Human Services Network of Colorado upcoming events

Motivational Interviewing - Sep 29-Oct 1, 6, 8 (09/29/2026)

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 15:00:00 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 - Sep 29-Oct 1, 6, 8 (10/01/2026)

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 15:00:00 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 - Sep 29-Oct 1, 6, 8 (10/06/2026)

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 15:00:00 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 - Sep 29-Oct 1, 6, 8 (10/08/2026)

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 15:00:00 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.

Healing (Trauma)-Informed Care (10/13/2026)

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

This two-day workshop provides a foundation of knowledge and skill in providing Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) to clients of all walks of life. This training focuses on enhancement of knowledge, skill and confidence of direct care providers in work with those stressed and/or traumatized. Information regarding stress and trauma will include common terms (e.g. secondary trauma, burn-out, compassion fatigue, etc), and will create an understanding of the holistic effects of stress and trauma on individuals, as well as the effects on direct service providers. This content will also provide an understanding of the impact of trauma on the brain, planning, processing, learning, relating and more. Motivational Interviewing and other approaches will be utilized to apply TIC and other concepts to client scenarios.

By the end of the training series, you will be able to...

Explain TIC to a colleague;
Understand the ways stress/trauma might impact clients or you;
Explore ways you can be more healing-informed in your work;
Identify at least one thing you could do for effective self-care
Apply TIC approaches to client scenarios; and
Develop a plan for utilizing TIC strategies on the job.

__________

WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Front-line workers and supervisors across mental health and human services sectors. Includes (but is not limited to) those working in assisted living, homelessness, domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, community and family services, juvenile justice, corrections.

Testimonials

• For someone new to the field, this was extremely helpful!

• This training really improved my interactions and gave me the push I needed.

• Use information on a daily basis. Helps structure meetings and address critical issues.

• Loved this training! So applicable and valuable in our positions

Eligible for 8 hours Certificate of Completion

_________

PRESENTER: Melinda Marasch, LCSW
Aspire Training & Consulting

It is my honor to do exciting work with the amazing, compassionate people in the nonprofit world! It has been my life’s passion to help others, first as a psycho-therapist and now as a consultant. I specialize in clinical supervision in the form of training (in-person and online), as well as individual and group sessions. We serve licensed and unlicensed individuals, as well as programs and organizations. I have expertise in many areas, including HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, mental illnesses and much more. I also provide coaching to clients who are motivated to maximize their assets.

Healing (Trauma)-Informed Care (10/14/2026)

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

By the end of the training series, you will be able to...

Explain TIC to a colleague;
Understand the ways stress/trauma might impact clients or you;
Explore ways you can be more healing-informed in your work;
Identify at least one thing you could do for effective self-care
Apply TIC approaches to client scenarios; and
Develop a plan for utilizing TIC strategies on the job.

__________

Testimonials

• For someone new to the field, this was extremely helpful!

• This training really improved my interactions and gave me the push I needed.

• Use information on a daily basis. Helps structure meetings and address critical issues.

• Loved this training! So applicable and valuable in our positions

Eligible for 8 hours Certificate of Completion

_________

PRESENTER: Melinda Marasch, LCSW
Aspire Training & Consulting

Turn Anxiety into your new Superpower (10/27/2026)

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 16:00:00 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.