Joel Porter BS MA PsyD

Director, Pacific Centre for Motivation & Change- New Zealand

Joel has over 15 years of dedicated clinical experience in the addiction field and has practiced in a wide range of community and residential treatment programs in the United States, Germany and New Zealand. 

Joel received his training in Motivational Interviewing from William Miller, Ph.D and Theresa Moyers, Ph.D in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA and Crete, Greece and is a member of the Steering Committee for the International Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. Joel is a Senior Clinical lecturer with the National addiction Centre- Christchurch School of Medicine and is a lecturer in the Wellington Institute of Technology's Alcohol and Drug Studies program.

Joel is a charter member of the New Zealand School of the Addictions organizing committee. His research and professional interests include the systemic impacts of addictive behaviours, trauma and addiction, and professional training in treating addictive behaviours. Since 2004, Joel has developed a research and training interest in the area of gambling treatment.

Suzanne Habib BPsych (Hons) PhD MAPS

Director, Pacific Centre for Motivation & Change- Australia

Suzanne has a PhD in health psychology. She is a member of the APS College of Health Psychologists and a registered, practicing psychologist. She is an adjunct lecturer in the School of Psychology at James Cook University and lectures on the postgraduate program in Townsville and Singapore.

Suzanne has completed clinical training in Motivational Interviewing in Australia, England and New Zealand. She trained as a trainer in Motivational Interviewing in Paris with Stephen Rollnick, PhD, and is a member of the International Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers.

Suzanne’s research, publications and clinical interests have a focus on health behaviour change and include the use of Motivational Interviewing to increase engagement in treatment, and motivation to self-manage chronic health conditions, brief intervention for chronic pain and assessment of motivation.