Turning resistance into a wholehearted "yes"? With motivational interviewing according to Miller and Rollnick, you gain the tools to connect with the other person, explore ambivalence and elicit change talk. Practical, active and directly applicable in your work.
Read the full description of the Motivational Interviewing course
All dates in Amsterdam
None of the dates suitable? In-company takes place on a day of your choosing, and the course also runs in other cities.
Where in Amsterdam
A 19-minute walk from Amsterdam Centraal. A 4-minute walk from the 'Muziekgebouw Bimhuis' tram stop. A 3-minute walk from the 'Piet Heinkade' bus stop.
Very close by (but pricey) - Piet Hein car park
Directly beneath the Muziekgebouw you can park in the Piet Hein car park.
Cheaper alternative - Parking Oosterdok (Oosterdokstraat 150)
The entrance is beneath the Amsterdam Conservatorium. This is at the rear of the Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam. On Oosterdokseiland, follow the signs for 'Parking Oosterdok'. From this car park it is about a 10-minute walk to the Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ. From Parking Oosterdok it is a 10-minute walk. Follow the Annie M.G. Schmidtstraat to the end, as far as the Oosterdoksstraat. Here you turn right until you reach the water and then walk to the left, underneath all the rail, road and tram viaducts. There you can take the steel staircase up and you will come out on the Piet Heinkade. From here you will see the Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ on your left.
Please note: parking costs are at your own expense.
Who you'll be taught by in Amsterdam
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Saar
Trainer in team coaching and communication
Rating 9.0 from 453 evaluations
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Rob
Trainer in communication and leadership
Score 8,6 from 346 evaluations
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Christy
trainer in communication and leadership
Rating 9,2 from 256 evaluations
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Joris
Trainer in communication and leadership
Cijfer 8,5 uit 126 evaluaties
What participants thought
“The content of the course is easy to apply in practice”
C. Brandsen-Nicolai - Vattenval N.V. - Motivational Interviewing“Very instructive course. The trainer is professional and takes the time for you.”
B. Pennings - De Volksbank - Motivational Interviewing"It is an instructive course that you can use at work but certainly also in your private life. Everything is explained and practised step by step. You also take home a nice book with even more useful tips and interesting material."
R. Toftdal - Westfriesland Academie - Motivational Interviewing“Learned a lot and gained new insights; the alternation between receiving information and then being able to practise within the group and process the information was very pleasant.”
L. Peters - Nomilk2day Engineering- Motivational interviewing
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the Motivational Interviewing course suitable for?
- The Motivational Interviewing course is suitable for anyone whose work involves conversations with people who are resistant to change. Think of coaches, care workers, healthcare professionals, managers, consultants, trainers, sales staff and teachers. You learn to reduce resistance and increase motivation for change, based on the scientific work of Miller and Rollnick. No prior knowledge is required.
- What will you learn during the Motivational Interviewing course?
- During the Motivational Interviewing course you learn to reduce resistance and increase motivation for change, based on the scientific work of Miller and Rollnick. You work on four conversation steps: dealing with ambivalence, connecting with the other person, evoking yes talk (change talk) and bringing the conversation to a successful close. You actively practise with real situations from your own work.
- Which conversation technique is covered in the Motivational Interviewing course?
- The course is based on the method of Miller and Rollnick, the academic founders of motivational interviewing. You learn to work with the four steps for moving from resistance to 'yes language', to recognise ambivalence and to elicit change talk. The course is taught in a classroom setting in groups of no more than eight participants.
- Is prior knowledge required for the Motivational Interviewing course?
- No, no prior knowledge is required for the Motivational Interviewing course. You can start straight away, whatever your background as a coach, care worker, manager, adviser or healthcare professional. Prior to the course, an intake takes place in which the trainer identifies your personal learning objectives. On that basis, the programme for the course day is tailored to your situation.
- How large is the group on the Motivational Interviewing course?
- The Motivational Interviewing course is given in a small group of no more than eight participants. This group size gives you enough personal attention from the trainer and room to practise conversation techniques actively. An intake takes place beforehand, so that the programme matches your personal learning objectives and workplace situations.
- What is the difference between motivational interviewing and an ordinary conversation techniques course?
- Motivational interviewing (MI) is a specific method, developed by William Miller and Stephen Rollnick, aimed at reducing resistance and eliciting change talk in the other person. A general conversation techniques course covers skills such as active listening, summarising and probing in a broad sense. MI goes a step further: you learn to work with ambivalence, to go through four processes (engaging, focusing, evoking, planning) and to deliberately elicit 'yes talk' from someone who is actually reluctant. At Learnit you get (classroom-based, maximum 8 participants) the theory and practice of this specific method. Choose this if you work with clients, customers or employees where resistance is a recurring theme. Not if you mainly want to improve general communication.
- When should you choose a classroom Motivational Interviewing course rather than a book or an online course?
- A classroom course makes sense if you really want to apply the technique in conversations, not just understand it. Motivational interviewing is about subtle skills: reflective listening, dealing with ambivalence and eliciting change talk. You learn these mainly by practising and getting immediate feedback on your tone, choice of words and timing. The book by Miller and Rollnick gives you the theory, but it does not hold up a mirror to your own conversational behaviour. An online course lacks the space to practise with other participants. At Learnit you practise in a classroom setting in a group of no more than eight people, with a trainer who brings in your own practical situations. Choose classroom if you encounter resistance in real conversations and want to be able to test your skills straight away. Choose self-study if your interest is purely theoretical.
- Can I also apply motivational interviewing outside my work, for example in conversations with family or friends?
- Yes. The method of Miller and Rollnick was developed in addiction care, but it works in any situation in which someone is ambivalent or resistant. During the course you practise techniques that you can use just as well with a colleague who is unwilling to go along with a change, a teenager who does not want to adjust their behaviour, or a family member who is stuck on a choice. The four steps from no to yes and the eliciting of change talk are context-independent. One nuance, though: in personal relationships your role is different from your role as a professional. You are not a neutral conversation partner, which makes it harder to set aside your own judgement. The course gives you a framework you can use in both contexts.
- Duration
- One-day course
- Next date
- 14 October 2026
- Start dates
- 2 this year
- Location
- Amsterdam Head Office
Small groups, also in-company at your office.