation and commitment to change. This advanced programme is designed to help practitioners develop increasing proficiency through advanced skills practice, personalised coaching, structured feedback and deliberate practice. At a Glance Delivery: Two online classroom workshops followed by four individual one to one mentoring sessions Duration: September to December 2026 Workshop Dates: 7 and 8 September 2026 Mentoring: Four individual coaching sessions between September and December 2026 Trainers: Glenn Hinds and Dr Paulette Christopher Recognition: Certificate of Completion Who Should Apply? This programme is intended for practitioners who have already completed an introductory Motivational Interviewing (MI) programme and are actively applying MI within their professional role. Applicants should: Have completed recognised introductory training in Motivational Interviewing. Be working with people experiencing health, behavioural or lifestyle challenges, including substance use, smoking, mental health difficulties and suicide prevention. Have regular opportunities to hold goal directed conversations where Motivational Interviewing can be applied. Be willing to audio record four practice conversations for coaching and personalised feedback. Be committed to developing their MI proficiency through reflective practice, individual mentoring and ongoing skills practice between sessions. This programme is designed for practitioners who wish to move beyond understanding Motivational Interviewing concepts towards developing increasing proficiency, consistency and confidence in everyday practice through structured coaching, personalised feedback and deliberate practice. Programme Overview This advanced programme is designed for practitioners who have already completed an introductory Motivational Interviewing (MI) programme and are actively using MI in their work with people experiencing health, behavioural or lifestyle challenges, including substance use, smoking, mental health difficulties and suicide prevention. Building on foundational MI knowledge, the programme provides an immersive, practice based learning experience designed to strengthen competence, confidence and proficiency in the delivery of Motivational Interviewing. Through live demonstrations, structured skills practice, reflective discussion and personalised mentoring, participants will develop their ability to engage, focus, evoke and plan in increasingly fluid, purposeful and responsive conversations. A distinctive feature of this programme is the integration of individual mentoring with deliberate practice. Participants receive personalised coaching based on their own recorded practice conversations, enabling them to translate workshop learning into everyday professional practice. This approach reflects current evidence that proficiency develops most effectively through repeated practice, structured feedback, reflection and continued refinement of skills over time. Individual mentoring sessions use the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity (MITI 4.2.1) framework to guide learning and development. Feedback is collaborative, supportive and tailored to each participant, helping them recognise existing strengths, identify opportunities for growth and progressively strengthen both the relational and technical components of their Motivational Interviewing practice. Learning Outcomes By the end of this programme, participants will be able to: Strategically cultivate change talk through skilful use of reflective listening, evocative questions, affirmations and other evidence-informed Motivational Interviewing strategies. Recognise and respond skilfully to sustain talk while maintaining partnership, supporting autonomy and encouraging movement towards change. Demonstrate increasingly sophisticated reflective listening that deepens understanding, strengthens engagement and guides conversations towards meaningful change. Use affirmations purposefully to reinforce autonomy, strengths, values and self efficacy. Integrate the four tasks of Motivational Interviewing. Engaging, Focusing, Evoking and Planning, in a fluid, purposeful and responsive manner. Strengthen proficiency in Motivational Interviewing through deliberate practice, structured feedback, reflective learning and personalised coaching. Course Content Online Classroom Workshops 7 and 8 September 2026 Day One. Deepening MI Practice Revisiting the spirit, core skills and four tasks of Motivational Interviewing in advanced practice. Exploring the relational foundations of partnership, acceptance, compassion and autonomy support. Understanding how change talk and sustain talk emerge and influence movement towards change. Practising strategies to cultivate and strengthen change talk. Developing increasingly sophisticated reflective listening skills to deepen conversations and guide direction. Live demonstrations, structured practice and facilitated feedback. Day Two. Advanced MI Skills and Integration Responding skilfully to sustain talk without persuasion, argument or confrontation. Crafting complex reflections that deepen understanding, reinforce autonomy and move conversations forward. Using strength based affirmations to strengthen confidence, motivation and self efficacy. Integrating change talk into collaborative planning while maintaining the spirit of Motivational Interviewing. Extended peer practice with guided coaching and feedback. Individual Mentoring Programme Participants will attend four individual mentoring sessions between September and December 2026. Individual appointments will be arranged following completion of the classroom workshops. Each participant will submit four audio recordings of goal directed Motivational Interviewing conversations, each with a minimum duration of 25 minutes. Each mentoring session will include: A collaborative review of recorded practice conversations using the MITI 4.2.1 framework. Structured feedback on both the relational and technical components of Motivational Interviewing. Discussion of behavioural observations and global ratings to support reflective learning. Recognition of strengths and progress alongside opportunities for continued development. Agreed practice goals and personalised learning activities to support continued development between mentoring sessions. Particular emphasis will be placed on strengthening empathy, partnership, cultivating change talk, softening sustain talk and enhancing overall proficiency in Motivational Interviewing. Learning, Feedback and Completion The mentoring process is designed to support professional learning rather than assess performance. Recorded conversations provide opportunities for detailed, individualised coaching that enables participants to build on existing strengths while identifying practical goals for continued growth. Successful completion of the programme requires: Full attendance at both online classroom workshops. Submission of four recorded goal directed Motivational Interviewing conversations. Active participation in all four individual mentoring sessions. Participants who successfully complete all programme requirements will receive a Certificate of Completion. Throughout the programme, participants will be encouraged to engage in deliberate practice between mentoring sessions, integrating feedback into their everyday work and progressively strengthening their confidence, consistency and proficiency in Motivational Interviewing.

Our Motivational Interviewing (MI) workshops are designed for professionals who want to strengthen their ability to support change through skilled, compassionate conversation. Whether you work in mental health, smoking cessation, or substance use services, each programme is tailored to your context and learning goals. Funded training is available for eligible services across Northern Ireland through the Public Health Agency (PHA). At Glenn Hinds Motivation & Coaching Consultants, our MI workshops help professionals develop the confidence and skill to have purposeful, person-centred conversations that make a difference. All workshops are bespoke, adapted to your organisation’s context, service users, and learning needs. Each workshop combines concise theory, demonstration, guided practice, and reflection. Participants explore the Spirit of MI — collaboration, acceptance, compassion, and empowerment — and practise the four processes engaging, focusing, evoking, and planning. Through live exercises, case discussions, and real-play scenarios, learners strengthen their ability to: Build trust and engagement through reflective listening Identify and strengthen motivation for change Respond effectively to ambivalence and resistance Support clients in developing and committing to achievable plans Integrate MI skills into multidisciplinary practice and service delivery By the end of the training, participants understand not only what MI is, but how to use it effectively within their day-to-day roles.