Free CPD-Accredited Course Teaches Therapists How to Help Clients Talk Themselves Into Change
Alison has launched a new CPD-accredited course: Motivational Interviewing Skills for Therapists. This free online course teaches the practical conversation skills behind motivational interviewing (MI): building trust, listening reflectively, asking questions that help clients explore their own ambivalence, and guiding people toward change without arguing, lecturing, or pushing an agenda. Reviewed by practising psychologist and content writer Kashmaila Gulzar, the course has no prerequisites and is designed for therapists and counsellors who have sat across from a client who intellectually knows what they should do, but can't seem to move toward doing it.
The course walks learners through MI from the ground up: how to build a collaborative, trust-based relationship with clients, how to recognise and respond to resistance without confrontation, how to identify a client's own reasons for change rather than supplying reasons for them, and how to support clients in building realistic, workable change plans. By the end, learners will be able to hold more productive therapeutic conversations, recognise where a client sits in their own readiness to change, and help clients feel heard, respected, and genuinely motivated rather than instructed.
The Cost of Conversations That Don't Change Behaviour
Ambivalence, not ignorance, is often what keeps clients stuck. Someone struggling with a health condition, a substance use issue, or a difficult life pattern usually already knows what "should" change; what's missing is the internal motivation to act on that knowledge. Traditional advice-giving approaches — telling clients what to do — frequently backfire, triggering defensiveness and disengagement rather than commitment. That gap between insight and action is where many therapeutic conversations stall, and where clients quietly disengage from treatment altogether.
Why Motivational Interviewing Changes Outcomes
Motivational interviewing is one of the most extensively studied counselling approaches in use today, with more than 200 randomized controlled trials examining its effectiveness across substance use disorders, health-promotion behaviours, medical adherence, and mental health treatment. Its core insight is simple but easy to get wrong in practice: people are far more likely to commit to change they've argued for themselves than change that's been argued for them. Learning the specific skills behind that approach — rather than approximating it instinctively — is what separates a conversation that goes in circles from one that moves a client forward.
Mike Feerick, Founder and CEO of Alison, stated: "So much of therapeutic and counselling work comes down to a handful of conversational skills that are rarely taught explicitly. Motivational interviewing has decades of evidence behind it, and we think every therapist and counsellor should have free access to learn it properly."
This launch expands Alison's portfolio of mental health and clinical skills courses, continuing its mission to make high-quality, job-ready training available to learners everywhere, regardless of their background or budget.
To learn more or enrol in the course, visit: alison.com/course/motivational-interviewing-skills-for-therapists
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About Alison
Alison is a global leader in free online learning and skills development. With over 50 million registered learners across 193 countries (as of October 2025), Alison empowers individuals, communities, and organisations to upskill quickly and effectively – at zero cost.
The Alison platform provides immediate access to over 6,000 free, CPD-accredited courses, covering essential areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, Project Management, Business Operations, Healthcare and Sustainability. Courses are created by a mix of independent experts and global leaders, including IBM, Stanford and Microsoft.
For organisations, Alison offers a Free Learning Management System (LMS) that enables unlimited learners to access thousands of courses with no upfront cost. A premium version with advanced analytics and customisation is also available. Alison's offering includes a full suite of assessments and psychometric tools, including a Workplace Personality Assessment, Mental Health & Wellbeing Assessment, English Language Proficiency Test, as well as Numerical, Verbal, and Abstract Reasoning tests.
To further support career development, learners also gain access to a Career Guide, a Resumé Builder, and the ability to study offline through the Alison App. The platform is also expanding its reach with multilingual versions, starting with complete Spanish, French, and Hindi offerings — reaffirming its mission to make education accessible to anyone, anywhere.
Founded in 2007, Alison pioneered the concept of free, large-scale online learning and is recognised as the world’s first MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) platform. Today, its mission continues: to break down barriers to learning, helping people gain skills, build confidence, and improve their lives — no matter where they live or what they earn.
