Half of our students don’t want us to tell them what to do, and the other half want us to tell them exactly what to do so they don’t have to come up with solutions themselves. Motivational Interviewing (MI) offers a practical middle path by empowering students to uncover their own motivations, strengths, and next steps.
In this session, you will learn core MI techniques that foster student ownership, deepen critical thinking, and reduce resistance. Participants will leave with strategies they can immediately integrate into conversations to guide students toward meaningful, self-driven change.
Amy Baltimore is a former missionary kid whose early life experiences shaped a deep commitment to supporting children impacted by developmental trauma. She holds an undergraduate degree in musical theater and a master’s degree in school counseling, and she began her career serving K–8 students through school counseling and arts-based programming.
After 12 years serving in schools, Amy recognized that sustainable student growth requires equally supported adults. She earned a specialist degree in Educational Leadership and served as a district school counseling leader before completing doctoral studies at Lipscomb University, focusing on learning organizations and strategic change.
Amy’s professional experience includes serving as Chair of the Board and legislative liaison for the Tennessee School Counselor Association, adjunct professor, conference speaker, author and member of the Tennessee Department of Education’s school counseling advisory council. She is a Nationally Board Certified Counselor and a certified trainer in restorative practices, trauma-informed education, ACEs/PCEs, and Youth Mental Health First Aid.
Married for 26 years, Amy enjoys sunshine-filled days paddleboarding, biking, and hiking waterfalls with her husband in Middle Tennessee.
