Lesson series

Motivational Interviewing for Health and Wellness Coaches

Motivational Interviewing is not just a communication style, it's a 'way of being' with clients. This course reviews the basic skills & tasks of MI, but also how to move past the head knowledge to incorporate it naturally into your own coaching style.
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What's included?

As Drs. Miller and Rollnick say, "MI is simple, but it's not easy!" Most coaches learn about Motivational Interviewing in their coach training, but many don't learn to use it skillfully. Beginners often get hung up on doing MI "right" instead of incorporating it seamlessly into their way of being with clients. This course will help you integrate MI naturally into your daily coaching practice for best client experience and results. 

Learn at your own pace

Each module contains self-paced video lessons with pdf notes and learning activities. We suggest that you plan to practice what you've learned with your clients, friends or family after each module to implement your learning.

Assignments

The course content takes about 8 hours to complete, plus there are 2 hours of live practice sessions. The course is approved by the NBHWC for 10 CEs toward your recertification.
(CE-000077-1)

Become a better coach

Build your skills in our engaging learning system! Includes short video lessons along with examples, simulations, reflections, practice exercises and pdf workbook pages you can print and compile into your own notebook as a permanent reference.

Practice with others

The program includes 2 structured one-hour practice sessions that provide you a safe place to practice your MI skills with the instructor & other students, with feedback to facilitate your skill growth. These are currently held at 6pm ET on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month.

Student Community

Internal discussion board lets you share your learnings and feedback with other students. A course community allows you to ask questions, encourage each other, share additional resources, and connect with a practice buddy if desired. You may even make some new friends along the way!

Ongoing Support

Students retain access to the course indefinitely and can review the contents as desired after course completion. They are also welcome to participate in additional practice sessions at no additional cost for ongoing development and refining of MI skills. Just register for upcoming sessions you want to attend. 

Course Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the coach will be able to:
  • Explain the key concepts and principles in Motivational Interviewing.
  • Skillfully elicit change talk from clients using the core MI skills (OARS)
  • Assist clients to resolve their own ambivalence so they can move forward toward their chosen health or wellness goal.
  • Demonstrate reflective listening to build rapport and draw out the client's own perspective, motivations for change, and goals.
  • Share information and advice in an MI-consistent manner that honors the client's autonomy.
  • Utilize the 4 Tasks of MI to guide clients to their chosen outcomes.

Student Feedback on Anonymous Post-Course
Survey 

Thank you so much for providing these videos AND making them so affordable to us! I found this to be extremely helpful for me in expanding my MI skills.
This is the best CEU class I have taken. Highly organized, good curriculum & breaks down complicated info into digestible lessons.

I enjoyed taking the course and although I'm officially finished, I do plan on joining one or two of the live calls.

Frequently asked questions

When are the live practice sessions held?

Participation in two one-hour live practice sessions are required to complete the course. One is to practice reflective listening, and that is held on the first Tuesday of each month at 6p ET. The other is to practice evoking change talk and is held on the third Tuesday of each month, also at 6pm ET. I will also offer a 2-hour Saturday morning practice option a couple times per year for students who have difficulty making the Tuesday sessions, schedule TBD. Let me know when you enroll in the course if this is an option that you want to take advantage of.

How long do I have to complete the course?

There is no deadline for completion, but it is suggested to complete the course in 3-6 months so that you don't have long periods of time between modules and lose momentum with your learning and skills practice or forget the prior material. The board approval for the course renews on February 1 of each year, so you have at least until then to complete the course. However, unless there are unforeseen circumstances, I don't plan to discontinue the course in the coming year. You may want to consider your NBHWC renewal period and be sure to complete the course when you need the CE credits, as credits are not issued until the course material and final exam have been completed. (This is not a course you can complete in a weekend to fulfill a last minute CE need.)

Will I have access to the material after I complete the course?

Yes! You will have access to all the material for as long as I offer the course (indefinitely). Also, you will have the option to participate in additional practice sessions, even after you complete the course. There are no CEs attached to additional practices, but I recognize that Motivational Interviewing is a skill that is grown over time with practice and feedback, so you are welcome to participate on an ongoing basis if you desire to do so, at no additional cost.

Course Lessons

Meet the instructor

Tamara Golden

Tamara Golden RN, HNB-BC, NBC-HWC, WHE has been a RN for 36 years and earned her certification as a Health and Wellness coach with Wellcoaches in 2009. She has over 15 years of health and wellness coaching experience in an employee wellness setting as well as private practice. She has also trained dozens of coaches, nurses and medical providers in motivational interviewing skills for a leading nationwide corporate health & wellness company for more than a decade. Tamara has been a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach since 2017. 
Patrick Jones - Course author
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