Hi, I'm Peter

My name is Peter Rives and I am the founder and owner or Helpfuler, LLC. I created Helpfuler in order to spread what I have learned about being a more effective, efficient, and compassionate helper with others around the world.

When I graduated from Wake Forest University with a degree in Psychology, my trajectory was aimed towards becoming a research and teaching professor. I began working towards that goal in a doctoral program in Social Psychology at the University of Delaware. There, I honed skills in teaching, research, program management, data management and analysis, and deepened my understanding of human behavior and cognition. While at the U of D, I took a part-time summer job as a behavioral support paraprofessional in a community-based setting and my love of helping people ballooned. 

I spent the next 2 decades working in the public behavioral health system supporting people of all ages with mental health, substance use, and intellectual/developmental challenges. I served in direct care roles, as a case manager, in inpatient settings, as a liaison between facilities and communities, as a care coordinator, as a policy and program developer, and answering crisis hotlines. Across all of these roles, I found myself propelled by the meaningful impact I was able to make in people's lives. It was during this time that I was introduced to an invaluable helping tool: Motivational Interviewing (MI). 

Since being introduced to Motivational Interviewing, I have found it to be the single most helpful skillset that I've encountered for supporting people in achieving whatever "better" means for them. I've found it to not only be helpful for the people I'm supporting, but also for me. As a helper I've experienced a significant decrease in frustration and burnout as a result of how MI has helped me reframe my conceptualization of what it means to be a helper. 

In 2015, I applied for and completed the Training of New Trainers of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), taking my knowledge and skill as a trainer in Motivational Interviewing to a new level. Since becoming a member of MINT, I have provided training in Motivational Interviewing to university students, faculty, and staff, to social workers and public health workers, to peer support specialists, to supervisors and administrators, to law enforcement and attorneys, to doctors, nurses, and medical support staff, and many more. I have presented on the topic of Motivational Interviewing in the US and abroad and taught MI all around the world. 

In my workshops, what you'll find is that I am passionate about Motivational Interviewing and about teaching in ways that make the experience of learning fun and engaging. My workshops are highly interactive, engaging, and fun and I strive to help learners not only discover what Motivational Interviewing is, but also how to deliver it with fidelity, as well as the "why" behind the approach.

In addition to Motivational Interviewing, I teach other evidence-based approached to helping such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, active listening, Screening Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), and Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS). 

I also enjoy consulting with entities that can benefit from my experience in grant writing, program development, evaluation and assessment, prevention programming, higher education administration, leadership and management, and other macro applications. 

Beyond training and consulting, I am a mental health and substance use clinician in a small group practice and enjoy adventures with my family. 

Want to know more or have a question? E-mail me at prives@gmail.com