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About Change Talk Associates
CTA offers continuing education and coaching in MI to support helping professionals confidently and competently guide others in making changes.
Modelling this evidence-based communication style in the facilitation and coaching approach, learners experience and practice how to ignite change by transforming the conversation.
Our History
Change Talk Associates (CTA) was co-founded in 2009 by Cristine Urquhart & Frances Jasiura, Social Workers and MINTies. It continually evolved over the years, inspired by their shared commitment to empathic listening, their experiential wisdom as MI trainers, and the proven effectiveness of an MI approach to engage and support lasting change. Throughout their partnership, Cristine & Frances consulted with teams and organizations across Canada, trained thousands of helping professionals, and published numerous book chapters and practice guides.
As of 2020, Frances plays her life’s work forward into retirement and offers Cristine a listening ear as she guides Change Talk Associates through COVID and into the next decade. Cristine and Frances continue to nurture a life-long friendship.
Our Specialties
We Train
We train interprofessional groups using a relational and experiential approach. Informed by the research on learning MI, we offer a multi-level curriculum to build confidence, competence, and sustainability.
We Coach
We coach individuals and small groups. In a virtual format, coaching and feedback are provided to support and sustain skill development.
We Speak
We speak at conferences, clinical rounds and present in webinar formats.
Cristine Urquhart
MSW, RSW
Based in the West Kootenays of BC, I offer in-person and virtual training and coaching in Motivational Interviewing to support helping professionals in their work with others. In many ways, MI has been my North Star, influencing and guiding my professional path forward. Learning about MI over 20 years ago resonated so deeply that I knew I wanted to share it with other helping professionals someday.
Now, over 2 decades after I first started learning about MI, I have had the privilege of sharing this transformative approach with thousands of Helping Professionals across Canada who continue to inspire me with the dedication and courage it takes to keep showing up for those they support. What started as a wish has become my life’s work – sharing Motivational Interviewing with Helping Professionals.
Some of the highlights along the way:
- I completed my MSW at the University of Toronto and trained and worked at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in general psychiatry and addiction medicine, environments that recognized, supported and modelled an MI way of providing care.
- I returned to BC and helped create the Chemical Dependency Resource Team at Surrey Memorial Hospital, which included sharing an MI way of working within the acute care context.
- Joined the BC Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health as the Provincial Training Consultant for the ActNow Health Choices in Pregnancy in 2005. My passion for teaching and sharing MI was solidified as we travelled the province engaging with helping professionals who supported women and families.
- In 2007 participated in the Train-the-Trainer session for MI in Sofia, Bulgaria and became a member of the international Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT).
- Presented at numerous provincial, national and international conferences, including the 1st International Conference in Motivational Interviewing in Interlaken, Switzerland (2008), the International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Conference, Victoria, BC (2007, 2009), the 3rd International Conference in MI in Venice, Italy (2012), and the plenary presentation at the Early Years Conference in Vancouver (2016).
- Co-founded Change Talk Associates in 2009 with Frances Jasiura, fellow Social Worker, MI trainer and extraordinary human being.
- Instructor with UBC Continuing Studies for 10 years and the Justice Institute for over a decade.
Published numerous practice guides and book chapters
To learn more about our work at Change Talk Associates, email us and sign up to our mailing list.
Current Collaborator
Deena Boeck
MSc
Deena is a Resilience at Work Trainer and Coach. Deena brings a 20-year history of working with and leading teams and is committed to supporting the unique ways individuals and workplaces thrive. Building on her experience leading Life and Career Programs at UBC Continuing Studies and facilitating workplace learning across sectors, Deena incorporates the realities of the changing workplace with a strengths-based approach to team development and evidence-based frameworks for wellness at work.
Our Services
CTA offers continuing education and coaching in MI to support helping professionals confidently and competently support others in making changes.
Modelling this evidence-based guiding style of communication in the facilitation and coaching approach, learners experience and practice how to ignite change by transforming the conversation.
Training Inquiry
Contact us to discuss hosting a training for your organization
What Our Clients Say
It was a great course. I felt safe and supported in the environment. Appreciated the piece about self compassion being included.
This experience has been very transformative and inspiring. Thank you for the way that you teach!
It was an excellent training and has created a change in me from providing “well meaning” conversations to “meaningful conversations” that support positive change in both personal and professional life.
Cristine, I’ve never had such a profound seminar leader. Great Job.
You bring calmness and grounding to your teachings. So nice. Thanks for creating a safe space to learn.
Amazing workshop! So glad I attended. I would definitely recommend to colleagues. This helped me developed skills that will help me be a better counsellor.
An excellent introduction to a tool that should be in every clinician’s toolbox. I wish I had found out about this sooner.
Excellent resource to any healthcare professional, and from a personal development standpoint. Will be recommending to colleagues.
Awesome presenter! Very skilled at managing group dynamics and encouraging the energy of the group.
Thanks for a great experience – Cristine is a fantastic facilitator. Very warm, knowledgeable, and flexible to the needs of the group. She also did a great job adjusting the material to fit with the online format and keep people engaged.
This was a fantastic training. I loved how you modelled MI through your skilled facilitation and created a safe space for learning even via Zoom. Thank you so much.
The course took MI concepts from conceptual to practical and implementable for me – I feel I walked away with a few quick changes I can make in my day-to-day practice to counsel patients more effectively.