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The DIRFloortime® Training Program
The DIRFloortime® Training Program
The original and official DIR® and DIRFloortime® (AKA Floortime®) training program
Welcome to the DIRFloortime® Training Program! Our courses can generally fall into three categories: DIR 101 introductory course, DIRFloortime® Professional Certificate courses and continuing education for families and professionals.
DIR 101: An Introduction to DIR® and DIRFloortime® is the starting place for professionals and parents that want to begin to learn about DIR® and DIRFloortime® (also know as Floortime®).
The DIRFloortime® Professional Certificate Program is designed for professionals seeking to become DIRFloortime providers and offer DIRFloortime services to individuals and families (some courses are available for parents to audit).
2. Continuing Education Courses for Families and Professionals are open to anyone interested in deepening their understanding of autism, neurodiversity-affirming practice and human development. If a course is not designed to support parents/caregivers, it will be clearly indicated on the registration page.
This page is designed to help you navigate the aspects of the DIRFloortime® Training Program. Below is a table of contents of the topics covered on this page. You can either click the link of the topic on the table of contents or simply scroll down the page to read the content.
Table of Contents
DIR 101 & DIRFloortime Professional Certificate Courses
- Professionals and Paraprofessionals
The DIRFloortime® Training Program is open to anyone who wants to learn the DIR® model and DIRFloortime® approach that is based on respectful, meaningful interactions tailored to each person's individual differences and promoting each person's development to their fullest potential. Our program participants are professionals from various fields: Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, Psychologists, Counselors, Social Workers, Educators, Early Intervention Specialists, Child Care Providers, Art Therapists, Music Therapists, Physical Therapists, Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Practitioners, Nurses, Physicians and any professional that supports the development of infants, children, young adults, and adults.
While the DIRFloortime Certificate courses are rigorous and it can help a great deal to have an advanced degree in a related field, there are actually no college or university education prerequisites to take DIR 101 - DIR 202 or to earn a DIRFloortime Assistant (DFA) certificate. DIR 203 (Advanced Certificate course) and DIR 204 (Expert Certificate course) have specific degree requirements. Please see the curriculum page for specific prerequisite requirements and exceptions.
Important! A DIRFloortime Certificate is intended to be a supplemental specialty to your current profession/occupation (occupational therapist, speech therapist, teacher, psychologist, etc.). It is not a stand-alone certification. As such, the DIRFloortime® certificates do not qualify, license, or otherwise certify you to work in any way that you are not already credentialed and/or licensed and/or otherwise certified by applicable local, state, national, or other entity responsible for such qualification. The DIRFloortime® training is intended to provide you with a rich framework by which you can work within your field of practice.
- Parents
Parents are welcomed to join our courses. However there are a few things to know. The DIR 101 course is designed for parents, professionals, students, and paraprofessionals. All are welcome in this course. The DIR 201-202 courses are designed for professionals and paraprofessionals, but we welcome parents to join these as well. Parents can join in two ways:
Audit the course. In this case registration fee is reduced and the parent does not participate in the case presentation section of the course. Therefore, no professional certificate can be issued. Auditing parents may be a part of all lectures, discussions, and view presentations from other students, but the course is not intended to provide direct support to the parents who are enrolled. This course structure is designed to train participants in the DIRFloortime model and as such, it is not an appropriate or ethical setting for the Training Leaders to coach parents about their own child. We strongly recommend that a parent connect with a Floortime practitioner in their area for coaching regarding their own child as the optimal way to implement Floortime. ICDL also offers individualized virtual (live online) Floortime consultations Floortime intensives through our DIR® Institute. Auditing the DIR 203 and DIR 204 courses is not permitted.
Take the course as a professional or paraprofessional. This is an option for those parents who are also professionals in the field. If a parent takes a 201 or 202 course as a professional or paraprofessional, then they are engaging in the case presentation aspects of the course, but they are not permitted to present their own child. They must present themselves using Floortime with a child other than their own.
Parents and caregivers are welcome to take our continuing education courses as well. If a course is not designed to support parents, it will be indicated on the registration page.
Professional Certificate Levels and Scope of Practice
There are four levels of the professional DIRFloortime® Certificate Program. Completion of the DIR 101 Introduction to DIR® and DIRFloortime® is required to enter into the professional certificate program. The four levels are:
DIRFloortime® Basic Certificate (DIR-Basic)
Must successfully complete DIR 201 with at least an 80% score on all assessment rubric sections for the course.
Professionals at this level are entitled to be called a Basic DIRFloortime® Provider and to represent themselves as such - doing Floortime with others working on FEDCs 1-4.
Providers at this level may present on DIR to others, but must stay within the scope of Basic DIRFloortime® certificate. For example, doing a presentation on using DIRFloortime® in supporting individuals in FEDCs 1-4 is within the scope of Basic Certificate, while parent or professional coaching on DIR is not.
DIRFloortime® Certificate of Proficiency (DIR-Proficient)
Must successfully complete DIR 201, and 202 with at least an 80% score on all assessment rubric sections for the course.
Professionals at this level are entitled to be called Proficient DIRFloortime® Providers and to represent themselves as such - doing Floortime with others working on FEDCs 1-9 and beyond.
Providers at this level may present on DIR to others, but must stay within the scope of DIRFloortime® Certificate of Proficiency. For example, doing a presentation on using DIRFloortime® in supporting individuals with autism or other challenges is within the scope of a Proficient provider, whereas creating a parent support group helping caregivers do Floortime with their children is not.
DIRFloortime® Advanced Certificate (DIR-Advanced)
Must successfully complete DIR 201, 202, and 203 with at least an 80% score on all assessment rubric sections for the course.
Professionals at this level are entitled to be called Advanced DIRFloortime® Providers and to represent themselves as such - doing Floortime with others at the full range of FEDCs and coaching others (parents and professionals). Advanced DIRFloortime® Providers may use their DIRFloortime expertise to support individuals in their practice as well as coach parents and professionals. Advanced DIRFloortime® providers can support parents in various ways: create support groups, webinars, provide parent and community education, etc., but they must stay within the scope of the Advanced DIRFloortime® certificate. For example, while coaching parents and fellow professionals in DIRFloortime® is within the scope of an Advanced provider, teaching DIRFloortime® professional certificate courses is not.
Advanced DIRFloortime® Providers may supervise a DFA’s Floortime practice.
DIRFloortime® Expert Certificate & Training Leader Eligibility (DIR-Expert)
Must successfully complete DIR 201, 202, 203, and 204 with at least an 80% score on all assessment rubric sections for each course.
DIRFloortime® Expert Certificate makes the professional a candidate to serve as an Expert Training Leader for ICDL and to teach official DIRFloortime® Training Program certificate courses. Serving as an Expert Training Leader with ICDL is contingent upon being employed by ICDL or serving as an Independent Contractor or Licensee of ICDL. Please note that with rare exceptions, ICDL does not license courses within the United States. All DIRFloortime® Training courses must always be arranged in agreement with ICDL.
DIR-Experts are able to provide mentoring to trainees at any other level of DIRFloortime training as well as supervise a DFA’s Floortime practice.
DIR® and DIRFloortime® are registered trademarks of ICDL, Inc.
This is a progressive assessment-based certificate program. This means that you must successfully complete one course at a time to progress to the next. Also, as an assessment-based certificate program, each participant's Floortime skills are assessed using an assessment rubric and each participant must earn a passing rating in order to earn the official certificate. We strive not to make it overly difficult and we offer much support, however we also need to ensure that every person that earns a certificate meets basic quality standards. ICDL also arranges mentoring and tutoring for participants that need additional support to complete a given certificate or expand their skills.
General Program Expectations
Please review our Program Curriculum page before enrolling in the program. There are specific requirements for each course and it is the participants’ responsibility to know the course curriculum. Here are a few general guidelines for our live online courses.
Attend all class sessions usinga device that you can be seen in the class via camera and that you can share your screen as needed. Please note that attendance is a requirement for all of our courses.
For 200 level courses, you will need to obtain permission to video record and share your Floortime sessions with a child/family.
DIR 201-202 courses require students to present two cases using current video recordings. The individuals being presented (the cases) can be of any age, but should have challenges in FEDCs 1-4 for DIR 201 course and FEDCs 4-9 for DIR 202 course.
DIR 203 requires students to do case presentations demonstrating their skills as a DIRFloortime coach. At least one of the case presentations must be of the participant coaching a parent/caregiver with their child in the moment
Complete required readings, forum posts, and other learning activities such as attending individual feedback sessions.
Estimated Time frame and Costs for becoming a DIR-Advanced provider
There are many variables that affect how quickly the courses can be completed. Each level course is offered live online at least once each trimester. Therefore, the quickest a student can earn an Advanced Certificate is one year. To register for the DIR 204 course, participants must have earned a DIRFloortime Basic Certificate at least 12 months prior and an Advanced DIRFloortime® Certificate at least 3 months prior to enrolling in DIR 204. While we encourage students to move through the training at the pace they choose, it is important that each student takes enough time to digest the information, practice Floortime, and build the skills necessary to successfully complete each subsequent course.
Regarding the cost, prices can vary and you need to check each specific course for exact prices. At the time of posting this information in October, 2024, the current price for DIR 101 taken live online is $219. The price for DIR 201 is $849. DIR 202 and DIR 203 are $875. Please note that all prices are in USD. There is an extra continuing education fee of $20 or $25, depending on the course. Using these prices, the total cost to become an Advanced level provider assuming a participant passes each course successfully the first time, is $2,792 USD (without CE fees). Again, please note that prices can vary and are subject to change.
Advanced Certificate Fast Track
For USA-Based Licensed and/or Master's Degree Level Professionals
Due to the rapidly increasing demand for professionals with a DIRFloortime Advanced Certificate, ICDL has created a special DIRFloortime Advanced Certificate fast track. We understand that there are situations where an Advanced certificate is being required to practice and we are helping professionals get there as quickly as possible while maintaining a high level of quality and ensuring fidelity to the Floortime approach. Here are the steps to join the fast track option:
To apply to be a part of the fast track option, you must be a licensed professional that is licensed as an occupational therapist, speech pathologist, physical therapists, music therapy, art therapy, or mental health professional such as a psychologist, counselor, or social worker in your state or a Master's level professional that may not be licensed in their state such as educators, music therapists, or art therapists. This fast track option is not for everyone. Candidates must have a strong base of knowledge and experience to be successful in this fast track option.
Complete the DIR 101 Introduction to DIR and DIRFloortime course (12-hour course) in the last two years
Successfully complete DIR 201: Promoting Basic Functional Emotional Developmental Capacities and successfully earn a DIRFloortime Basic Certificate (28-hour assessment based course).
Email fasttrack@icdl.com to request to join the fast track option. Our staff will reply with your approval and instructions on your next steps.
Once approved, you must immediately enroll in and begin DIR 202: Promoting Higher Functional Emotional Developmental Capacities and simultaneously enroll and begin six sessions of DIRFloortime individual mentoring. The mentoring will take place every other week during DIR 202 and will focus on getting you started on Floortime parent coaching. Once you have attended your first session of DIR 202 and individual mentoring, you will be issued a provisional DIRFloortime Advanced Certificate. This provisional certificate will be good for six months and can be revoked at any time if you withdraw from the DIR 202 course or do not consistently attend the individual mentoring.
From this point forward, you must remain in individual mentoring on a bi-weekly basis until you complete DIR 203: Coaching Caregivers, Teachers, and Other Care Providers and successfully earn your permanent DIRFloortime Advanced Certificate. Your mentor will help you determine your individual training plan. As long as you remain in mentoring and follow the training plan set forth by your mentor, the provisional certificate can be renewed once (for a total of 12 months) with possible extensions available in extenuating circumstances.
This is a rigorous process, but it allows professionals to begin working as an Advanced level professional in 4 months instead of a minimum of 12 months in the traditional program. Please email us at fasttrack@icdl.com if you have any questions.
Continuing Education & Professional Development Credits
Please check each individual course offering for available professional continuing education credits. These CE credits are only available for courses ICDL offers directly. Each offering can vary. We have different continuing education pages and approvals for different courses and conferences. You must check each individual offering.
Currently, most of ICDL's courses offer professional continuing education credits for:
Psychologists
Speech and Language Pathologists
Occupational Therapists
Counselors
Social Workers
Art Therapists
Educators
Music Therapists
Physical Therapists
Early Intervention Specialists
In addition to courses offered by ICDL, our course catalog will also display courses licensed by ICDL that use the ICDL curriculum and are fully approved by ICDL to be official DIRFloortime® courses. Most of our licensed courses are held outside the United States and ICDL does not provide CE credits for these courses. These are all clearly marked. Please contact the provider of any ICDL licensed courses to inquire about CE credits.
Continuing Education Questions? E-mail certificates@icdl.com
DIRFloortime Assistant Certificate
This certificate is designed for DIRFloortime "players” or technicians that are often paraprofessionals, but can also be professionals, whose primary role is to provide fun, engaging, DIR-informed interactions with clients. DFAs must work under the supervision of a DIRFloortime® Advanced or Expert level professional. DFA certificate is not intended for parents or caregivers.
There are two routes to becoming a DFA:
A 20-hour training program that is designed to provide the core training needed to get started as a DFA. This route requires renewal every three years.
A 40-hour training program that results in earning a DIRFloortime® Basic Certificate which automatically qualifies individuals to serve as a DFA and does not require certificate renewal. Click here to learn more.
DIRFloortime® Individual Mentoring
Mentoring is an important part of the DIRFloortime learning journey. Whether you just want to expand your Floortime competency, engage in a self-reflective learning process, and/or have been recommended for mentoring following a DIRFloortime® professional certificate course like DIR 201, 202, or 203, the ICDL DIR® Institute experts are here to help. To learn more and register, please click here.
You can also arrange mentoring on your own by searching for mentors on our DIRectory website by clicking here. This does not include all eligible mentors, but shows all Expert Training Leaders that have indicated in their profile that this is an area they do work and would accept referrals.
Important Training Program Policies
Below are the links to the Terms and Conditions for each Professional Certificate course. These pages explain eligibility, curriculum and case presentation requirements as well as confidentiality and other policies. Please make sure to familiarize yourself with this information before registering for a course as we are unable to process refunds if one registers for a course without meeting the stated requirements/prerequisites. If you have any questions, please email training@icdl.com.
Please note that you must take advantage of any promotions (promo codes) when you register for your course. We are not able to issue refunds for promotions that are not entered at the time of registration.
Additional Information
A Message from Dr. Greenspan
Dr. Stanley Greenspan speaking to the international interdisciplinary council at a past ICDL Conference near the end of his incredible life. We are honored that he was asking us to carry forward his life's work of promoting DIR® and bringing developmental approaches everywhere.
Other Related Training Programs
Most reputable and quality training programs, schools, agencies, and centers providing DIRFloortime trainings or services have progressed through ICDL courses or through one of ICDL's approved training providers. There are many organizations and individuals around the world that have permission from ICDL to offer trainings and/or to use the ICDL trademarks. We have trainers all around the world leading officially licensed or approved courses. Most of these ICDL licensed DIR® and DIRFloortime® courses can be found on the DIR® Courses pages on this website.
In addition to the ICDL licensed DIRFloortime® courses offered by our network around the world, there are a number of other organizations that also offer separate, but still valid, DIR® training courses.
Training Programs Recognized by ICDL:
Profectum Foundation: ICDL and Profectum have a structured agreement on cross-recognition of our training programs. Profectum trained professionals are not issued ICDL DIRFloortime® certificates. However, those with at least a Bachelor's degree that have earned a Profectum DIR-FCD CL1 certificate or higher may advance into the DIRFloortime® Training Program DIR 203 course. Please click here to apply for advanced placement.
PLAY Project: ICDL and PLAY Project have a structured agreement on cross-recognition of our training programs. Professionals that complete the PLAY Project training to become a PLAY Consultant may be issued a DIRFloortime® Basic Certificate and may enter the DIRFloortime® Training Program with advanced placement into DIR 202. Please click here to apply for a certificate and advanced placement
Fielding Graduate University: ICDL has an agreement with Fielding Graduate University through its School of Psychology/Infant and Early Childhood Development Program (IECD). Students who completed IECD 580, IECD 601 and IECD 602 courses with a grade of “B” or better may advance into the DIRFloortime® Training Program DIR 203 course and may be issued an ICDL's Certificate of Proficiency. Please click here to apply for a certificate and advanced placement
Montclair State University's Developmental Models of Autism Intervention Certificate: Individuals that have successfully earned this certificate may be eligible for award of a DIRFloortime® certificate and are automatically eligible to advance place into the DIRFloortime® professional certificate program by enrolling directly into DIR 202. If you are interested in whether you are eligible to be awarded a DIRFloortime certificate based on your coursework at Montclair State University, please contact the program administrator for the DMAI program.
Erikson Institute: Students in the Erikson Institute's Infant Mental Health program may have the opportunity with certain courses to earn a DIRFloortime® Professional Certificate. Please contact the program directly for more information.
Training Programs Not Recognized by ICDL:
The Greenspan Floortime Approach®: ICDL does not have a formal agreement with the Greenspan Floortime Approach and it is not formally recognized by ICDL, however we do allow individuals that complete training with the Greenspan Floortime Approach to enter the DIRFloortime® Training Program with advanced placement. Please click here to apply for advanced placement. It important to note that the "Greenspan Floortime Approach®" was created sometime after Dr. Greenspan passed away in 2010 and trademarked by Stanley Greenspan MD, Inc in 2012. Dr. Greenspan invested 20 years into ICDL as the place for an international interdisciplinary council to take his brilliant DIR model and continually develop it and the DIRFloortime approach. ICDL is proud to continue this very important work today with our international interdisciplinary council of experts and parents. Jake Greenspan, a key leader at Stanley Greenspan MD, Inc, has claimed that the Greenspan Floortime Approach® is his father's original work even though it was created after his father passed away. He also has made negative statements about ICDL which is disheartening to us as we work hard here at ICDL to continue the wonderful work his father began at ICDL over 30 years ago.
We are aware that from time to time there are training programs that have offered unofficial trainings that do not meet the ICDL requirements. We encourage you to be careful as these trainings may not qualify for our internationally recognized certificate program and may not be appropriately training professionals. Some organizations have gone as far as to create confusing names that resemble DIR®, DIRFloortime®, or Floortime®, but are not. For example, we have seen "DRI", "DRBI", "floor-time", and other renditions that are not officially DIR® and may actually be ABA disguised as Floortime. If you have any questions about any specific program, please email us at dirfloortimetraining@icdl.com.
Important Notes
DIR® , DIRFloortime®, and Floortime® are registered trademarks of ICDL in the USA and/or other countries internationally. Professionals or providers can only list themselves as a DIR® professional, provider, educator or describe their workplace as a DIR® clinic, school or center with the written permission of ICDL. Participants who successfully complete courses offered by ICDL will receive a certificate that states the level of competencies they have demonstrated and how they can list themselves.
While ICDL does not restrict access to DIR® and DIRFloortime® courses based on professional licenses or certifications, it is each individual person’s responsibility to ensure that they are only practicing or working within the legal and ethical scope of their professional field and the country, state, district, or region they practice.