Program Overview

Certificate of Advanced Studies Motivational Interviewing

The Certificate of Advanced Studies Motivational Interviewing is a continuing education program conducted under the auspices of the Faculty of Psychology. This program provides solution-oriented and practice-proven behaviors and competencies that enable and actively promote change processes. It employs communication strategies that specifically promote motivation and utilize the resistance of complex-motivated individuals for behavioral changes.

Program Objective

The objective of this one-year continuing education program is to build and consolidate the professional and personal competence for sustainably initiating, promoting, and realizing behavioral changes in various clinical settings. The program focuses on the participating professional with their professional and personal development process. They experience the therapeutic effect on themselves and learn to understand the theory from their own experience and apply it in clinical work. The combination of theory, practical exercises, self-experience, and supervision supports a practice-oriented and sustainable learning process.

Motivational Interviewing

Motivation is considered a crucial factor in changing problem behavior. Motivational Interviewing (MI) is the most effective and effective procedure for promoting change motivation and sustainable behavioral change. Developed by psychologists William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnick, this concept was originally designed for counseling people with substance use disorders and is now successfully used for various problem behaviors, as well as in the treatment of mental disorders and somatic diseases.

Key Aspects of Motivational Interviewing

• Motivational Interviewing is a humanistic and directive treatment approach aimed at enabling behavioral change by exploring and overcoming ambivalence.
• It is based on the principles of the person-centered approach by Carl Rogers, which assumes that people strive for self-responsibility and development, and changes are enabled in the context of an accepting, appreciative, empathetic, and congruent therapeutic relationship.
• The reasons for problematic behavior are discussed with the person's possibilities and goals, and existing change resources are identified and utilized for behavioral changes.
• This approach reaches people who show little or no willingness to change their behavior and is also effective when only limited time is available.
• Motivational Interviewing takes into account that different approaches are necessary depending on the stage of change to achieve behavioral change, without resorting to confrontational approaches.
• The effectiveness of this method has been proven in many scientific studies on various clinical problem behaviors, populations, and settings.

Informationsveranstaltung CAS MI

Information events for the CAS MI program are held in May and September. The next event will take place on September 17, 2025, from 18 to 19 hours via Zoom.

Program Details

• The program is designed to provide participants with the skills and knowledge necessary for motivational interviewing.
• It covers the theoretical foundations of motivational interviewing, as well as practical exercises and self-experience.
• The program is aimed at professionals who work in clinical settings and want to acquire the skills for motivational interviewing.
• The program duration is one year, and it is conducted under the auspices of the Faculty of Psychology.