Training for Milwaukee and Wisconsin teams
Motivational Interviewing training for Milwaukee and Wisconsin teams
Most of us got into this work to help people change. Then we found out how hard it is to make anyone change. Motivational Interviewing (MI) offers a different way: listening for what already matters to the person and helping them move toward it on their own terms. It tends to make conversations go better, and it takes a lot of the tug-of-war out of the job.
Upcoming public training: Motivational Interviewing & Brainspotting: An Integrative Skills Training, December 8 and 10, 2026 (registration closed).
Training at a glance
- Format
- Virtual anywhere, or in person at your agency. Most of the time goes to practice: real plays, role plays, and small-group discussion.
- Duration
- A four-hour workshop is a good introduction. Two half-days, two full days, or a series with boosters give room for deeper practice.
- Group size
- Teams of 8 to 25 tend to work best. Larger group? Let us talk about what would fit.
- Pricing
- Priced for the whole group, not per person. Discounted rates may be available in special circumstances.
- Travel
- In person across Milwaukee and Waukesha counties, and up to about three hours from Milwaukee. Travel expenses are agreed with you up front.
- Follow-up
- Coaching on real (de-identified) conversations, plus boosters and refreshers.
- Continuing education
- CE credit (CEUs) may be available as an add-on, at an additional cost. Ask us what is possible for your group.
What your team will leave with
- A clearer sense of the spirit of MI: partnership, acceptance, compassion, and drawing out instead of putting in
- Practice with the core skills: open questions, affirmations, reflections, and summaries
- How to notice change talk and help it grow
- Ways to respond to “resistance” without arguing or giving up
- Ideas for using MI in short visits, crisis moments, and paperwork-heavy days
Who it is for
Case managers, peer specialists, therapists, mental health coaches, nurses, and anyone whose day includes conversations about change. Teams new to MI and teams that want a refresher both fit.
We mostly work with nonprofits, human service agencies, and behavioral health and recovery programs, training whole teams together so everyone leaves with the same language.
CCS, CSP, AODA and case management teams.
Shaped around your agency
We start with a conversation with you, often a program director, clinical supervisor, or training coordinator, about where conversations about change get stuck on your team. Then we build the practice around those moments: the client who says everything is fine, the third missed appointment, the conversation nobody wants to have.
A four-hour workshop is a good introduction for teams new to MI. Teams that know the basics often choose two half-days or two full days for deeper practice, then coaching afterward. We train virtually anywhere, or in person at your agency in Milwaukee and around Wisconsin.
How it is taught
MI is a skill, so we practice it. Expect short teaching pieces, then a lot of real plays and small-group practice using situations from your own work. Training is led by Jesse Jonesberg, MSW, LCSW, a Certified Peer Specialist and long-time member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), with more than 20 years in community mental health. He has taught an advanced two-day graduate course in MI at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, and with trainer Shaina Buckner he co-presented a neuroaffirming MI session at the 2025 Great Lakes Motivational Interviewing Conference in Madison.
Jesse JonesbergMSW, LCSW, CPS
Follow-up
Afterward, we can offer coaching, where we talk through real (de-identified) conversations and give feedback, plus boosters and refreshers. To go further, Jesse and Shaina Buckner teach Motivational Interviewing & Brainspotting skills (not Brainspotting certification) through UW–Madison Continuing Education.
Like to read a little first? From our blog: Motivational Advising, Mindfulness and Applied Acceptance.
Questions teams ask
How long is the training?
A four-hour workshop is a good introduction. Two half-days or two full days give room for deeper practice.
What does it cost?
Training is priced for the whole group, not per person. Ask us about rates when we talk. Discounted rates may be available in special circumstances, based on the needs of your organization.
How many people can attend?
Teams of 8 to 25 tend to work best. Larger group? Let us talk about what would fit.
Can we do it virtually, or in person?
Virtual anywhere, or in person at your agency. We travel across Milwaukee and Waukesha counties and up to about three hours from Milwaukee, which includes Madison, the Fox Valley, and Green Bay; travel expenses are agreed with you up front.
Is continuing education (CE) credit or CEUs available?
CE credit (CEUs) may be available as an add-on, at an additional cost. Ask us what is possible for your group.
Can you shape it around our team?
Yes. Every training starts with a conversation about who your team serves, what is getting in the way, and what you hope will change. Then we shape the training around that, and stay flexible on length and format.
Looking for something else? See all trainings.
Let's talk about your team
Tell us a little about your team and share a few times that work. Jesse will email you within two business days to set up a free video chat on Google Meet, usually about 30 minutes, longer if you need it. Bring anyone you’d like.
Discuss training for your teamPrefer email? Write to hello@intrinsicchange.com for a free training consultation, or call 414-306-5068.