MI for Advisors: Motivational Interviewing Bootcamp

Up to 15.0 CFP CE per the CFP Board
Up to 12.0 AFC CEU per AFCPE
Up to 12.0 IAR CE per NASAA

Derek Hagen, CFA, CFP®, CFT™, FBS®, CIPM will guide students through an eight-week course that will begin on April 18, 2026 and conclude on June 14, 2026.

An MQ Partnership is not required to register for this course!

PLEASE NOTE: The textbook will not be provided for you. We suggest you acquire a copy of Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change and Grow, 4th edition, by William Miller and Stephen Rollnick. (If you already own a copy of the 3rd edition, you do not need to buy the 4th edition!)

Purpose

MI for Advisors: Motivational Interviewing Bootcamp is a comprehensive course designed to equip financial professionals with the skills and techniques of Motivational Interviewing (MI), an evidence-based communication method that helps clients find the motivation to make positive decisions and achieve their objectives.

MI is particularly valuable for understanding client motivation, addressing ambivalence, and supporting clients in making informed decisions. This course will introduce you to MI tools to help you integrate MI into your practice and help you build stronger client relationships, improve communication, and enhance client trust and satisfaction.

Throughout the course,  you’ll learn how to apply MI techniques through a combination of lectures, practical exercises, reading, and Q&A calls. By the end of the course, you will be equipped to effectively motivate and guide your clients toward their objectives, resulting in better outcomes for both you and your clients.

Course Requirements

Each session of this five-session, ten-week course will include:

  • A recorded lecture
  • Required reading
  • Online interaction with the instructor and students
  • Completion of an online learning assessment

This course is self-paced; however, requirements for each session must completed within the weekly time frame.  Additional instruction will be provided via the online virtual MQ Classroom platform.

About Derek Hagen, CFA, CFP®, CFT™, FBS®, CIPM

Derek is Money Quotient’s Financial Behavior Specialist and Director of Education and Communication. He has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Kitces Nerd’s Eye View, Standard Deviations, and the Human Side of Money. He writes about money, meaning, purpose, and happiness using simple drawings in his weekly newsletter and blog. He earned an economics degree from Minnesota State University and a graduate certificate in financial psychology from Creighton University. He has earned the Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Financial Analyst, Certified Financial Therapist, and Certified Financial Behavior Specialist designations.

Learning Objectives

  • Learn the principles of reflective listening
  • Improve your listening skills
  • Understand MI principles
  • Apply the core skills of MI to your practice
  • Understand the stages of MI and how they relate to your clients
  • Learn to listen for and invite change talk to reflect it back
  • Understand and navigate client ambivalence
  • Facilitate and support client autonomy
  • Offer advice in an MI-consistent way

Session Overview

June 15Live Discussion / Q&A

April 18 – 26 Introduction and the Psychology of Change
April 25 – May 3 Motivation and Ambivalence
May 2 – May 10 Reflective Listening
May 9 – May 17 OARS Skills
May 18 Live Discussion / Q&A
May 16 – May 24 Engaging and Focusing
May 23 – May 31 Change Talk and Sustain Talk
May 30 – June 7 Evoking
June 6 – June 14 Planning, Advice-Giving, and Conclusion

There will be two live Q&A Sessions (Monday, May 18 and Monday, June 15 – each at 11:00 am PT / 2:00 pm ET). Participation is optional except for those seeking IAR credit (which requires attendance), but these events are best when attended by as many students as possible!

What to Expect

This course is mostly asynchronous (self-paced), with the exception of two Live Q&A sessions. The course takes place over eight weeks, beginning on April 18, 2026. Expect to spend about an hour and a half each week on watching video lectures, completing exercises, and reading required materials.
For this course, there is no in-person learning. Exercises are a mix of self-administered exercises and watching and interpreting MI in action.

Continuing Education Credits

Continuing Education Credits will be awarded with the successful completion of each week’s quiz.

Requirements to receive the Continuing Education Credits include the following:

  • Watch all recorded video lectures
  • Complete assigned reading
  • Interact with instructor and fellow students via online discussion forum in response to posted topics and questions
  • Complete online learning assessments (acceptable passing score is 70%)
  • Attend both Live Q&A sessions (required for IAR credit only; these are optional for those seeking CE from the CFP Board)

Tuition

This online course is open to MQ Partners and all financial professionals and educators.

MQ Partner Subscribers: $400.00 50% discount!
Entry Level Subscribers: $600.00 25% discount!
All Others: $800.00

Please email us if you have questions!