15 Hours / 15 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Using Motivational Interviewing to Explore and Resolve Fears, Blocks and Resistances, and Enhance Compassion Motivation is presented by Stan Steindl, PhD.

Motivational Interviewing (MI) has long been used as an adjunct to a range of interventions, including psychological treatments such as cognitive-behavioral therapy. Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) has become increasingly popular over recent years and has been found to be effective in increasing compassion and self-compassion, reducing depression, anxiety, and psychological distress, and increasing life satisfaction and happiness. One important contribution of CFT is the identification of certain inhibitors (fears, blocks, and resistances) and facilitators of compassion motivation and compassionate action. This program covers these inhibitors and facilitators and proposes MI as an important, strategic approach to assisting people to explore and resolve inhibitors and enhance compassion motivation. The program is highly experiential, helps participants develop the spirit and core skills of MI, and provide practical therapeutic strategies that can be used to further assist clients of CFT.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe the spirit, principles, and skills of motivational interviewing, and the role of MI in CFT.
  • 2 Describe inhibitors and facilitators to compassion and self-compassion from the point of view of the language of the client, especially in terms of notional ideas of sustain talk and change talk.
  • 3 Describe the importance of language in change, especially the notion of accepting and validating language around inhibitors of compassion, and gently guiding towards exploring and elaborating on language around facilitators of compassion.
  • 4 Describe compassion as a motivation and a commitment to engage with suffering and engage with compassionate action, as well as how to strengthen client commitment towards compassionate action.
  • 5 Describe the core aspects of motivational interviewing in the context of CFT, with the opportunity to take away skills and strategies to apply with client straight away.

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for clinicians and clinical researchers who want to enhance their therapeutic skills by integrating Motivational Interviewing (MI) and compassion-focused approaches into their practice. It is suitable for those specializing in clinical psychology, counseling, or related mental health fields, and who work with clients experiencing depression, anxiety, or psychological distress. The course provides a foundational introduction to MI and compassion-based techniques, focusing on developing practical skills for addressing motivational processes, overcoming barriers to compassion, and applying these methods across diverse clinical and research contexts.

    Examples of Relevant Professionals:
    • Mental Health Professional
    • Clinician
    • Clinical Researcher
    • Clinical Psychologist
    • Counselor
    • Therapist
    • Practitioner

  • Experience Level

    This training is designed for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at varying levels of experience with Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT).

    • Beginner: Participants new to MI and/or CFT, seeking foundational knowledge of the spirit, principles, and core skills of MI, and an introduction to compassion-focused approaches and the identification of inhibitors and facilitators of compassion motivation.

    • Intermediate: Participants with some prior experience using MI or CFT, looking to deepen their understanding of integrating MI strategies within CFT, enhance their ability to identify and address fears, blocks, and resistances, and apply practical therapeutic strategies in clinical practice.

    • Advanced: Participants with extensive experience in MI and CFT, aiming to refine advanced skills in facilitating client change talk, strengthening compassion motivation, and utilizing experiential methods to address complex clinical presentations.

  • Practice Setting

    Clinicians and clinical researchers who complete this training typically work in environments dedicated to mental health care and psychological research. These settings are designed to support therapeutic interventions, client assessment, and ongoing treatment for individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, and psychological distress. The practice environment emphasizes confidentiality, client-centered care, and evidence-based approaches, often involving interdisciplinary collaboration. Practitioners may work individually with clients, facilitate group therapy, or conduct research studies, utilizing both Motivational Interviewing (MI) and compassion-focused techniques to enhance client outcomes.

    Examples of Practice Settings:
    • Outpatient mental health clinics
    • Private therapy practices
    • Hospital behavioral health units
    • University counseling centers
    • Community mental health organizations
    • Research institutions or academic settings
    • Integrated primary care clinics
    • Telehealth or virtual therapy platforms
Presented By

Stan Steindl, PhD

Dr. Stan Steindl is a Clinical Psychologist in private practice at Psychology Consultants Pty Ltd, and an Adjunct Associate Professor at School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. He is also co-director of the UQ Compassionate Mind Research Group. He has over 20 years experience as a therapist, supervisor and trainer, and works with clients from a motivational interviewing and compassion focused therapy perspective. His PhD examined combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder and comorbid alcohol dependency, and he continues to work in the areas of trauma and addiction, as well as having a general clinical practice. His research interests are in the areas of compassion and compassion-based interventions, and especially the role of motivation in cultivating compassion and self-compassion in the context of trauma, shame, self-criticism and clinical disorders, as well as promoting psychological wellbeing.

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Intro to Motivational Interviewing and Compassion-Focused Therapy

    • Overview of MI as an adjunct to psychological interventions
    • Overview of CFT and its benefits: increased compassion, reduced depression/anxiety, improved life satisfaction

  • Inhibitors and Facilitators of Compassion

    • Identification of fears, blocks, and resistances
    • Facilitators that enhance compassion motivation and compassionate action

  • Applying MI to Enhance Compassion

    • Using MI strategically to explore and resolve inhibitors
    • Strengthening compassion motivation in clients of CFT

  • Experiential Learning and Skill Development

    • Developing the spirit and core skills of MI
    • Didactic presentation, video demonstrations, and live role play

  • Integrating Motivational and Compassion-Focused Approaches

    • Working with motivational processes, fears, blocks, and facilitators
    • Enhancing client engagement and therapeutic outcomes

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).


Sponsorship Approval Statements

Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7190. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Palo Alto University, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Palo Alto University maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits. Continuing and Professional Studies, Palo Alto University, is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0103. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies, is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073.