- Recorded Webinar
Treating Ambivalence & Behavior Change: MI, CBT & ACT Strategies for Stalled Treatment (RV)
Dr. Kristin L. Dempsey, LMFT, LPCC
- Recorded Webinar
Overview:
Most clinicians have worked with clients who are engaged, insightful, and agreeable in session — yet make little to no behavioral change between sessions. They nod, understand, and verbally commit, but meaningful action never follows. These cases often leave therapists feeling stuck, frustrated, or questioning their effectiveness.
This 6-hour training focuses on understanding and treating the “agreement without action” pattern using evidence-based frameworks from Motivational Interviewing (MI), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and the Stages of Change model. Learn how to distinguish true readiness from passive compliance, identify hidden ambivalence, and recognize subtle resistance patterns that block follow-through.
Through case vignettes, session video analysis, and guided skills practice, you’ll build practical tools to strengthen engagement, evoke intrinsic motivation, increase accountability, and design behaviorally specific interventions that clients are more likely to implement. The training also addresses therapeutic alliance dynamics, rupture-and-repair strategies, and clinician behaviors that unintentionally reinforce non-action.
Designed for mental health professionals who want practical engagement tools they can use immediately in clinical practice.
Objectives:
- Differentiate between client agreement, compliance, ambivalence, and readiness for change using at least two evidence-based change models.
- Identify at least four clinical indicators that a client is demonstrating passive agreement without behavioral commitment.
- Explain how ambivalence and stage-of-change mismatch contribute to lack of follow-through in therapy.
- Demonstrate at least three Motivational Interviewing techniques to elicit change talk and strengthen client commitment.
- Apply at least two CBT-based behavioral strategies to increase client follow-through between sessions.
- Utilize at least two ACT-informed interventions to connect client values with committed action steps.
- Implement at least two therapeutic alliance repair or engagement-enhancing responses when treatment progress stalls.
Scope and Limitations Disclosure
This 6-hour continuing education course addresses the clinical assessment and treatment of ambivalence and behavioral stalling in psychotherapy, with a focus on evidence-based strategies drawn from Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and the Stages of Change model. The content is intended for licensed or license-eligible mental health professionals and is designed to supplement, not replace, supervision, specialized training, or consultation when working with complex, high-risk, or co-occurring presentations. Participants are responsible for applying course content within their individual scope of practice and in accordance with applicable ethical and professional standards. Completion of this training does not confer an independent credential; participants who meet all requirements will receive a certificate of completion issued by the training provider.
Commercial Support Disclosure
Dr. Kristin Dempsey has authored Harm Recovery Workbook for Addiction (New Harbinger, 2024), which may be referenced during this training. No purchase of this or any other material is required to complete this course or obtain a certificate of completion. No other financial relationships or sources of commercial support exist for this training.
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Dr. Kristin L. Dempsey, LMFT, LPCC
Dr. Kristin Dempsey, EdD, LPCC, LMFT, is an esteemed figure in the field of psychotherapy, counseling education, and motivational interviewing. With nearly three decades of dedicated experience, she has significantly impacted community mental health settings and K-12 schools, offering vital mental health and substance use education and treatment services. Presently, Kristin continues her transformative work by providing support to individuals and families in her San Francisco and Burlingame offices, as well as through telehealth. Her expertise extends to various complex conditions, including co-occurring mental health and substance use issues, trauma, and eating disorders. As a MINT Certified Trainer, Kristin is committed to training a diverse range of mental health and helping professionals in motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, crisis interventions, and various cognitive-behavioral and behavioral therapy approaches. Her teaching philosophy is grounded in a strengths-based perspective that explores values and meaning-building for clients, supervisees, and clinicians alike. Additionally, she contributes to the academic community as an associate professor at the Wright Institute’s Counseling Psychology Program and as a dedicated lecturer at San Francisco State University. Kristin's recent book, "Harm Recovery Workbook for Addiction" (New Harbinger, 2024), is a testament to her dedication to advancing the field of mental health and addiction treatment, making her an inspirational figure in the realm of mental health and therapy.
National Approvals
eCare BHI, as the accredited and approved sponsor, maintains responsibility for all the programs and must abide by each board’s continuing education guidelines.
Professional Counselors — The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
E Care Behavioral Health Institute has been approved by NBCC as an approved Continuing Education Provider. ACEP No. 6703. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC are clearly identified. E care Behavioral Health Institute is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Addiction Professionals — NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC)
E Care Behavioral Health Institute is officially on file with NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC) as an Approved Education Provider. They are formally known as NAADAC Provider #139138. Please note that E care Behavioral Health Institute is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.
Social Workers — Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
E Care Behavioral Health Institute, #1706, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 06-03-2026 – 06-03-2029
CE Broker
CE Broker is a continuing education tracking system in which licensees track their compliance and report their completed CE hours credit (CE Broker Tracking #50-33336)
Notice: We are currently experiencing a technical issue with CE Broker that will cause a delay in reporting CE credits for Ohio-Licensed Social Workers (OH CSWMFT). We are actively working to resolve this and will notify you once credits reporting is available
State Approvals
States that Accept ASWB-ACE Approved Providers |
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| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut |
| Delaware | District Of Columbia | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois |
| Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland |
| Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska |
| Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio |
| Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee |
| Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin |
| Wyoming | ||||||
States that Accepts NBCC Approved Courses: |
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| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut |
| Delaware | District Of Columbia | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Indiana |
| Iowa | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Missouri | New Hampshire | New Jersey |
| New Mexico | Ohio | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota |
| Tennessee | Texas | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | Wisconsin | |
Notes:
- Nevada CPC’s and MFT’s accept ASWB-approved training
- North Dakota Board Of Counselor Examiners LAPC and LAPCS accept ASWB approved training
- Rhode Island Board of Mental Health Counselors and Marriage & Family Therapists MHC’s accept ASWB approved training
- Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council LPC and LPCS accept ASWB approved training
- Utah Division of Professional Licensing – CMHC’s accept ASWB approved training
- Washington State Department of Mental Health MHC’s accept ASWB approved training
- Wisconsin Council on Mental Health LPCS accepts ASWB-approved training
States that Accept NAADAC Approved Providers |
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| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | Delaware | Hawaii | Indiana |
| Kentucky | Maine | Massachusetts | Minnesota | Montana | Nevada | New Jersey |
| New Jersey | New Mexico | North Carolina | North Dakota | Oregon | Rhode Island | Tennessee |
| Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wisconsin | Wyoming |
States that Accept APA Approved Providers |
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| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Delaware | District Of Columbia |
| Florida | Georgia | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas |
| Kentucky | Louisiana | Maryland | Massachusetts | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri |
| Montana | Nebraska | New Jersey | New Mexico | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma |
| Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | Tennessee | Utah | Vermont | Virginia |
| Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming | |||
Note: Please note that Individual Board Rules are subject to potential changes. The approval and acceptance details we furnish are accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of documentation.
Should you have any inquiries or uncertainties not addressed by the provided information, it’s advisable to consult your State Regulatory Board. Ultimately, the decision of whether your license renewal credit hours are accepted or denied rests with you.
Georgia Addiction Counselor: E Care BHI is recognized by the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Certification Board of Georgia as an approved education provider for Addiction Counselors (ADACBGA) #19-12-17-1212.
Florida Addiction Counselor: E Care BHI is recognized by the Florida Certification Board as an approved education provider for Addiction Counselor (FCB) #5387-A.
Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy & Mental Health Counseling: The Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy & Mental Health Counseling accepts courses from ASWB & NBCC approved providers. E Care Behavioral Health Institute is an ASWB and NBCC approved provider.
Oklahoma Addiction Counselor: E Care BHI is recognized by the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors as an approved education provider for Addiction Counselors (OBLADC) #20220136.
Oklahoma Board of Behavioral Health Licensure: E Care BHI is an approved CE provider for LPC & LMFT
Ohio Addiction Counselor: E Care BHI is recognized by the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board as an approved education provider for Addiction Counselor (OCDP)#50-29024.
Note: eCare’s OCDP-approved courses are for renewal continuing education only and do not fulfill initial CDCA Preliminary or CDCA certification requirements.
The Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board accepts courses from ASWB & NBCC approved providers. E Care Behavioral Health Institute is an ASWB and NBCC approved provider.
Note: We are currently experiencing a technical issue with CE Broker that will cause a delay in reporting CE credits for Ohio-Licensed Social Workers (OH CSWMFT). We are actively working to resolve this and will notify you once credits reporting is available.
VA Mental Health Employee: E Care BHI VA COMMERCIAL VENDOR # 81-3353387-01
California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP): E Care BHI is recognized by the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP) Provider Number OS-22-344-0526
Connecticut Certification Board CCB Approved): E Care BHI is recognized & approved by the Connecticut Certification Board.
Texas Certification Board (TCB): E Care Behavioral Health Institute is recognized by the Texas Certification Board as an approved education provider. Number 2041-19
South Carolina E Care Behavioral Health Institute is recognized by the Professional Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists, and Psycho-Educational Specialists licensing board as an approved education provider Provider #4628
New York (MHC) E Care Behavioral Health is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0277
New York (SW) E Care Behavioral Health Institute is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0745 LA-ADRA – E Care Behavioral Health Institute is recognized by Louisiana The Addictive Disorder Regulatory Authority as an approved educational provider AEP #E122
Who This Training is For:
This program is intended for mental health professionals such as Social Workers, Mental Health Counselors, Addiction Counselors, & MFT’s. Psychologists are encouraged to verify if this specific course meets their board’s approval requirements.
CE Guarantee
If you no longer wish to take the course, we’re happy to offer a credit transfer to another course of equal CE value
Unlimited Access
Enjoy unlimited replays to the video lesson that you can always review later for your own resource
Anytime, Anywhere
Take this course at your own time & pace on any device. Whether you're at the office or from the comfort of home!
If you're from Florida, Ohio, or South Carolina, we'll report your CEs to the CE broker
How It Works
Sign Up & Watch The Training
Pass Quiz & Complete Evaluation
Receive Certificate Immediately
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, we are approved Continuing Education providers by ASWB, NBCC, NAADAC, APA & many other state boards.
Programs that do not qualify for ASWB, NBCC, NAADAC, & APA are clearly identified. eCare Behavioral Health Institute is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
To view all of our board approvals, click here
1) After watching the video lesson, you’ll be prompted to complete a short course evaluation
2) Pass the quiz
3) Receive your certificate immediately
80% or above with 3 attempts.
No. Our courses are not “book to buy” and do not require any other materials in advance.
Yes. (If you’re from Florida, Ohio, & South Carolina). We report CEs to the CE broker daily for courses completed the day before. For both live and recorded webinars.
Recorded Webinar CE Courses:
- Refunds are only eligible if the course was purchased within 30 days or less.
- If the customer doesn’t want the course anymore, or was unsatisfied from it – We can transfer credits to another course of their choice (with same CE credit amount).
Unlimited CEs for $297/year
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