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Motivational Interviewing Skills Boot Camp
Change Is Hard
Helping people change isn’t just challenging—it can be exhausting, discouraging, and even disheartening.
You offer thoughtful suggestions. You share research and examples. You bring encouragement, options, and stories of success. Yet the person across from you hesitates, pushes back, or nods politely—and nothing changes.
It’s not because they don’t care. And it’s not because you’re doing it wrong.
It’s because the way most of us have been taught to “help” often works against how real change actually happens.
When your conversations stall, it drains energy, undermines confidence, and can quietly erode relationships. The frustration lingers long after the talk ends. You replay what you said—or didn’t say. You wish you’d found a better way to connect. Meanwhile, the momentum you hoped for slips away.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Is Helping People Change Leaving You Drained, Discouraged, and Wondering If You’re Making a Difference?
Sometimes it starts with a sigh. Or a shrug. Or the same “yes, but…” you’ve heard a dozen times before.
You back off to avoid pushing—then feel like you’ve given up too soon.
You press harder—only to meet resistance, defensiveness, or polite disengagement.
You try to find the perfect words, the right timing, the magic example.
Sometimes it works. For a moment. But the old pattern creeps back. The motivation fades. The conversation circles the same ground. Or a new barrier pops up, stronger than the last. You walk away replaying every word, wondering what you missed—or whether the effort is worth it.
Meanwhile, the real opportunity gets buried under ambivalence, half-hearted agreements, or change plans that never get off the page. You wonder why it’s so hard to get people to move forward—why even sincere conversations stall before they start. You’re not imagining it.
Change is one of the hardest challenges of human behavior.
You’re not failing—you’re facing the reality that no amount of good advice can replace the need for a person’s own reasons and readiness to act.
But when you keep relying on the old approach, it shapes how you show up, how you connect, and how much influence you really have.
What if conversations about change weren’t something to push through or tiptoe around—but a way to spark action and build trust at the same time?
The Strategies You’ve Tried Before That Haven’t Worked
You’ve tried asking more questions.
You’ve listened patiently, waited for the right moment, and offered your suggestions gently.
Maybe you’ve brought research, success stories, or a list of options you thought would inspire action. You’ve encouraged, reassured, and even stepped back to give space—hoping they’d come around on their own.
And sometimes, it seemed to help: the conversation felt more open, they agreed something needed to change, maybe even committed to a plan. But then the pattern repeated—progress slowed, motivation faded, or the same barriers reappeared in a new form.
And the so-called “solution”? It didn’t stick.
That’s the real challenge with change conversations. It’s not just about getting someone to agree with you in the moment—it’s about helping them connect with their own reasons and readiness so that change actually lasts.
Introducing Motivational Interviewing
Motivational Interviewing is an evidence-based approach to help people change behavior…for good…on their own terms and in their own way, the only way that change really “sticks.”
By using motivational interviewing, you help others resolve their ambivalence about change and move beyond “yes, but” to discover their own interest in considering and/or making changes in their lives. Motivational interviewing supports people in expressing their desire for change in their own words (“change talk”). Then, it helps amplify and strengthen that change talk, which ultimately can lead to planning for change and taking action.
Motivational interviewing gives people hope and confidence, and helps them celebrate the small changes that can lead to big rewards.
Why Getting Better at Motivational Interviewing Makes Such a Crucial Difference
Too many people think that stalled change is just a matter of poor willpower—or that it’s a “motivation problem” the other person has to fix themselves. But ineffective change conversations take a toll on you, too.
When you keep running into resistance or apathy, your own energy, focus, and confidence can drain away. You start second-guessing your approach, replaying missed opportunities, or bracing yourself for another unproductive exchange. It’s a quiet kind of stress—but it adds up.
That stress doesn’t just live in your mind. Studies on professional burnout, emotional exhaustion, and chronic workplace stress show that repeated frustrating interactions can keep your nervous system in a heightened state, impairing your ability to regulate emotions, concentrate, and respond with creativity. Over time, this can weaken resilience, erode empathy, and even affect physical health.
In fact, research from fields as diverse as healthcare, counseling, and leadership consistently shows that unresolved friction in change conversations can contribute to higher burnout rates, diminished job satisfaction, and reduced effectiveness—not just for practitioners, but for the people they serve.
But when you learn how to guide conversations in a way that draws out a person’s own motivation, everything changes.
You think more clearly. You listen more deeply. You respond with more precision and purpose.
Instead of lying awake replaying another dead-end conversation or dreading the next one, you end your day knowing you’ve helped someone take a real step forward—because it came from them, not from your pressure.
Introducing the Motivational Interviewing Boot Camp
That’s why we’ve created the Motivational Interviewing Boot Camp—a 14-module, app-based training experience designed to help you go far beyond quick fixes and scripted techniques. You’ll learn how to guide conversations that uncover a person’s own reasons for change and strengthen their commitment—not just for today, but for the long term.
And more than that, you’ll discover how to turn stalled or ambivalent discussions into moments of genuine progress—where you and the other person both walk away with more clarity, more trust, and a shared sense of possibility.
That’s not wishful thinking. It’s exactly what this Boot Camp is built to help you do.
How to Guide Change That Lasts — Without Pushing, Persuading, or Wearing Yourself Out
In just minutes a day for 14 modules, the Motivational Interviewing Boot Camp gives you a structured, science-backed process for helping people move toward change in a way that’s easier, more collaborative, and far more effective than you may have thought possible.
You won’t just “get better at asking questions.”
You’ll learn how to listen for the language of change, respond in ways that strengthen commitment, and keep the conversation moving forward—while honoring the other person’s autonomy and your own values.
This Boot Camp helps you:
Clarify the outcome that really matters—so your conversations have direction without turning into persuasion.
Shift from “I need to convince you” to “we’re exploring your path forward”—transforming resistance into readiness.
Spot what’s already working—no matter how small—and amplify it to build momentum.
Use OARS skills (Open questions, Affirmations, Reflections, Summaries) to deepen engagement and build trust.
Draw out ideas and strategies from the other person so they own the change plan.
Help people mentally rehearse success—and identify the next step that feels doable, not overwhelming.
Whether you work with clients, patients, students, or team members, this process can help you create better outcomes with less struggle—while protecting your energy, strengthening your professional impact, and knowing you’ve made a difference that lasts.
The PACE, OARS, and Tasks Framework
Motivational Interviewing is built around three core pillars: PACE, OARS, and the Four MI Tasks—a practical, structured approach to guiding change conversations in real time.
These aren’t just a set of tips. Together, they form a complete framework that shifts how you think about helping, how you respond in the moment, and how you build change talk that sticks.
PACE defines the spirit you bring to every conversation:
Partnership – working alongside the person as an equal.
Acceptance – honoring their autonomy, worth, and perspective.
Compassion – keeping their best interests at the heart of the conversation.
Evocation – drawing out their own ideas and reasons for change.
OARS gives you the essential skills to bring PACE to life:
Open Questions to invite exploration.
Affirmations to reinforce strengths and progress.
Reflections to deepen understanding and highlight change talk.
Summaries to organize ideas and move toward decisions.
Finally, the Four MI Tasks provide the roadmap for where the conversation goes:
Engaging – building trust and connection.
Focusing – clarifying what matters most.
Evoking – drawing out motivation and readiness.
Planning – moving from ideas into action.
Together, these elements help you:
Stay future-focused instead of recycling frustration about what’s not working.
Spot and amplify moments of motivation, even when they’re small or fleeting.
Turn good intentions into realistic, self-directed next steps.
Build conversations where people feel heard, respected, and empowered to act.
Through PACE, OARS, and the Four Tasks, you stop defaulting to advice-giving or persuasion—and start guiding conversations in ways that reflect the best of who you are as a helper and the strengths of the person you’re supporting.
Faculty
Dr. David Mee-Lee
IWE Co-founder
Clinical Faculty
Dr. Deborah Teplow
IWE Co-founder
Training Director
What People Are Saying About The Motivational Interviewing Boot Camp
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
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Why This Boot Camp Will Do More Than Just Improve Your Conversations — It Will Change the Way You Help People
MI isn’t about memorizing clever responses or following a rigid script. It’s about transforming how you approach the moments that matter—so you can stay collaborative, listen deeply, and guide people toward change while honoring their autonomy.
With values-based Motivational Interviewing, you don’t just “get better at listening.” You reshape conversations so that they become a catalyst for action—conversations where the other person feels respected, engaged, and ready to take their own next step. That shift has measurable, lasting benefits.
Research shows that effective MI skills can:
Protect your professional energy – Staying collaborative instead of confrontational reduces stress and preserves focus for the work that matters most.
Boost cognitive performance – Skilled MI practitioners engage brain regions linked to empathy, regulation, and problem-solving, helping them respond more effectively under pressure.
Strengthen relationships – Conversations grounded in partnership and respect deepen trust and rapport across all settings—from healthcare to coaching to leadership.
Reduce burnout and emotional fatigue – When you stop replaying stalled interactions or worrying about “what to say next,” you reclaim both mental and emotional space.
The PACE, OARS, and Tasks framework helps you build these skills in real time—whether you’re working with clients, patients, students, or colleagues.
Through this Boot Camp, you won’t focus on persuading people to change or overpowering resistance. You’ll learn a wholly different way to approach change conversations—one that protects what matters most: your integrity, the other person’s agency, and the shared goal of meaningful progress.
The ripple effects are real. This process:
Aligns your work with your core values as a helper.
Breaks cycles of pushback, defensiveness, or disengagement.
Builds your trust in your ability to guide change without pressure.
Opens creative, forward-focused dialogue where old patterns stalled progress.
Gives you lived proof that you can create momentum without force.
This isn’t about “getting better at talking to people.” It’s about becoming the kind of professional who brings curiosity, clarity, and compassion to even the most challenging conversations about change.
This Boot Camp is where that begins.
How This Boot Camp Works
This is an immersive experience designed for real conversations with real people—because it focuses on practical application, not abstract theory.
The Motivational Interviewing Boot Camp is a robust, skill-building program that will transform how you see your role in helping others—and how you show up in the moments when change feels stuck.
You’ll walk away with a new sense of yourself: not as someone frustrated by resistance, worn down by stalled progress, or drained from trying to convince people—but as someone who can guide conversations that spark motivation, unlock commitment, and lead to action. You’ll see yourself as grounded, capable, and aligned with what matters to you—able to respond effectively even when conversations get complicated.
And this Boot Camp is designed to make that transformation fast, focused, and sustainable.
Our interactive learning platform is your training hub, where you’ll find all your lessons, activities, and skill-building exercises in one place.
Each module gives you small, manageable steps that fit into your day:
Flashcard-based daily lessons to master each concept in minutes.
Practice quizzes that give immediate feedback on right and wrong answers—so you learn from both.
Audio demonstrations so you can hear skills in action and model them in your own style.
Reflection exercises to assess and strengthen your MI skills.
Examples from real-world scenarios to bridge the gap between learning and doing.
See The Boot Camp In Action
Watch how the Boot Camp’s interactive app delivers MI training in minutes a day. From flashcard lessons to audio demonstrations, practice quizzes, and skill reflections—you’ll see exactly how the platform makes learning practical, engaging, and ready for real-world conversations.
Who Should Enroll?
This Boot Camp is for people who care about making their conversations count—and are tired of exchanges that lead to resistance, polite disengagement, or stalled progress instead of real movement toward change.
It’s for you if you want to be the best version of yourself as a helper—listening more deeply, responding more effectively, and breaking the recurring patterns that leave both you and the other person feeling stuck.
It’s for people like you who want their conversations to reflect mutual respect, shared responsibility, and genuine collaboration.
Whether you’ve felt like you’re repeating the same advice with no results, hitting walls of “yes, but…” responses, or struggling to move from talk to action, this Boot Camp will give you a different way forward—one that honors the other person’s autonomy while increasing your impact.
But this Boot Camp isn’t for everyone.
It isn’t for you if you expect others to change while you keep doing exactly what you’ve always done.
It isn’t for you if you want to avoid any discomfort that comes with real conversations about change—or if you see this work as a way to “win” rather than a way to grow together.
And it isn’t for you if you’re looking for canned scripts to manage or manipulate people instead of skills that engage them meaningfully.
This Boot Camp is for you if you’re ready to lead the change you want to see—one conversation at a time.
Sign Up Now: Start Now, Go at Your Own Pace
Pay in full or use our interest-free payment plan that makes it easy to get the training you need right now.
Regular Tuition
$595
Special Discount for Current IWE Students
$495
Bulk Discount for Agencies