Human Services Network of Colorado upcoming events

Motivational Interviewing - Dec 1, 3, 8, 10 (12/01/2026)

Tue, 01 Dec 2026 16:00:00 GMT

This evidence-based approach has consistently shown positive outcomes in dealing with resistance and defensiveness. Motivational Interviewing is a collaborative conversation style for strengthening a person's own motivation and commitment to change. It has been successfully used with populations where resistance is prevalent, including adults and adolescents who deal with legal problems, substance abuse and mental health issues.

Motivational Interviewing provides a “tool box” of techniques and strategies which will help you to be more effective in working with clients who bring a wide range of challenges. This is a four-day online training with a four-hour session each day. A broadband Internet connection and working webcam are required for participation. You must be on-camera during the event to receive a certificate of completion.

Attendees will:

• Understand the basic principles and skills of Motivational Interviewing

• Experience a collaborative versus an authoritarian communication style and see how you can effectively decrease defensiveness in clients;

• Learn and practice resistance skills;

• Learn and practice directive skills that help move a client towards positive behavior change;

• Be able to elicit commitment language from a client that is correlated to positive outcomes;

• Explore proven implementation strategies that help improve your Motivational Interviewing skills in the field.

_____

Presenter: Avani G. Dilger, LPC, CAS, ADS, AAT
Avani specializes in substance abuse prevention and treatment with adults, teens and their families. She is the founder and director of the “Natural Highs – Healthy Alternatives to Drugs & Alcohol” nonprofit program. Avani has been training professionals in in Motivational Interviewing and other evidence-based practices worldwide for over 20 years. Find out more about Avani HERE.

Eligible for 16 hours MINT Certificate of Completion, valid worldwide.

Motivational Interviewing - Dec 1, 3, 8, 10 (12/03/2026)

Thu, 03 Dec 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Attendees will:

• Understand the basic principles and skills of Motivational Interviewing

• Experience a collaborative versus an authoritarian communication style and see how you can effectively decrease defensiveness in clients;

• Learn and practice resistance skills;

• Learn and practice directive skills that help move a client towards positive behavior change;

• Be able to elicit commitment language from a client that is correlated to positive outcomes;

• Explore proven implementation strategies that help improve your Motivational Interviewing skills in the field.

_____

Eligible for 16 hours MINT Certificate of Completion, valid worldwide.

Motivational Interviewing - Dec 1, 3, 8, 10 (12/08/2026)

Tue, 08 Dec 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Attendees will:

• Understand the basic principles and skills of Motivational Interviewing

• Experience a collaborative versus an authoritarian communication style and see how you can effectively decrease defensiveness in clients;

• Learn and practice resistance skills;

• Learn and practice directive skills that help move a client towards positive behavior change;

• Be able to elicit commitment language from a client that is correlated to positive outcomes;

• Explore proven implementation strategies that help improve your Motivational Interviewing skills in the field.

_____

Eligible for 16 hours MINT Certificate of Completion, valid worldwide.

Motivational Interviewing - Dec 1, 3, 8, 10 (12/10/2026)

Thu, 10 Dec 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Attendees will:

• Understand the basic principles and skills of Motivational Interviewing

• Experience a collaborative versus an authoritarian communication style and see how you can effectively decrease defensiveness in clients;

• Learn and practice resistance skills;

• Learn and practice directive skills that help move a client towards positive behavior change;

• Be able to elicit commitment language from a client that is correlated to positive outcomes;

• Explore proven implementation strategies that help improve your Motivational Interviewing skills in the field.

_____

Eligible for 16 hours MINT Certificate of Completion, valid worldwide.

Much Needed Support for Immigrants & Refugees (12/17/2026)

Thu, 17 Dec 2026 17:00:00 GMT

For those working in social, medical, mental health, and legal services, understanding how immigration impacts our clients is imperative. Ten percent of Coloradans and 12% of Denver-metro residents are immigrants. Nearly 175,000 (25%) children in Denver and 276,000 (20%) children in Colorado have at least one parent who is an immigrant. 329,000 residents of Colorado are at risk of detention and deportation.

Working with refugees and immigrants in changing environments requires flexibility and adaptability from human service providers. This training will provide an overview of the mental and psychological impact of migration and immigration systems while offering hands-on experience with culturally responsive interventions. Through creative innovative ways participants will gain practical tools to support the unique needs of the population.

T A K E A W A Y S

Help simplify the complexities involved in working with refugee and immigrant populations.
Learn about the psychological and psychosocial impact unique to this population.
Learn to apply interventions through case-based discussions.
Learn how to advocate for refugee clients.
Understand the compound impacts of individual trauma, forced migration, US racism oppression, and limited service access on immigrant clients
Implement best practices for working with immigrants and refugees

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P R E S E N T E R

Osmara Medrano, LCSW, PsyD candidate, is a bilingual clinician specializing in trauma-informed, culturally-responsive mental health care for immigrants, refugees, and individuals with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI). With a background in clinical social work and psychology, she seeks to promote healing and resilience in marginalized communities. Currently she serves as a doctoral intern at Aurora Mental Health & Recovery, where she delivers individual and group therapy to refugees and immigrants from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Eligible for two hours Certificate of Completion

Turn Anxiety into your new Superpower (01/12/2027)

Tue, 12 Jan 2027 17:00:00 GMT

The Neuroscience of Stress, Anxiety and Trauma (with Brain Hacks for Resilience)

Many kids and adults are struggling with stress and anxiety right now. We often didn’t learn how to respond to stress or overwhelm in productive ways and often feel alone with our day-to-day struggles. We understand the brain so much better now than ever before and in this presentation you will learn the latest science behind stress, anxiety, and trauma. We will discuss and practice strategies that you can use in your daily life to manage stress and anxiety in productive ways. These strategies will change how you can deal with stress. All these tools are practical so that you can immediately share them with your clients and your family. They will support people of all ages to feel more resilient and empowered.

In this presentation you will learn:

Research on stress, anxiety, and trauma: biological factors, what’s healthy about anxiety & stress reactions, how our perception changes the health effects of stress
Learn about the somatic aspects of stress, anxiety, and trauma
Practical coping skills for stress, anxiety, and trauma in our current world
Practical tools including Acudetox/AcuWellness and healthy herbs for stress and anxiety

Eligible for a two-hour Certificate of Completion

Presenter: Avani G. Dilger, LPC, CAS, AAT, ADS

Avani specializes in substance abuse prevention and treatment with adults, teens and their families. She is the founder and director of the “Natural Highs – Healthy Alternatives to Drugs & Alcohol” nonprofit program. Avani has been training professionals in in Motivational Interviewing and other evidence-based practices worldwide for over 20 years. Find out more about Avani HERE.