Welcome

“The Intersection of Systems and Empathy: Authentic Change from the Inside Out”

From Compliance to Consciousness - Bridging Mindset, Heartset, and Practice

Meet the team

Soto Training & Consultation Services (STCS) is a professional training and consulting firm specializing in workforce development, Motivational Interviewing (MI), and evidence-based practices for governmental and nonprofit organizations. Led by licensed clinician and MINT trainer Gretchen G. Soto, STCS delivers high-impact training, consultation, and clinical supervision services designed to build capacity, deepen practice, and align programs with best-practice standards. Services include curriculum development, virtual and in-person training, workforce coaching, strategic program implementation, and organizational development.

Who we are :

Soto Training & Consultation Services (STCS) helps people and organizations move from performance to presence — from checking boxes to cultivating change that matters.Founded by Gretchen G. Soto, LPC, MINT Trainer since 2008, STCS integrates evidence-based practice with humanity, bridging Motivational Interviewing, trauma-informed care, prevention science, and co-occurring treatment into one unifying philosophy: that sustainable change begins with both mindset and heartset.

For more than 25 years, Gretchen has guided clinicians, leaders, and systems toward conscious, compassionate practice — work that honors evidence while embodying empathy. Through training, consultation, and systems design, STCS partners with agencies and organizations to transform helping from a compliance-driven process into a consciousness-based practice of presence, equity, and impact.

We partner with individuals, organizations, and communities to cultivate the internal conditions for sustainable change.
Founded by Gretchen G. Soto, LPC, a Motivational Interviewing Network Trainer (MINT) since 2008, STCS brings over 25 years of expertise in evidence-based practice integration, trauma-informed systems, and prevention science.

Change that lasts doesn’t come from telling people what to do — it comes from inviting them to think, feel, and act differently.
At Soto Training & Consultation Services (STCS), we help people and systems move from performance to presence — replacing performative helping with authentic, evidence-based, and human-centered practice.

Meet Gretchen

“We don’t train people to do change. We help them become change — with presence, empathy, and purpose”

Change that lasts doesn’t come from telling people what to do — it comes from inviting them to think, feel, and act differently.
At Soto Training & Consultation Services (STCS), we help people and systems move from performance to presence — replacing performative helping with authentic, evidence-based, and human-centered practice.

core pillars

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  • Evidence with Empathy

  • Mindset + Heartset Alignment

  • Presence Over Performance

  • Sustainable Systems Change

  • Equity in Action

Training & Capacity Building

STCS delivers dynamic, experiential training that goes beyond information delivery. Each session is designed to shift internal stance as much as external behavior, blending Motivational Interviewing, trauma-informed care, and prevention science into practical, reflective learning.

From skill-building to systems transformation, STCS partners with you to bring evidence-based practice to life — with compassion, precision, and purpose.

  • Foundational, Intermediate, and Advanced Motivational Interviewing

  • Trauma-Informed Engagement & Communication

  • Co-occurring Disorders: Integrating Mental Health and Substance Use Perspectives

  • Reflective Supervision and Coaching Skills for Leaders

  • Train-the-Trainer Series for MI Champions and Supervisors

  • Evidence-based content grounded in implementation science

  • Real-world case applications drawn from government and nonprofit settings

  • Integration of both mindset and heartset — shaping how professionals think, feel, and engage

Consultation & Technical Assistance

STCS consultation helps organizations translate best practices into everyday workflows — where policy meets person, and systems meet story.

Turning Knowledge into Practice

  • Collaborative assessment of strengths, gaps, and readiness for change

  • Tailored implementation plans that bridge theory and application

  • Coaching and fidelity monitoring for sustained outcomes

  • Motivational Interviewing integration across service levels

  • Trauma-informed organizational culture development

  • Prevention and early intervention systems design

  • Cross-sector collaboration and interagency alignment

  • Grant management and performance improvement planning

Systems Change Partnerships

For over two decades, Gretchen Soto has supported large-scale systems — from community-based organizations to state agencies — in designing, funding, and sustaining initiatives that align evidence with equity.

- Transforming Systems from the Inside Out

  • Strategic planning and leadership development

  • Multi-agency systems mapping and integration

  • Workforce development and cross-training initiatives

  • Federal and state grant consultation (DBHDS, HHS, DHS, etc.)

  • Equity-centered policy and program design

  • Deep expertise in translating behavioral science into operational excellence

  • Compassionate systems thinking rooted in the Motivational Interviewing Spirit

  • Commitment to conscious leadership — guiding systems to listen as deeply as they lead

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Let’s Begin the Conversation

Whether you’re seeking customized training, consultation, or a systems-change partnership, we’d love to connect.
Every engagement begins with a conversation — grounded in curiosity, collaboration, and clarity of purpose.

Thank you

"When evidence meets empathy, transformation happens — in conversations, in teams, and across systems.
STCS helps leaders, clinicians, and organizations bridge that space with courage, compassion, and clarity of purpose"