Ever feel stuck when a client says they’re “not ready” or “don’t see the problem”? Motivational Interviewing (MI) is the missing skillset that helps clinicians move beyond resistance, shift the dynamic, and guide clients toward meaningful, self-driven change. In today’s behavioral health landscape—where ambivalence, burnout, and stuck conversations are common—MI offers a proven, compassionate way forward.
This 9.5-hour online self-study course equips behavioral health professionals with the tools and strategies to use MI effectively in practice. Whether you’re new to MI or want to deepen your skillset, this training will help you facilitate change conversations that are more compassionate, collaborative, and impactful.
Hillary Bolter, MSW, LCSW, LCAS, is a seasoned clinician and trainer with over 20 years of experience. A member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) since 2011, Hillary has a gift for making complex concepts easy to understand and apply. Her clinical background spans wilderness therapy, community mental health, trauma, addiction, and veteran services, grounding her teaching in real-world relevance.
Hillary’s teaching approach combines practical tools with deep respect for client autonomy. She emphasizes the spirit of MI—compassion, acceptance, and evocation—while guiding you through MI’s core structure and skills. Through illustrative examples and guided exercises, you’ll build fluency in MI techniques and gain insight into how and when to use them most effectively.
Topics include the foundational theories behind MI, how to recognize and manage the Righting Reflex, strategies for working with precontemplative clients, core communication skills (OARS), recognizing and evoking change talk, and using the four processes of MI—Engaging, Focusing, Evoking, and Planning—to structure effective, person-centered conversations.
Key Takeaways:
Master MI core skills: Learn to confidently use OARS (Open-ended questions, Affirmations, Reflections, and Summaries) to build connection and spark motivation.
Respond to resistance with confidence: Shift from persuasion to collaboration using MI-consistent responses that reduce discord and increase readiness.
Guide without pushing: Apply MI’s four processes to help clients clarify goals, resolve ambivalence, and develop sustainable change plans.
Why this course?
Go beyond theory to practice: This training doesn’t just explain what MI is—it shows you how to do it, step by step, in your real clinical setting.
Support clients in meaningful ways: MI is especially effective with clients who are unsure, ambivalent, or resistant—exactly the kinds of situations that challenge most clinicians.
Train with a nationally recognized expert: Hillary Bolter delivers engaging, practical instruction backed by deep clinical experience and years of MI training.
Learning Objectives
Identify the theoretical basis, history, and research basis of MI
Apply the MI spirit with clients: compassion, autonomy, evoking, and collaboration
Identify the Righting Reflex & Roadblocks to communication, & apply methods for working with clients in Precontemplation stage
Demonstrate MI core communication skills (OARS: Open Ended questions, Affirmations, Reflections, Summaries)
Describe and apply skills in each of the 4 processes of MI: Engagement, Focusing, Evoking, and Planning
Identify Change Talk and 5 methods for evoking Change Talk
Join us to deepen your ability to create space for change in your clients’ lives. This course invites you to move from fixing and advising to truly partnering—offering a clinical approach that’s as respectful as it is effective.
Add this course to your cart to begin learning instantly.
This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Instruction consists of 9.5 hours of video instruction and a post-test.
The Motivational Interviewing Training Certificate (MITC) will become available to participants who complete the full training content (recorded videos), complete and pass a post-test (you may retake it if needed), submit the program evaluation, and claim the certificate of completion indicating CEs.
Availability: From the time of registration, you have six months to access the coursework.
Who Should Attend: This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.
Teaching Methods: This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.
How to Attend: Instructions for attending and completing a course can be found here.
Hillary Bolter, MSW, LCSW, LCAS
Hillary Bolter has been a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) since 2011. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker & Addiction Therapist, and absolutely delights in helping individuals, groups, and organizations learn the essential skills of Motivational Interviewing. Hillary has worked as a helping professional for 20 years, ranging from working in wilderness therapy to community mental health, providing in-home & school based services, and as a therapist with specialties including working with anxiety, trauma, addiction, and veterans.
You can find Hillary here and here.
Disclosure Statement: The instructor for this course receive compensation for their services. There are no reported conflicts of interest to disclose.
Credit Hours: This course consists of 9.5 continuing education hours of credit.
Counselors:
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Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No, 6693. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Mental Health Counselors. #MHC-0048.
Marriage and Family Therapists: Many MFT licensing boards accept our courses or one of the approvals which we have from professional associations. You can check with your board to determine if your licensing board would accept this course.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0135, effective May 8, 2025.
Social Workers:
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Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 05/02/2024 – 05/02/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 9.5 clinical continuing education credits.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Social Workers #SW-0435.
Addiction Professionals:
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This course has been approved by Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits, effective 7/31/2024. NAADAC Provider #193104, Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is responsible for all aspects of the programming.
Psychologists:
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Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Psychologists #PSY-0128.
Art Therapists: Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0093.
Other Professionals: This course qualifies for 570 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations. Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.
This is a non-interactive, self-study course.
