The Profectum DIR Foundations Certificate Program is the most comprehensive, dynamic, and supportive pathway for licensed professionals to become DIR-certified practitioners. The program guides participants through a progressive learning experience designed to deepen understanding of the DIR model. Across three courses, learners move from discovering the powerful, relational possibilities of DIR to developing a strong theoretical grounding in the model and finally to applying DIR thinking in real-world practice. Throughout the experience, participants learn how development unfolds through emotionally meaningful relationships and how each child’s unique profile shapes their pathway toward engagement, communication, and thinking.
Profectum's Introduction to the DIR® Model is running as a South African cohort this October, facilitated by Kate Bailey, in SA time.
Together, these three courses provide an in-depth and supportive pathway into the DIR model and establish a strong foundation for professionals seeking to use DIR as a grounding framework for supporting families.
This program is for professional working with individuals with developmental and learning differences. The certificate program consists of three courses, designed to be completed in sequence, with no more than six months between each course.
Length of program:
Introduction to the DIR Model - 4 2-hour sessions
Foundations of DIR Theory - 15 2-hour sessions meeting once per week
Foundations of DIR Practice - 15 2-hour sessions meeting once per week
Format:
Instructor led - live online via Zoom
This includes, but is not limited to:
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Occupational therapists
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Speech-language Therapists
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Physiotherapists
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Educators
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Psychologists
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Medical professionals
Training & Certification
Profectum Foundations Introduction the DIR Model
Profectum Foundations in DIR Theory
The next course, “Foundations of DIR Theory,” builds on this introduction by offering a deeper theoretical grounding in the model. Participants examine the Functional Emotional Developmental Capacities and explore how sensory processing, motor planning, communication, emotional regulation, and thinking interact dynamically within relationships. Through lecture, discussion, video analysis, and case-based learning, participants begin to see how Development, Individual Differences, and Relationships come together in the moment-to-moment flow of interaction.
Profectum Foundations in DIR Practice
The final course, “Foundations of DIR Practice,” brings these elements together through application and mentoring. Participants learn to use information about a child’s developmental capacities and individual differences to tailor intervention and support meaningful developmental progress. Through alternating live classes and small-group mentoring sessions guided by Profectum tutors, learners analyze real cases, reflect on their own work, and practice integrating DIR principles into everyday interactions with children and families.