🧭Welcome to the Motivational Interviewing (MI) Course for Everyday People

Free Course by Everything IFS Academy | Therapeutic Modalities Series

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Motivational Interviewing was created by psychologist William R. Miller, whose 1983 article first named it, and developed into a full method with his co-author Stephen Rollnick, whose partnership carried it from addiction treatment into health care and far beyond. Born in the early 1980s from a finding that surprised an entire field, that empathy outperformed confrontation in helping people change, MI has since become one of the most researched conversation methods in existence, used today by doctors, counselors, coaches, teachers, and parents around the world. Its central insight is simple and quietly radical: people are not talked into change by others; they talk themselves into it, when someone knows how to listen.

This course teaches pure Motivational Interviewing, with no other modalities blended in. It's written in plain, emotionally relatable language anyone can follow, whether you work in the field or have never set foot in a therapy room. It isn't clinical training for therapists; it's MI you can put to use in your own life, in your own conversations, with the people you actually know. Each module offers clear teaching, real-life examples, and the practical tools, techniques, and strategies MI is known for, and every lesson ends with a simple practice so you can begin using the skill right away.

This course is self-paced, with no tests, exams, or homework. Feel free to go through it in order, or jump around to whatever interests you most.

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Course outline

Click any lesson below to begin.

Orientation

Module 1 — What Is Motivational Interviewing?

Module 2 — Who Are William Miller and Stephen Rollnick?

Module 3 — The Spirit of MI

Core Teachings

Module 4 — Ambivalence and the Righting Reflex

Module 5 — The Four Processes of MI

Module 6 — Open Questions

Module 7 — Affirmations

Module 8 — Reflective Listening

Module 9 — Complex Reflections

Module 10 — Summaries

Module 11 — Agenda Mapping and Finding a Focus

Module 12 — Change Talk and Sustain Talk

Module 13 — Evoking Change Talk

Module 14 — Responding to Change Talk (EARS)

Module 15 — Responding to Sustain Talk and Discord

Module 16 — Exploring Values and Developing Discrepancy

Module 17 — Elicit-Provide-Elicit Module 18 — Planning and the Change Plan

Closing

Module 19 — Using Motivational Interviewing in Everyday Life

Bonus

Bonus Module — The Stages of Change and How MI Fits

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Disclaimer:

Everything IFS Academy is an independent educational platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the IFS Institute. While we strive for accuracy, errors can occur, and users are encouraged to cross-reference critical information. These courses, lessons, skills, and practices are offered for educational and self-reflection purposes only. They do not constitute therapy, mental health treatment, clinical training, or crisis support, and they should not be used as a substitute for professional mental health care.

Crisis Support: 🚨

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, feel unsafe, feel at risk of harming yourself or someone else, or feel too overwhelmed to safely use self-directed practices, please pause this material and reach out for immediate support. Contact a licensed mental health professional, call or text 988 in the U.S. or Canada, or use your local emergency or crisis resources.