Motivational Interviewing In Action: From Knowing To Doing

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a collaborative, evidence-based approach that supports individuals in navigating ambivalence and initiating meaningful change. This full-day training expands on MI's foundational concepts and introduces strategies for applying MI across diverse sociocultural contexts.

Participants will engage in a dynamic learning experience that includes demonstrations, structured self-assessment, peer dialogue, and iterative skills practice using varied and inclusive client vignettes.

Drawing from the 4th edition of Motivational Interviewing, this session weaves in updated research and emphasizes the importance of cultural humility, responsiveness, and strengths-based engagement.

Attendees will explore how identity, lived experience, and systemic barriers intersect with client motivation, and how MI can be a vehicle for equity-centered practice.

6 CEs are available for NYS LMHCs, LMSWs, LCSWs, LMFTs, LCATs, NYS Licensed Psychologists and NYS Licensed Psychoanalysts upon completion of this training.

Objectives:

Upon completion of the training participants will be able to

-define Motivational Interviewing (MI) and describe its theoretical underpinnings and core processes.

-explain the MI spirit and examine how cultural humility and client-centered values shape its application.

-apply the core skills of MI—open-ended questions, affirmations, reflective listening, and summaries—in scenarios that reflect diverse client identities and experiences.

-recognize and respond to change talk and sustain talk across varying sociocultural contexts.

-develop an MI-informed approach to engagement that considers intersectionality, power dynamics, and systemic influences on behavior change.

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In accordance with the NY State Department of Education guidelines, in order to receive continuing education contact hours, a participant needs to be present for the duration of the workshop/training. Therefore, participants who arrive late or leave the event early will not be granted a certificate of completion.

​Cancellation Policy: Refunds/credits will be provided for cancellations made in writing up to the day before the event.

Accommodations and Accessibility: HVPD welcomes participants with diverse abilities. Please contact us at info@hudsonvalleyprofessionaldevelopment.com to request accessibility accommodations. Accommodation requests are considered in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Jimmy Portner has been a Social Worker in mental health and substance use for 20 years, focusing on advancing Evidence-Based Practices. He is accomplished in Motivational Interviewing (MI), clinical settings, teaching, and research, bringing over a decade of leadership experience in the National MI VA program.

A member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), Jimmy has extensive expertise in the core components of MI, fidelity assessment, and effective delivery methods.

Jimmy is also a certified trainer and provider of Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO-DBT), a treatment targeting emotional overcontrol. Since 2014, he has practiced and taught RO-DBT, specializing in its application to complex, treatment-resistant cases.

For over a decade, Jimmy has been a community lecturer at The Ohio State University’s College of Social Work. His professional interests include the intersection of culture and mental health, social signaling, and innovative approaches to challenging conditions.

Outside of work, Jimmy enjoys time with his wife, a fellow social worker, and their two children. He is dedicated to fostering connection and understanding, balancing leadership and mentoring with his passion for supporting the next generation of social workers.

For the full calendar of upcoming Continuing Education trainings, visit our website: www.hudsonvalleyprofessionaldevelopment.com