For Mental Health Professionals

Mental Health Professional Training Topics:

There’s always more to learn and bring into our practice.  During my time in the field, I have been lucky enough to be taught by skilled clinicians with passion about their subject material.  Here are a few of the trainings I have developed to the same.  If the time frames need to be adjusted for your organizations needs, please contact me.

Motivational Interviewing RefresherKeeping MI skills sharp and in focus.

Half Day or Full Day with 5 to 15 participants

“It is recommended that clinicians trained in motivational interviewing receive a refresher every six months to keep the spirit, skills, and intent needed to be effective with those tools.  This training is designed to do just that.”

Participants will:

  • Explain the what, why, where, and how of MI
  • Verbalize key concepts of MI including the Stages of Change, Spirit of MI, and Basic MI Skills
  • Assess and identify MI-consistent and MI-inconsistent behaviors.
  • Describe counselor traps to avoid.

Full Day:

  • Includes practice and feedback to improve.

Basic Training for CliniciansThe basics of veteran culture and its impact on clinical work.

60 to 90 Minutes 5 to 30 Participants

This training is for clinicians who want to know more about military culture, find resources for our veteran community, and avoid common mistakes well-meaning clinicians often make when working with this culture.  While this training will not make you a subject expert, it will give a basic understanding of the culture and provide paths to better serve our veteran community.

Participants will:

  • Learn to avoid common mistakes that alienate veteran clients
  • Understand the general struggles and strengths of Veterans
  • Gain access additional resource to gain competency
  • Learn what local services are available for their veterans clients

90 Minutes

  • Allows for exploration of assumptions and bias

Cultural Boot Camp: Professional training on military culture for mental health providers.

Half Day with 5 to 30 participants.

When talking with my peers about our work, many tell me how they are not comfortable serving the veteran community.  Hearing this always saddens me.  Our professional community has powerful, skilled clinicians serving a variety of needs and our veterans need their services.  This training is designed to give you the tools, confidence, and knowledge needed to bring your professional expertise to the military community.

Participants will:

  • Recognize assumptions and biases
  • Gain a basic understanding of military, cultural norms
  • Learn common mistakes when working with military and veteran clients
  • Gain resources for clinicians serving the military and veteran community
  • Discuss common diagnoses for service members and possible complicating factors of service on each.

Cultural Socialization of Men and Boys:  Understanding masculine identity and its clinical impact.

Half Day with 5 to 30 participants.

Men are starting to use clinical services more and more.  Developing an understanding of manhood in American culture and its impact on our male identified clients is key to providing them competent, effective care.  This training will provide a history of how our culture has defined manhood, how that ideal has been enforced, and explore how manhood often impacts our clinical work.

Participants will:

  • Explore assumptions and biases
  • Gain understanding of the history of manhood in American culture
  • Learn common strengths and challenges of masculine clients
  • Increase awareness of common pitfalls working with men and how to address them




timothywienecke@empoweredchangece.com

(720) 443-1278



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