TRAINING AND COACHING SERVICES
We are experienced trainers and coaches who understand the challenges of motivating people. Whether you are from an organization, government agency, school, or healthcare company seeking introductory or advanced training for staff, students, supervisors, managers, or leaders, or you're seeking feedback and coaching post training for yourself or others, we want to make learning Motivational Interviewing accessible and attainable. Take a look at some of the services we offer, but know that we love designing training and coaching programs that fit our clients' individual goals, budgets, and schedules.
Workshops
Engaging, practice-based MI workshops grounded in real-world experience across diverse sectors.
We provide interactive, easy-to-understand MI training for professionals in health, human services, corrections, education, entertainment, and more. Our sessions focus on practical tools people can use immediately, and we offer short overviews as well as multi-day beginner, intermediate, and advanced workshops in flexible formats.
Coaching
Fidelity-informed coaching that builds confidence and measurable skill growth.
We offer supportive, skill-focused coaching using structured feedback tools and standardized actors to help participants strengthen empathy, reduce defensiveness, and refine their MI communication skills. Coaching is available for individuals, teams, and large groups through an efficient scheduling and tracking system.
Leadership Training
Motivational communication skills for leaders who want to build trust, engagement, and psychological safety.
We translate MI principles into leadership practice by teaching leaders how to listen with intention, reduce defensiveness, and guide staff toward clarity and commitment. Our leadership training is grounded in real-world experience implementing MI with supervisors, directors, and leadership teams in large agencies and statewide systems.
Training for Trainers
Train-the-Trainer programs that build internal capacity and sustain MI long-term.
We prepare trainers to deliver MI workshops effectively through hands-on practice, coaching, and clear teaching frameworks. Programs include curriculum support, live demonstration, and structured feedback to help trainers confidently teach MI and support skill development within their own organizations.
FULL SERVICE TRAINING & COACHING
Comprehensive MI training and coaching systems for agencies that want sustainable, scalable implementation.
We partner with large agencies to provide full-service MI training, individualized coaching, and fidelity support using an integrated scheduling and tracking system. Our approach reduces administrative burden while ensuring staff have access to practice-based workshops and consistent, high-quality coaching that promotes long-term skill development.
MI for Change Trainers
Mary Beth Abella, MSW, Principal
Being a helping professional is a tough job. Our mission is to provide flexible and accessible evidence-based tools that dramatically increase the likelihood of client/patient success and lower burn-out for hard-working helping professionals.
Our Trainers and Coaches are members of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers and have decades of experience training and coaching thousands of professionals in the fields of healthcare. substance abuse, corrections, youth, the elderly, homelessness, mental health, entertainment, and employment. We work with dedicated people who have a tough job--our goal is to make their jobs easier.
Co-Founder of Motivational Interviewing for Change, Mary Beth Abella has a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Denver and is a member of the international Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. Since 2004, Mary Beth has been providing Motivational Interviewing training and coaching to thousands of professionals in hundreds of organizations in across California and the United States. She co-created the motivational component of Kaiser Permanente’s Healthy Balance and Freedom from Tobacco curricula, was the Motivational Interviewing consultant on a National Institutes of Health study that led to new published research on the mechanisms of Motivational Interviewing, and served on the training team at the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers’ (MINT), Training of New Trainers in Chicago, IL in 2022.
FOLKS WE'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF TRAINING:
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California State Department of Mental Health, CALWorks
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Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
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Oregon Department of Human Services, Aging and People with Disabilities
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Blackfeet Tribal Health Improvement Program
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San Luis Obispo Department of Social Services, Child Welfare
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Humboldt County Child Welfare
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Santa Barbara County Department of Behavioral Wellness
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Los Angeles County Department of Health
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LAC+USC Medical Center and Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Clinic
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Eisner Health
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Los Angeles County Association of Community Clinics
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University of Southern California Schools of Social Work and Nursing
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Cal State University Dominguez Hills
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Orange Coast Community College
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People Assisting the Homeless
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Jewish Family Services
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Volunteers of America
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Children's Institute
And many more...
WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT US...
"Simply put, Mary Beth is a dynamic presenter. She utilizes many resources to make her presentations come alive! She is very skilled at drawing her audiences' attention throughout the training. It is evident that she is passionate about the subject matter and her excitement for MI is contagious!"
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Christina B., RN, BSW
"I wanted to express how impressed I am with the services that were provided by Ms. Mary Beth Abella. Not only was she kind and supportive, but also helped my Motivational Interviewing skills grow much more than I expected. I have been through Motivational Interviewing trainings several times over the past few years but her coaching was more helpful than any I have ever received."
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Krista M., RD, DaVita
"Simply put, Mary Beth is a dynamic presenter. She utilizes many resources to make her presentations come alive! She is very skilled at drawing her audiences' attention throughout the training. It is evident that she is passionate about the subject matter and her excitement for MI is contagious!"
Christina B, RN, MSW
"I wanted to express how impressed I am with the services that were provided by Ms. Mary Beth Abella. Not only was she kind and supportive, but also helped my Motivational Interviewing skills grow much more than I expected. I have been through Motivational Interviewing trainings several times over the past few years but her coaching was more helpful than any I have ever received."
Krista M, RD
"Her training is one of the most transformational trainings I have taken in my career or 15+ years. Any trainees would be lucky to learn under Mary Beth’s guidance."
Laura S, LCSW
