Learn how to lead impactful conversations and motivate your clients to commit to change on this Motivational Interviewing training course.
2,198 Reviews
Master the art of collaborative communication and strengthen your clients’ internal motivation and commitment to a specific goal.
CPD
Online
2-4 weeks
Motivational interviewing is a client-centred, goal-driven communication approach proven to support meaningful and lasting behaviour change, especially in the context of health and fitness.
As one of the most researched and evidence-based methods for facilitating change, motivational interviewing allows professionals to guide clients through ambivalence and toward positive action.
This practical and accessible course equips you with the core knowledge and skills needed to apply motivational interviewing in your everyday work. Whether you’re a personal trainer, health coach, or involved in more specialised roles such as exercise referral, this motivational interviewing training will elevate the quality of your client interactions.
By the end of the course, you’ll be able to:
If you’re driven to create meaningful connections and spark real change through your client conversations, this Motivational Interviewing training course is the next step that will take your practice to the next level.
The course is designed for those working in health, fitness, or wellbeing roles.
It is also open to any students wishing to learn more about motivational interviewing.
You must be 18 and over to enrol on this course.
There are no formal entry requirements, as it is designed as a Continuing Professional Development (CPD). However, you must have an active interest in the subject area, and it’s recommended to have a qualification in the health and fitness industry to support your studies.
This course is fully endorsed by YMCA Awards, the UK’s leading fitness industry awarding organisation.
This course is also endorsed by CIMSPA, and is mapped against the Working with People with Long-Term Conditions (LTC) professional standard. On successful completion of this course, you’ll receive 10 CIMSPA CPD points.
This comprehensive, industry-leading course has been developed by a team of expert behaviour change specialists and experienced motivational interviewing trainers. It’s designed to provide you with a high-quality online learning experience that is relevant, practical, and tailored to your specific role, whether you work in fitness, health coaching, or clinical exercise settings.
Through a structured online platform, you’ll engage with a variety of interactive and evidence-based learning materials, including expert-led video lectures, practical demonstrations, reading materials, and reflective activities. You’ll also receive coaching advice on how to apply motivational interviewing to your professional role.
You’ll gain a deep understanding of the core principles of motivational interviewing, along with practical strategies and techniques to integrate it effectively into your client interactions. This will help you guide behaviour change with greater confidence and impact.
The course is structured into the following 9 units:
This is a flexible, self-paced course. While you can progress at your own speed, we recommend dedicating around 5 hours per week over 2–4 weeks to complete the content and practice the skills effectively.
To successfully complete the Motivational Interviewing training course, you’ll be assessed through a reflective journal and theory exam. These assessments are designed to help you reflect on your development and demonstrate your motivational interviewing knowledge.
Throughout this Motivational Interviewing training course, you’ll be required to complete a reflective journal, which is designed to broaden and deepen your understanding of the practice and the techniques that are presented. Most of the activities in the reflective journal will take you less than 10 minutes to complete, although some are a little longer. To get the most out of this training, you must engage fully with these activities so that you grow in knowledge and skill as a motivational interviewer.
Once you have completed the eLearning, online lectures, training videos, and reflective journal, you’ll be required to complete a short, interactive and multiple-choice theory assessment online. This assessment will measure your knowledge and understanding of the techniques that you have learned, and many of the questions are scenario-based where you need to be able to recognise how to apply techniques effectively.
There are no practical assessments for this course.
While this Motivational Interviewing training course isn’t tied to a specific occupational role within the health and fitness industry, it equips professionals with versatile communication skills that enhance client support across a range of settings. By learning how to facilitate meaningful conversations and guide clients through behaviour change, practitioners can elevate the quality and impact of their services.
This training is especially valuable for personal trainers who support clients with their health, fitness, and overall wellbeing, as well as nutrition coaches helping individuals adopt and maintain healthier eating habits. Professionals involved in exercise referral schemes or working as health coaches will also benefit greatly, as motivational interviewing can improve client engagement, adherence, and long-term outcomes. Whether you work one-on-one or in group settings, these motivational interviewing techniques can help you build stronger relationships and foster lasting change in those you support.
Our graduates have gone on to work with world-leading health, fitness and wellbeing brands.
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