CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR PROFESSIONALS
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, HEALTHCARE, HUMAN SERVICES, MENTAL HEALTH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE & BEYOND
Learn new skills, expand your knowledge, and broaden your approach to create strong client connections. The kind that dramatically improves client agency and engagement—and creates lasting change.
The best part? Our trainings improve resilience so you avoid vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and empathy burnout.
Deliver Exceptional Treatment & Care That Makes a Lasting Difference
Imagine this. You’re working with your client who is slouched in a chair and giving short, disengaged responses, AND there only because it’s court-mandated. You know the stakes, and so do they.
You’ve tried everything from traditional therapy, to the latest canned programs, but nothing works. It’s times like these when you wish you had more knowledge and skills to get your client engaged, to provide them with the tools to start the healing process they need to break free from the grip of substance use disorder and trauma.
That’s where using Trauma Responsive Care and Motivational Interviewing comes in. These person-first approaches are designed to give your client’s agency to improve engagement and retention, even in court-mandated cases.
Our trainings are specifically designed for mental health providers, peer professionals, healthcare organizations, and criminal justice teams seeking an opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills to boost their confidence and support successful outcomes that change lives.
we train all professionals in motivational interviewing, trauma responsive care, & mORE
substance use disorder organizations
mental health agencies
Criminal justice departments
human services agencies
physical health organizations
Hospitals & DOCTOR'S OFFICES
ENROLL IN ONE OF THESE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
Proud member of the NYCB trainer registry
Sandy Rivers, Trainer Registry Member #20207022
Most trainings provide certification hours through the NYCB at InUnity Alliance.
ON-DEMAND TRAINING
Motivational Interviewing Training: A Step-By-Step Guide to Empower Others Toward Positive Change and Growth
Forge trust. Foster motivation. Fuel Change and Growth.
Empower change in your clients with this evidence-based, self-paced online course.
Learn to turn ambivalence into motivation and discord into collaboration using the Spirit of MI, OARS skills, and practical techniques.
Perfect for professionals seeking to build confidence, foster trust, and inspire growth in any field.
This training is ideal for...
- CASAC, CPP, CPS and other health care professionals.
- Social workers and mental health counselors
- Case managers and supervisors
- All interested in working with families
Provides approved continuing education hours through NYCB.
start your self-paced course today
ON-DEMAND TRAINING
Motivational Interviewing Training for Criminal Justice Professionals
Foster Change. Fight Recidivism. Create Safer Communities.
This self-paced, online course equips criminal justice professionals with practical, evidence-based MI skills proven to motivate lasting change–even with mandated clients.
Explore person-centered approaches, trauma-informed care, and key techniques like OARS and ambivalence resolution to improve compliance and create safer communities.
This training is ideal for...
- Criminal Justice Professionals
- Social Workers
- Human Services Providers
- SUD Professionals
- Peer Professionals, including CRPAs and CARCs
Provides approved continuing education hours through NYCB..
start your self-paced course today
Trauma First Aid for Peers
Engaging SUD Clients for Lasting Change
Define your role as a peer in the trauma story. Learn how to encourage healthy boundaries. Know when and how to make a referral.
Learn to define your role in the trauma story, encourage healthy boundaries, and know when and how to make referrals. Explore universal precautions, the prevalence of trauma in SUD, recognizing trauma responses, preventing re-traumatization, and practical engagement strategies.
This training is ideal for...
- Recovery Coaches (CARCs)
- Certified Peer Recovery Advocates, including CRPAs
- CASAC, CPP, CPS, & Supervisors
- Life Coaches and all with an interest in growing their understanding of traumas
Provides approved continuing educations hours through NYCB and OASAS.
Next training: TBA, CONTACT FOR UPCOMING DATES
Motivational Interviewing: Spirit, Skills and Practice
Introductory MI Course
Are your SUD clients struggling with ambivalence? They know they “should” change but remain stuck. The answer to fostering high engagement and nurturing lasting change lies in Motivational Interviewing (MI).
Motivational Interviewing is a client-centered, evidence-based strategy that helps individuals resolve ambivalence by uncovering their own motivation for change. In this training, you’ll master affirmations and reflections to align with your clients, engage them with compassion, and guide them through the stages of change.
This training is ideal for...
- Social Workers
- Criminal Justice Professionals
- Peer Professionals
- Caseworkers
- Managers & Supervisors
Provides approved continuing education hours through NYCB and OASAS.
Next training: TBA, CONTACT FOR UPCOMING DATES
Motivational Interviewing Training: Intermediate
Turn MI into a Way of Being
Take your MI skills to the next level with this intermediate-level training designed to deepen your practice and help you guide conversations toward meaningful change.
Learn how to recognize and evoke the language of motivation, strengthen your ability to listen with purpose, and skillfully guide others toward their goals.
With advanced strategies like complex reflections, navigating ambivalence, and fostering autonomy, this evidence-based training empowers you to create lasting impact. Through hands-on coaching and practice, you’ll build confidence, enhance engagement, and bring MI into every interaction as a natural way of being.
This training is ideal for...
- SUD Professionals
- Peer Professionals
- Medical Professionals
- Managers & Supervisors
Provides approved continuing education hours through OASAS.
Next training: TBA, CONTACT FOR UPCOMING DATES
Motivational Interviewing Training: Advanced
Master MI & Prepare for MINT Membership
This advanced training is the final step toward MI mastery. Refine your skills through real-time coaching and fidelity-based feedback designed to elevate your practice.
Record live or role-played sessions for detailed analysis using the MITI system, gaining meaningful insights to enhance your proficiency.
Strengthen your ability to evoke change talk, navigate ambivalence, and sustain the spirit of MI in every interaction. This immersive course also prepares you for membership in the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT). Align your practice with the highest standards of MI fidelity and effectiveness.
This training is ideal for...
- Peer Professionals
- Criminal Justice Professionals
- Managers & Supervisors
- Human Services Providers
Provides approved continuing education hours through OASAS.
Next training: TBA, CONTACT FOR UPCOMING DATES
Engaging Family: Practical Strategies for Including Family in SUD Treatment
Engage with Confidence and Ease
Reluctant to include families in your SUD work? Concerned about confidentiality, boundaries, family dysfunction, or client resistance can make family involvement challenging. This course addresses these issues, helping you integrate families into SUD care, effectively.
Explore current research on family engagement, understand family dynamics in SUD, and reflect on biases that may hinder involvement. Learn practical CRAFT model strategies and develop a warm, welcoming approach. Enhance your skills with role plays, small group activities, and self-reflection exercises.
This training is ideal for...
- CASACs, CPPs, and CPSs, & and other health care professionals.
- Social workers and mental health counselors
- Case managers and supervisors
- All interested in working with families
Provides approved continuing education hours through OASAS
Next training: TBA, CONTACT FOR UPCOMING DATES
Creating Connections & Community through Expressive Art, Music Making and Mindfulness
Reduce Stress, Anxiety, and Burnout
Create meaningful connections in your SUD programs through art and rhythm. Our Creative Connections program enhances recovery through activities that foster trust, safety, and community. No artistic talent or musical skills are required. Facilitators guide you in creating a safe space for self-expression, essential for recovery.
Experience the entrainment critical for recovery and stress relief for employees through customizable activities, including expressive arts, mindfulness, and music-making. Whether you’re an individual or an organization, our program offers ongoing support and resources. Learn evidence-based strategies to manage stress and anxiety while building a supportive community.
This training is ideal for...
- Peer Professionals
- Social Workers
- Human Services Providers
- Managers & Supervisors
Provides approved continuing education hours through NYCB.
Next training: TBA, CONTACT FOR UPCOMING DATES
Intermediate Trauma Responsive Care
Practical Skills for Real-Life Application
This course equips professionals to confidently use their trauma-informed care training. Learn to combine Motivational Interviewing with trauma-informed strategies, fostering a safe and trusting environment for clients.
Master essential techniques such as trauma debriefing, handling vicarious trauma, and turning empathy fatigue into resilience. Enhance your trauma-responsive capabilities to improve client engagement and retention.
This training is ideal for...
- CASACs, CPPs, CPSs, and & other health care professionals
- Mental Health Professionals
- Social Workers & Case Managers
- Criminal Justice Professionals
Provides approved continuing education hours through OASAS.
Next training: TBA, CONTACT FOR UPCOMING DATES
Peer Professional Trainings
These courses are part of the fundamental requirements for peer professional training.
To learn more about the full certification and renewal program we offer, click here.
Recovery Coach Academy: Foundational Certification for Peer Professionals
Become the kind of support you once wished you had.
The Recovery Coach Academy (RCA) is an immersive, evidence-based training that equips you with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to make a real difference in the lives of others.
This dynamic, 30-hour foundational course was developed by the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR) and approved by the New York Certification Board (NYCB). It is the essential first step toward becoming a certified peer professional in New York State and beyond.
This training is ideal for...
- Aspiring and new peer professionals
- Addiction counselors, therapists, and case managers seeking foundational peer coaching skills
- Individuals in long-term recovery looking to serve others
- Behavioral health and human services professionals expanding their toolkit
Provides approved continuing education hours through NYCB
Next training: July 2025, October 2025
Virtual Ethical Considerations for Recovery Coaches
Live, Online via Zoom
Ethical decision-making is an essential skill for every Recovery Coach navigating today’s complex behavioral health systems.
In this highly interactive 2-day virtual training, participants will deepen their understanding of ethics, explore real-world ethical dilemmas, and build a personalized decision-making framework they can immediately apply in their coaching practice.
This training, developed by the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR), creates a supportive space for Recovery Coaches to explore boundaries, role clarity, and professional integrity.
This training is ideal for...
- Recovery Coaches
- Peer Advocates
- Certified Recovery Peer Specialists
- others working in recovery support roles.
Provides approved continuing education hours through NYCB.
Next training: August 2025, November 2025
Medication Support Recovery (MSR)
Peer-led, non-clinical, recovery-focused
Support all pathways to recovery with this 4-hour, interactive training designed for peer professionals. Medication Supported Recovery (MSR) is a strengths-based, person-first approach that helps individuals who use medications as part of their substance use recovery journey.
This course is ideal for CRPAs, CARCs, Recovery Coaches, and peer support specialists. Learn how to reduce stigma, examine personal values and biases, and apply Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Radical Acceptance in conversations around MSR.
This training is ideal for...
- Peer recovery specialists
- CRPAs
- CARCs
- Recovery coaches
- Supervisors
- Community-based support professionals.
Provides approved continuing education hours through NYCB.
Next training: TBA, CONTACT FOR UPCOMING DATES
custom, private-labeled
Motivational Interviewing (MI) Training
A Step-by-Step Guide to Empower Others Toward Positive Change and Growth
Forge trust. Foster motivation. Fuel Change and Growth.
Private label this Motivational Interviewing (MI) training for your team. Immerse them in evidenced-based conversation style that fosters motivation for change and growth.
This self-paced, online MI training will teach them the most up-to-date foundational approaches to facilitate change and help them be being more confident and effective as a helper.
- discord into collaboration,
- ambivalence into motivation, and
- blaming into empowerment.
This asynchronistic Motivational Interviewing training is the perfect white-label solution for organization that need to…
- Onboard new staff with fidelity to MI for consistent agency culture.
- Increase client engagement and retention, even with mandated individuals.
- Enhance internal communications for better supervisor and staff relationships.
- Decrease employee burnout, empathy fatigue, and turnover.
- Provide employees with practical, evidence-based conversational skills that lead to long-term employee satisfaction and resilience.