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Wellbeing coaching skills

Learn core practices and principles of Motivational Interviewing, this proven approach to supporting behavioural change, to engage people's motivation to reduce health-harming habits and increase positive choices.

One day. For your team. Delivered online.

Wellbeing coaching skills

 

Course overview:

Would you like to help people reach, or move towards, wellbeing goals, learning ways to make a difference even when those you work with struggle to make progress, have mixed feelings or slip back after initial success? This course introduces core practices and principles of Motivational Interviewing as an evidence-based coaching style shown to help people tackle health-harming habits and succeed with wellbeing-related behavioural change.

 

Aim(s):

To develop participants' understanding of, and familiarity with, core practices and principles of Motivational Interviewing, an evidence-based coaching style, applied in the context of coaching conversations to support wellbeing.

To deepen understanding of how to help people work with and through resistance, mixed feelings and low confidence when supporting them to make health related behaviour changes.

 

Objectives:

By the end of the course participants will have had opportunities to:

  • Develop and practice engagement skills, looking at how our choices about how we listen and what we say can help increase the degree to which our clients engage
  • Recognise how to avoid the premature focus trap of reaching too quickly for the certainty of a goal, only to find out later the client doesn’t have their heart in it
  • Explore how 'culture setting statements' can help build rapport
  • Identify different ways we can reflect what we hear to more accurately hone in on a focus our clients are willing to commit to
  • Discover how to track and follow motivational signals in clients, and then to draw out 'change talk' that reinforces their determination and resolve
  • Explore how motivational interviewing can be used to help clients access their strengths, grow in confidence and take practical steps forward in their change journeys
  • Look at the 'maintenance stage of change', with ways to consolidate progress and reduce the risk of sliding back

 

Maximum group size: 16

 

Online course - delivered over Zoom.

Enquire or book in a meeting with us

Your trainer(s)

Chris Johnstone

Chris has been involved in teaching resilience and wellbeing skills for over thirty years, and positive psychology since 2005. After a first degree specialising in psychology, he graduated in medicine, trained as a GP and then worked in the mental health field, where for many years he led groups teaching resilience skills. Alongside this, he pioneered the role of positive psychology and resilience training in mental health promotion, the health service and the workplace.

 

In 2011 he migrated from Bristol to the north of Scotland, and began delivering more of his training work online. His online courses for resilience and wellbeing now reach thousands of people, with participants in more than sixty countries. His books include Seven Ways to Build Resilience and, co-authored with Joanna Macy, Active Hope.

 

His video-based online course Seven Ways to Build Resilience is available via The Training Exchange.

Ben Howie

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What people say

"So many things were useful: readiness ruler, visual metaphors (London Bridge) 'Everyone is motivated but in multiple directions at the same time'. Evoking confidence as well as motivation. Chris is wonderful!"

Trainer, Turning Point, March 2026

"The information Chris gave was really interesting and helpful, allowing us to reflect back. Really enjoyed the breakout rooms and I feel I have learnt a lot. It was definitely beneficial to my work."

Intensive Family Support Worker, Ceredigion County Council (Social Services), March 2026

"Enjoyed it, gave me insight to use listening techniques but reflecting back a number of times to present an agreed overall summary. Chris was very patient and articulate, taking time to explain in depth and tuned in to the groups varying understanding levels."

Team Manager Forensics, The Maples Community Care, September 2025

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170 +VAT

Tailored approach

If you can’t find what you’re looking for contact us. Our network of associate trainers cover many more areas of expertise.

All of our courses can be adapted for your organisation or region. We’ll work with you to design flexible or bespoke responses to meet specific individual and organisation needs.

Case studies

Case studies

Mental wellbeing in action

Case studies

Training for trainers in practice

Case studies

Supporting continuous learning in the NHS

Consultancy & projects

Rowan Miller and Dawn Taylor lead on The Training Exchange Consultancy; together they bring over 50 years’ experience of leadership and management. If you have ideas or a vision you want to explore they will connect you with the right specialist consultant to shape practice and design better services.

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