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Fall 2026 — enrolment open

RDI^® Professional Certification

The Canadian training pathway, led by the Director of RDI^® professional training in Canada. Twelve weeks live, two supervised families, and a practice you can build a career on.

12Weeks of live training in Part 1

2Supervision families during advanced training

7–9Months, realistically, for supervision projects

$100–200Typical hourly rate once certified

The pathway

From application to certified consultant.

Typically completed in under eighteen months. Applications take two to three business days to process, and class sizes are limited — apply at least a month before the first class date.

Apply for Fall 2026 →

Lisa Palasti smiling, wearing a grey cardigan — Lisa mentors every Canadian cohort personally

Step 01

Apply

Any discipline is welcome — RDI consultants come from many educational and experiential backgrounds, not psychology alone. You'll hear back within 2–3 business days.

Step 02

Part 1 — 12 weeks live

Lectures, small-group discussion, parent training sessions, video review and case studies. Expect 1–2 hours of homework each week.

Step 03

Two supervision families

You work with two families under mentorship, functioning as an RDI professional. Trainees typically charge a reduced professional fee during this stage.

Step 04

Certification

RDI^® Certified Consultant. From there you design your own practice — average caseloads run 10–20 families, in person or entirely virtual.

Curriculum

What Part 1 covers

Developing intrinsic motivation
Relationship Development Assessment training
RDI^® programme goals
The pathogenesis of autism
Dynamic intelligence
Principles of consulting
Effective client communication
The developmental & relationship approach
Review of the latest research
Behaviour management strategies

Investment

Two ways to start Part I

Both begin Wednesday, September 30 and run in the same room, at the same time, with the same instructor. The difference is how much of Part I you’re signing up for today.

Option 1

RDI^® Professional Training — Part I

$2,550

Plus applicable taxes

The full Part I term · Wednesdays, Sept 30 – Dec 16, 2026 · 5:00–7:30 pm EST · live on Zoom

The first term of the full RDI^® Professional Certification pathway — for professionals who want to work with families as a certified RDI^® consultant.

Several payment plans available — completed before the course begins, and outlined during registration.
Scholarships, when available, are awarded on a first come, first serve basis upon request.
Applications take 2–3 business days to process. Class sizes are limited — apply at least one month before the first class.

Questions about tuition? Book a time to chat with the director.

Option 2 New

RDI^® Associate Training — Part I

$1,250

Plus applicable taxes

The first 7 classes of Part I · Wednesdays from Sept 30, 2026 · 5:00–7:30 pm EST · live on Zoom

We’ve heard from so many of you who want the RDI^® framework in your practice but aren’t ready to commit to the full certification pathway. So we’ve opened the first part of Part I as a standalone step.

RDI^® Associate Training gives you the theoretical foundations of Dynamic Intelligence: how the guiding relationship is restored, why dynamic thinking matters more than compliance, and how to see a child’s development through a completely different lens. You sit in the same classes as our certification candidates — you’re simply not signing up for the whole road at once.

Complete these classes and you’ll hold the RDI^® Support Associate designation. If it lights you up — and it usually does — you can carry your credit straight into the full certification pathway. No repeating, no starting over. You just keep going.

Confers the RDI^® Support Associate designation

Continue from where you left off.

Trainee questions

The practical detail

How long does certification take?

Typically the entire process can be completed in less than 18 months. The supervision projects are the variable part — realistically 7 to 9 months.

My degree isn't in psychology. Can I apply?

Yes. RDI consultants come from all kinds of educational and experiential backgrounds. Provided the prerequisites are met, a range of disciplines is welcome.

How can I fund my training?

Trainees have used grants and fellowships, employer support, personal loans, provincial funding in BC, Alberta and Ontario, fees from supervision families, and payment plans. Ask about payment plans when you apply.

How do I find supervision families?

Most trainees recruit through consultant referrals, relationships in their own community, simple marketing materials, and the RDI community discussion boards. You are not left to work this out alone.

Can I charge my supervision families?

Yes. Trainees typically charge a reduced professional fee while functioning as RDI professionals during supervision.

I have a child on the spectrum — why must I work with a consultant first?

An outside perspective gives you assessment clues about the obstacles in your own family and a roadmap forward. It ensures you and your child focus on developing your guiding relationship first, before you take on that role for other families.

How much homework is involved?

Each week through Part 1 a & b, trainees are given an assignment that takes 1–2 hours to complete.

Can I work virtually with my clients once certified?

Yes — RDI works beautifully for virtual parent coaching by video conference, and consultants successfully serve families worldwide.

Open for Client Work

Fall 2026 Part 1 begins September 30.

Wednesdays, 5:00–7:30 pm EST, through December 16. Class size is limited and applications take 2–3 business days.

Apply now →

RDI® Professional Certification