Alert
(Visible only for enrolled users)
“Dear friend Welcome,
We strongly recommend taking a moment to carefully review this page prior to diving into the eLearning module. By scrolling to the end, you’ll find a detailed list of the topics, lessons and enrollment details”
Module Developer Team
Inside the module
Before You Begin
Completing this primer requires dedicated time, undivided attention, and concentrated reading. These modules assume foundational knowledge in the subject area and build on existing clinical understanding. Please ensure you are prepared and review the information below before enrolment
🔍 Quiz Monitoring Enabled:
The quiz is monitored using ProctoPress 🔐 – Exam Proctoring for LMS. Webcam, microphone, and screen activity are recorded during the attempt.
Why the self-learning module on MI?
Motivational Interviewing stands as an evidence-based approach that transforms how we support individuals with Substance Use Disorder (SUD). At its core, this method creates a collaborative discussion for patients/clients to explore their complex feelings about change, helping them chart their own path toward recovery.
Healthcare providers who use Motivational Interviewing become guides in the person to behavior change and journey to wellness. Through this approach, doctors, nurses, counselors, and educators learn to spark genuine, meaningful conversations that kindle their patients’ internal motivation for change.
The provider creates an environment of trust and understanding where collaborative dialogue flourishes naturally. By mastering these techniques, you’ll enhance your ability to:
- Connect with patients, building rapport that strengthens the therapeutic alliance
- Navigate sensitive conversations with confidence and cultural awareness
- Support patients in discovering their own motivations and strategies for positive change
The skills you develop here will not only improve treatment outcomes but also bring greater satisfaction and meaning to your practice.
📝 Instructional Design 📝
Before going further to the module, please review the details about Accreditation for this Certificate Module.
| Certificate Module name | Primer on Motivational Interviewing |
| Learning Level | Intermediate |
| Target Audience | Best suited for healthcare providers (psychiatrists, medical doctors, psychologists, counselors, nurses). Learners who have no clinical experience or are not in a clinical position may find that the course material is not tailored to them |
| Module Aim | To equip workers with knowledge of the key components of Motivational Interviewing in substance use disorders |
| Module objectives | 1. Explain the stages of motivation change. 2. Discuss the fundamental principles of Motivational Interviewing. 3. Identify the Spirit of MI, such as Partnership, Acceptance, Compassion, and Evocation. 4. Demonstrate core Motivational Interviewing communication skills, such as Open-ended questioning, Affirmation, Reflective listening, and Summarizing. 5. Understand and differentiate sustain and change talk as well as ways to reinforce and strengthen Change talk. 6. Develop a change plan as per the Stages of Motivation.. |
| Design | Four Lessons Each lesson has 3 topics and one quiz Each Topic include a “written description,” a “didactic presentation,” a “recorded video,” and “engaging questions“ One needs to complete each lesson and topic and successfully pass the quiz (>80%) to go to the next lesson. |
| Duration | 6-8 hrs To be completed within one month of enrollment |
| Professional Development Certificate | On completion of all lessons, topics, and quizzes successfully (>80% score), you can download an “e-certificate of Achievement” with score. |
| Suggested Citation | NIMHANS eLearning, Centre for Addiction Medicine, and NIMHANS Digital Academy. Primer on Relapse Prevention in SUD, Bangalore, India. Available from https://nimhanselearning.org/courses/primer-on-motivational-interviewing/ |
| Copyright Information | This license requires that reusers give credit to the creator. It allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for non-commercial purpose only. Primer on Motivational Interviewing © 2024 by Virtual Knowledge Network, Centre for Addiction Medicine & NIMHANS Digital Academy is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0     |
| First Edition 1.0 2nd Update 2.0 | January 2024 December 2024 |
| Connect us | vk*@********ns.in |
| Certificate contributions/fees | 600 INR + 18% GST = 708 INR payable to NIMHANS (excluding charges of payment gateway). The fee to NIMHANS is Non-refundable. Details |
| Thank you | Your contribution to NIMHANS helps us maintain and improve the learning platform that hosts this module. This goes directly toward keeping our systems secure, reliable, and up-to-date for all learners. We want to be transparent: the experts who developed this have volunteered their time and expertise, receiving no payment. They share our commitment to making quality education accessible to healthcare professionals across India. |
| FAQs | 1. Recognition status: This is a professional development certification online module from the Centre for Addiction Medicine & NIMHANS Digital Academy and NOT an accredited Course. 2. Certificate of Completion: Completion of all Quiz (for lessons 1,2,3, and 4) with score >80%. One can avail of three attempts to complete. You can download the “e-Certificate of Completion.” after successful completion |
| Designed and Developed at VKN Centre for Addiction Medicine NIMHANS | About us |
Generative AI tools were used in the preparation of this content. All materials have been reviewed and validated by subject matter experts before inclusion.
What This Primer IS and IS NOT
Clear expectations for optimal learning experience
This Primer IS:
This Primer IS NOT:
💡 Remember: This primer provides the theoretical foundation. To develop practical MI skills, you’ll need additional hands-on training, supervision, and clinical practice opportunities.
How to Enroll?
How to Enroll
Step 1: Register an Account
Click ‘Log In’ to open the registration popup. Complete the ‘Register an Account’ form with your details. Use your correct name as it will appear on your final certificate.
Register HereStep 2: Make Payment
Click ‘Take the Course’ to proceed with payment (₹354). Use the same email ID and mobile number you’ll use to access the course.
Make PaymentStep 3: Share Receipt
After payment completion, share the payment receipt (screenshot) to vk*@********ns.in.
Send ReceiptStep 4: Access Course
Within 24 hours, you’ll receive enrollment details from NIMHANS eLearning via email.
Start CourseCertification of Completion
.
📱 Addiction Rx App - Free clinical decision support for addiction care
Download: Addiction Rx App
The training program is well-structured, highly informative, and insightful. I feel more knowledgeable and confident to engage clients effectively and helps them better navigate through their path towards positive change. I highly recommend this training to anyone looking forward to enhance their counseling skills.
Great experience .I am overwhelmed with all the interactive classes by our teachers.
-Each and every module is well planned
– Proper way to deliver the lectures
– Much more better than zoom classes..
-NIMHANS teachers/team prove that self paced learning can be the one of best way of teaching also.
-Teachers are best .
Nowadays, all Tom, Dick, and Harry, are Motivational Speakers. They don’t have any practical training. It’s ok for them because they are talking to the public. When it comes to Mental Health Practitioners, thorough training is needed. That’s what NIMHANS provides thorough this M I course. As a psychologist and therapist, I found it extremely helpful. I congratulate the team and looking forward for other such courses,
A humble student
Concept of helping someone to find his intrinsic motivation, resolve ambivalence, improve self efficacy by making him change his talk is simply amazing. This course elaboratively gives everything needed to develop the skill of motivational interviewing.
I thoroughly enjoyed the course. This is a well-designed course, and it’s so evident that a lot of effort has been put into its preparation. Thanks to the entire team behind.
I will suggest to others to attend this course those who are in school & college as counselors.This course is more informative and easily understood for every one . please provide key to every quiz after submition to improve our knowledge , thank you
I found the self learning course very useful not only for addictions but otherwise too for behavioral changes. However the course could have included more case studies and asking the student to use the skills MI at the end of the sections. though there a few questions at the end of the sections few more could be included. The answers for the quiz should be provided after the third attempt so that we know where we were going wrong.
On the whole thoroughly enjoyed learning the course!
The learning experience is awesome. Can include more videos in each lessons.
A really good and strong starter into MI. I feel much more confident to manage clients who come for substance/behavioral addiction related concerns.
I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciations to the developers of this course. it is really helpful for people who have physical barriers to learning. the module is comprehensive and made me more confident with my counselling practices. Before this course, I was not aware that therapy is taught so well in India too. I would be looking forward to more such courses in future. Thank you so much!
Heartily appreciate and thank the team behind designing this course. Especially thankful for sharing the two role plays, they were so helpful in putting all the theory into practice. Recommend this to students and practitioners alike!
Self learning mode is designed well with wonderful video explanation, and the topics are covered with precised explanation. I thank the team for the effort in bringing up course like this and also thank the team for support they provide
This Preparatory programme on Motivational Interviewing is self-explanatory and manifests itself by lessons well equipped with videos and presentations. Much more commendable is the follow-up doubt clearing sessions. We are extremely grateful for the initiative by NIMHANS and Bajaj Electrical foundation to reach the professionals worldwide through digital medium and I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to each member of the team for their dedicated effort and time to make this a success.
Dr Prabhat Chand and team,
I would like to heartily appreciate for this initiative of E-learning educational venture.
I thoroughly enjoyed the E-learning at my own pace though of-course with a deadline to complete the Primer on MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING.
I found the content very relevant, informative, easy to understand with the quizzes, real-time examples, ppts and other supporting videos related to the content.
I have definitely developed more insights in Motivational interviewing through this Primer.
Keep up the great work.
Gratitude and Regards
Shashi Porumamilla christopher
Very comprehensive course.As I am a Pediatrician, & we are dealing with middle & late adoscent kids who are in precontemplation stage with SUD, but this course has really made me skilled enough to take interview of these kids,Although treatment plan was not here BUT VIDEOS OF Counseling session especially OF counsellor AMIT & college student VARUN perfectly did their acting. I learnt from the video THE ROLE OF TEHRAPIST lies in PATIENCE &PASSIVE LISTENING .
It was good experience, basic points in MI how to start, how to build rapport, how to build trust, how to push patients from pre contemplation to next level and patients remain in drug free stat that was very well explained. These kind of courses very important to enhance knowledge and learning. My experience was very good.
Very informative and useful. Being a medical officer at OST Center Surat new civil hospital It helps me a lot dealing my patients. This course enriched my knowledge in counseling style. Must do course for every clinician. The ppts flash cards video lectures all materials help In understanding the topics thoroughly. I request to make the material downloadable if possible. MCQ Quiz at the end of each module is of very good standard. It checks your understanding very well. Thanks NIMHANS Bengaluru, Dr Prabhat Sir and whole team for giving us an opportunity to get such an excellent course.
This course on MI and its integration with TTM is an invaluable resource for enhancing both knowledge and skills in counselling therapy. The course adeptly elucidated MI foundational principles and equips the learner with the theoretical underpinnings and practical applications of Motivational interviewing.
The course on MI covers the concepts of MI very well – as a process of communication to achieve motivation to introspect and change behaviour, with a patient of SUD and to continue and stabilize the behavioral change as well.
WITH OPTION OF EXAM AT END OF EACH MODULE MY LAZY SOUL ALSO SPENT QUALITY TIME AND FULL CONCENTRATION IN EACH MODULE
This is an exceptional, enlightening, & easy to understand course that is advantageous not only for psychologist but for everyone aspiring to work in this field. Thank you so much NIMHANS for offering such courses.
This self-paced e-learning module motivates and engages even the unfocused learners who are lost to digital distraction, and multitasking demands of modern life with little room to focus on learning. The structured course reflects the quantity and quality of the learner’s participation for each topic and limits premature access to the next chapter till marked completed followed by the quiz attempt. The reading materials, didactics PPTs, case scenarios, videos, podcasts, and graphics add fun to learning . In a few topics, there is duplication of content shared through didactic, and written text. The case scenarios and videos could simplify and facilitate learning if structured with culturally relevant issues of substance use. Gratitude to the VKN-NIMHANS Team for allowing me to participate and learn motivational interviewing skills a valuable tool with huge potential in my professional and personal life.
The course provides a comprehensive knowledge of the Motivational Interviewing technique and is very well-structured. The practical examples of counsellor-client conversations and role-play videos enabled deeper understanding of the different stages of interaction and the correct vs incorrect mode of engagement with the client/counsellee. The quizzes were very useful in testing the conceptual understanding.
So much grateful to Dr.Parvat and team for this insightful learning experience in Motivational Interviewing course .The course truly ignited a genuine desire and knowledge to help people reach their goal towards a particular behavioural change.The MI course beautifully demonstrates the key principles to help client resolve ambivalence by evoking their own intrinsic motivation for change. All the materials provided are beneficial and helped me to understand the process better. Looking forward to learning more with such beautifully crafted courses with excellent content in future .Thank you
The Course provides a well researched and pointed details on MI techniques
One of the core aspect of managing clients with addiction is the mastery over motivational interviewing skill.This primer in a very concise yet is designed in systemetic,well organised and easily understandable way for the learners of various levels of expertise and makes a genuine attempt in cultivating this core skill in managing clients with SUD specifically and any client in general.
Congratulations to the team for developing this primer and lots of thanks for giving me this opportunity to learn and enhance my skills.
It was wonderfully tailored module for the learners and for the mental health professionals. Thank for the opportunity to gain knowledge through NIMHANS. The correspondence through mail were very prompt and cooperative. Thank you for the support. If possible the course notes and PPTs could be sent to the participants.
I found the course quite beneficial. The modules were user friendly and clear, examples shared through text and video formats were very helpful. The entire course consists of materials which you can readily use for practice.
I never felt tired even though I was continuously sitting for more than 2 hours. It acted as a need for my progress. motivational interviewing will be able to make a vast change in all the patients if applied in the right manner as explained in this well-organized and planned course. thank you so much for the participation opportunity. I would be happy to have many such courses by NIMHANS in the future.
The course covers all practical aspects of Motivational Interviewing in very easily understandable language. Anyone with a basic understating of SUD will grasp the methods with ease. Thanks a lot NIMHANS for providing yet another easy way to learn such a useful and practical therapy method. Looking forward for more courses to learn ✌
It is a well planned course, with interactive material, videos and good quality content and material which is very helpful in interacting with patients in enchancing their motivation. Highly recommend
Very well planned & organised course.
The team has made sure that we learn & relearn at every stage via different modalities like simple & brief text, slides, audios, videos. Whatever makes us learn.
I shall be trying to apply it more & more until it becomes my way of life.
Thanks for this opportunity 🙂
I recently took up a course on tobacco cessation and realised the importance of MI as an important tool to help clients quit tobacco. The course on MI by NIMHANS is very timely in sharpening the very skill they teach and helps us learn in a manner that has the right balance of theory and practice. The instruction style is likely to suit varied learning styles and the content is very rich and easy to master. NIMHANS has been doing a great job in making difficult things simpler. So go for it!
The course was very informative and insightful. However requesting the team to give the contentnofnthd course in a pdf format.
Motivational interviewing is one skill that most of the counsellors or therapists must have in their quiver. This course has all the tools that are needed to have a basic understanding of the concept and applications of MI. This knowledge was helpful for me to broaden my understanding of the concept and to integrate it into my research. Very meticulously designed course that takes you to a journey while educating you to the basic nuances of this technique. Satisfied with the approach and outcomes. Thank you to NIMHANS team for this course.
The content is as usual top notch (hallmark of NIMHANS) ! This course is a must do and should be in the bucket list of every clinician. MI has a practical role not just in substance use or psychiatry, but in all medical illnesses. Very comprehensive and engaging course with lots of learning materials and videos, including practical examples. I would suggest to reduce passing criteria a little as MCQ tests are of very good standard. Also, kindly make the learning materials downloadable (if possible) or give participants a long term access. Kudos to the whole team for such a course and best wishes to all participants !
The educational material is a nice balance of theoretical knowledge and practical real life simulations through the videos . Incorporation of theory into practice is a welcome step in this module.
The course was quite informative and practice oriented.
This course on Motivational Interviewing is thorough and makes sure that the foundation of MI is understood by all. The reading materials, podcasts, videos as well as the role plays work together to make the learning experience a pleasant one.
This course is a complete pack of knowledge, blended with practical applications imparted through role plays, videos, presentations, podcast !
Course is crisp , short yet highly informative
Videos and role-play are so catchy , it made me understand concepts easily .
Most recommended to counsellors .
Thanks to the NIMHANS Team for bringing such a wonderful course covering fundamentals to advanced strategies for MI. The trainers demonstrated a mastery of Motivational Interviewing techniques. Each module is organized with PPT, videos, and Quizs, and is well enough to understand the content for a self-learner. I feel that it is a Game-Changer in my communication skills both professionally and personally. Also, some role play was funny(Indeed required for e-learning)and attentive. I enjoyed it.
This is an extremely useful course for not only psychiatrists but also for anyone interested in directing a person ambiguous about change. We find ourselves having to deal with people of varying ages and MI helps us to facilitate change. The course materials include visual, auditory, reading and Kinaesthetic ways of making the subject interesting. There are videos, role play, reference material, formative and summative assessments to aid learning. The concepts have been repeated to reinforce the theory. The audios could be better. This is a wonderful course for me who has been in psychiatry for 25 years. I feel confident about using it. I have already started applying it in my practice.
The other courses can be short courses in psychotherapy, autism, developmental disorders.
Primer on motivational interviewing is comprehensive and informative. The ppts,videos, lectures,notes all help me to learn and understand the concept easily.
If the primer is so informative and interesting I am eagerly waiting for the main course.
Other topics may also be included as course topics like adolescent health, disruptive behaviour of children and many more.
It is a transformative course that navigates the intricate art of motivational intervening with finesse. As an eager participant, I delved into a well-structured curriculum designed to unravel the layers of effective communication and engagement.
The course seamlessly blends theory with practical application, offering a holistic understanding of motivational interviewing’s principles and techniques. Expertly crafted modules guided me through the nuances of empathetic listening, eliciting change talk and fostering intrinsic motivation within individuals.
The instructors, equipped with profound expertise and an infectious passion for the subject, fostered an interactive and supportive learning environment. The PPTs, content, flashcards, and video lectures help in understanding the topic to its core. Finally, the quiz, containing MCQs and MSQs, at the end of every module checks your understanding.
Overall, the primer on ‘Motivational Interviewing’ is an indispensable resource for students/professionals seeking to enhance their communication skills and empower individuals to positive change. NIMHANS, Bengaluru, has crafted a gem of a course that not only educates but also inspires and equips individuals with the tools to make a genuine difference in people’s lives.
The information given is very beneficial. More activities can be included in the material section similar to those given in the material/reading section.
You must log in and have started this module to submit a review.
It was really a wonderful journey of learning with NIMHANS Digital Academy. This is my second certification course with NDA. I would like to express my deep gratitude to Prabhat Sir and Team for their continuous support, kind listening, and prompt responses throughoutthe course for the technical issues from my end. I have been working as a Consultant Psychologist since last 25 years. My initial posting at the age of 24 was with a Deaddiction Centre at a reputed hospital. When I am looking back, after completing the two courses, especially Primer in Motivational Interviewing, I realize that I could do better for my clients. The primer MI was an excellent course, which enabled me to perform better with my clients. All the approaches, skills, and principles described in the module are certainly useful not only in Deaddiction field but also in general counselling sessions too. Thank you very much to the team who designed this course in an excellent way. Looking forward to doing more courses with NDA on General Counselling,CBT and Marital Counselling areas.