Addiction Counselling & Motivational Interviewing.
❗️Beyond Resistance and Denial: Evidence-Based Strategies for Substance and Behavioral Recovery.
Two-day training program in Addiction counselling & Motivational Interviewing
Training Details 📍
Dates: February 28th & March 1st, 2026 🗓️
Venue: Irish Wellness Centre, Abu Dhabi 🇦🇪
COST: AED 2600
Course OvervieW
In response to the shifting demographics of addiction—including the rise of Process/Behavioural addictions and digital dependencies—clinicians and support professionals require a more versatile toolkit.
This program is designed to help you understand how addiction develops, work effectively with resistance and denial, and support the journey toward long-term abstinence and recovery. By integrating Motivational Interviewing—the gold standard in Addiction Counselling—you will gain practical skills to intervene and support individuals across the full spectrum of dependency.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
✅ Identify how addiction develops through the Bio-Psycho-Social model.
✅ Practice Motivational Interviewing skills to de-escalate resistance and denial.
✅ Understand the 12-Step Minnesota Model and the role of residential treatment.
✅ Support different pathways to recovery, including both abstinence and harm reduction.
✅ Recognize and address behavioral addictions, such as gambling and social media.
✅ Apply the Wheel of Change to time your interventions for maximum impact.
Core Curriculum
Day 1: Foundations and Engagement Skills.
✅ The Bio-Psycho-Social Model
We examine why people become dependent through a multi-lens approach. This section covers the biological “hijacking” of the brain, the psychological role of trauma and self-medication, and the social impact of environment and isolation.
✅ The Engine of Change: The Wheel of Change
This module focuses on identifying an individual’s actual state of readiness. You will learn to map progress from Pre-contemplation (Denial) through to Maintenance, ensuring your support matches their current stage.
✅ Introduction to Motivational Interviewing (MI)
We begin the work of resolving ambivalence. You will be introduced to the spirit of MI—a collaborative, person-centered form of guiding to elicit and strengthen motivation for change.
✅ The MI Toolkit: OARS Skills
We focus on the practical application of MI to de-escalate resistance. You will begin practicing the OARS skills (Open-ended questions, Affirmations, Reflections, and Summaries) to turn denial into a collaborative conversation
Day 2: Recovery Models and Modern Challenges
✅ Abstinence and the Minnesota Model
A deep dive into the clinical foundations of abstinence-based recovery. We explore the 12-Step philosophy, the “disease concept” of addiction, and how peer-led support systems integrate with professional practice.
✅ Residential Treatment and Stabilization
We define the criteria for higher levels of care. You will learn how to identify clinical indicators for residential referrals and understand the transition from acute detoxification to structured inpatient rehabilitation.
✅ Harm Reduction and Alternative Pathways
For individuals not yet ready for total cessation, we provide practical tools for engagement. This section focuses on compassionate pragmatism, safety planning, and incremental health improvements.
✅ Behavioral Addictions: Gambling and Social Media
We apply our intervention tools to “process addictions.” You will learn to recognize the cognitive distortions in Gambling Disorders and the dopamine-driven loops created by Social Media and Technology.
Course benefits
✅ Understand the Drivers of Addiction: Gain a clear framework for why addiction develops, covering the biological, psychological, and social factors that sustain dependency.
✅ Navigate Resistance and Denial: Learn specific, practical communication tools to lower a person’s defenses and turn difficult conversations into collaborative ones.
✅ Handle Modern Challenges: Develop the skills to address not only substance use but also the rising tide of behavioral issues like gambling and social media addiction.
✅ Use Proven Methods: Master Motivational Interviewing—the gold-standard approach for helping people find their own internal motivation to change.
✅ Practical Intervention Skills: Leave with a concrete toolkit you can use immediately to identify a person’s stage of change and provide the right support at the right time.
Course leader
Dr John Crimmins
Consultant Psychotherapist & Addiction Specialist
Dr. John Crimmins is a highly experienced consultant psychotherapist with over 25 years of clinical practice across the full spectrum of dependency and mental health. His career in addiction began on the front lines in the early 1990s at Merchants Quay Ireland, where he worked within needle exchange programs, engaging with clients in the critical pre-contemplation stages of change.
John’s expertise evolved into leadership as he became the Senior Manager of Ireland’s leading progressive residential addiction facility. There, he managed the clinical complexities of residential stabilization for clients at every stage of the recovery journey—from those undergoing methadone detoxification in the contemplation phase to highly determined individuals focused on total abstinence. This role solidified his mastery of group psychodynamics and the continuum of care.
A graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, John further specialized in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) at the renowned Maudsley Hospital’s Eating Disorder Unit in London. This clinical precision led him to co-found the Kildare Street Clinic for Eating Disorders alongside esteemed psychiatrist Dr. Anne Leader.
In his thriving private practice, Dr. Crimmins integrates his decades of experience to treat both substance and behavioral dependencies, including:
Chemical Dependency: Painkillers and opioid substitution.
Process Addictions: Gambling disorders and digital dependencies.
Co-occurring Issues: Eating disorders, depression, and anxiety.
John’s unique background—spanning the pragmatism of harm reduction to the structure of residential abstinence—makes him a leading voice in interdisciplinary addiction training.
The course is suitable for:
a multidisciplinary audience seeking to deepen their professional response to dependency:
✅ Medical & Clinical: Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Mental Health Nurses, and Doctors.
✅ Frontline Support: Addiction Counselors, Social Workers, and Probation Officers.
✅ Coaching & Wellness: Mental Health Coaches, Recovery Mentors, and Peer Support Workers.
✅ Educational & Community: Teachers, School Counselors, and Outreach Professionals.
How You Will Learn
Dr. Crimmins avoids dry lectures, running the training as a high-energy group session where you learn by doing. The focus is on real-life addiction cases and intensive role-plays to build your clinical empathy and help you recognize your own internal reactions to client resistance. This interactive approach ensures you spend less time listening and more time practicing the language of change. By mastering these skills, you not only improve outcomes but also reduce the clinical friction that leads to practitioner burnout. You will leave with a practical toolkit ready for immediate use in your practice.
Accreditation and Certification
❗️Accreditation: Department of Health (DOH) Abu Dhabi
❗️Credit: 14 CME points
❗️Certification: Certificate of Achievement provided upon successful completion
Training Details 📍
Dates:
February 28th & March 1st, 2026🗓️
Venue: Irish Wellness Medical Centre, Abu Dhabi 🇦🇪
The cost: AED 2600
Early booking is highly recommended to secure your spot. To register for the course, kindly click on the link provided below. You will be directed to the registration form, where you can fill in your details and complete the registration process. Don’t miss out on this valuable opportunity to expand your knowledge and skills. – reserve your place today!
Download the free ebook by Dr John Crimmins
