DIR® Mentoring Groups

DIR Mentoring Groups offer certified DIR practitioners and educators an opportunity to deepen their practice through small-group, reflective learning guided by expert Profectum trainers and Faculty. In these intimate groups, you will engage in case-based discussion, video review, and collaborative reflection to strengthen your ability to apply DIR principles in real-world work. Mentoring groups provide a supportive and empowering space to refine clinical thinking, integrate DIR more fully into everyday practice, and continue growing as a relational, developmentally informed professional. Refine your DIR thinking, reflect on your work, and grow alongside your peers.
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WHO THIS COURSE IS FOR

DIR certificate holders of DIR Foundations, Certificate Level 1; Certificate Level 2; Trainer or equivalent

STARTING DATE AND TIME

Click here to see the offerings for each course in this program

LENGTH OF COURSE

12 weeks consisting of 6 2-hour or 1.5-hour sessions held every other week

Format

Instructor led - live online via Zoom

CERTIFICATE

Certificate of completion: DIR Mentoring - Six sessions 9 to 12 hours

Starting Sept 17, 2026
7:30-9:30 pm eastern time
Jeannie Gutierrez, PhD
Starting May 19, 2026
7:30-9:30 pm eastern time
Maureen Karwowski, MA, OTR/L
Starting Sept 9, 2026
7-9 pm eastern time
Gwen Reilly, MS, CCC-SLP/L
Starting October 2026
Chris Seminaro, MEd

Payment options

Pay in full: $600 or 2 monthly payments of $300 each

IMPORTANT: Please read the "Payment, Withdrawal and Refund Policy" in the FAQs at the bottom of this page.

Bespoke team Mentoring

For customized, team-focused training for groups of eight or more, please contact us at training@profectum.org. We’d be happy to discuss tailored options to meet your organization’s learning goals.

Mentor

Kassie Allison, OTR/L

 Kassi'e sbio here. 

Mentoring overview

Through mentoring, you will:

  • Apply DIR principles with greater confidence in real-time interactions
  • Construct more nuanced and integrated case formulations
  • Increase your ability to tailor interventions based on developmental capacities and individual differences
  • Strengthen your observational and clinical reasoning skills
  • Deepen your reflective practice and awareness of your role in relationships


DIR Mentoring Groups provide a unique opportunity for certified DIR practitioners and educators to continue their learning beyond the Foundations sequence through sustained, reflective engagement with real-world cases. These small groups—comprised of 3–4 participants and guided by an experienced Profectum Faculty or Trainer mentor—create an intimate and supportive learning environment where you can deepen your understanding of the DIR model and its application across settings.

Meeting every other week over a 12-week period, Mentoring Groups allow time between meetings to reflect, apply learning, and prepare materials for discussion. Each session centers on case-based learning. Each participant prepares a brief video clip (3–5 minutes) and a corresponding case formulation, offering a window into their current work with a child and family. Within the group, you will engage in thoughtful discussion and receive both reflective and informational feedback from your mentor and peers. This process strengthens your ability to observe, interpret, and respond to the dynamic interaction of Development, Individual Differences, and Relationships.

Mentoring is one of Profectum’s most powerful learning experiences because it bridges theory and practice in a deeply personal and collaborative way. You will refine your ability to tailor interactions, develop more nuanced case formulations, and make intentional decisions in the moment with children and families. At the same time, the mentoring process fosters reflective practice, supporting you in examining your own role in co-regulation, attunement, and relational connection.

Through this experience, you will move beyond understanding DIR conceptually to living it in you everyday work—growing in confidence, clarity, and capacity as DIR practitioners.

While the Foundations courses focus on building knowledge and introducing core concepts, Mentoring Groups focus on application and integration. The learning is driven by your real-world cases, allowing for more individualized, in-depth exploration and feedback. Mentoring groups are a supportive, reflective learning space rather than an evaluative one. The focus is on growth, curiosity, and deepening practice—not performance.

Topics

  • Applying a reflective lens to real-world work
  • Advanced integration of Development, Individual Differences, and Relationships
  • Case-based formulation and intervention planning
  • Identifying strengths and vulnerabilities across developmental capacities
  • Applying DIR principles across clinical, educational, and community settings
  • Ethical, culturally responsive, and neurodiversity-affirming integration
  • Professional growth within relationship-based practice
  • Transdisciplinary collaboration

Learning objectives

As a result of this course, you will be able to:

  • Utilize case-based learning and reflective practice in the application of DIR principles and strategies in real-world intervention.
  • Create a transdisciplinary alliance with members of the mentoring group.
  • Identify and reflect on obstacles in your application of DIR to facilitate collaboration and seek feedback.
  • Construct a case formulation that highlights the use of FEDCs, individual differences, and relationship-based intervention to support a child’s development.

Criteria to take the course

  • Completion of the DIR Foundations Certificate (or equivalent)
  • Have access to a minimum of three cases with the ability to video your work with children or adults with a developmental disability throughout the course. Videos must be from a work setting.

What participants are saying

Improved my understanding  of children

"This course helped me analyze each child’s FEDL level and structure play accordingly. It has greatly improved my interactions and understanding of the children I work with."

Strengthened my relationships with clients

"The course gave me in-depth ways to apply DIR and use the FEDL charts to meet clients at their level. It strengthened my relationships with clients and increased my confidence in my work."

Made my work easier and more effective

"I’ve brought more empathy into my floortime sessions, which has made my work easier and more effective. This course was a valuable and enjoyable experience."

Frequently asked questions

How much time will I need to spend

DIR Mentoring Groups take place over 12 weeks and consist of six 2-hour sessions scheduled every other week.

Participants are required to prepare a brief video clip (3–5 minutes) and a corresponding case formulation prior to each session.

How will this knowledge help me

You will be able to:

  • Embed DIR/Floortime principles into everyday practice with children and families across settings
  • Tailor interactions, communication, and environments to align with each child’s developmental capacities and individual profile
  • Use a DIR lens to observe and analyze interactions, recognizing how developmental, relational, and individual factors influence behavior and growth
  • Apply a reflective stance and case-based learning in DIR to real-world situations, deepening clinical reasoning and decision-making
  • Develop meaningful case formulations within your scope of practice to describe a child’s profile, identify needs, and guide intervention planning.
  • Collaborate across transdisciplinary teams with greater clarity, confidence, and shared understanding of development

What are the requirements to complete a mentoring group

Mentoring provides a certificate of attendance only. You will receive a certificate of attendance upon full participation in all scheduled sessions. 

What is the attendance policy

Attendance is required for the entire duration of each session.

What is the payment, withdrawal and refund policy

The fee for DIR Group Mentoring is $600. 

Full payment ($600) or the first of two payments ($300 x 2) must be made in before the course begins.

If you submit payment and withdraw from this course at least 15 working days (Mon-Fri) BEFORE the start date of the course, you will receive a refund minus a cancelation fee of $75. If requests to withdraw are received after this time, no refund is given and you are responsible for full payment of the course. Requests to withdraw must be sent via email to training@profectum.org.

Under certain circumstances, you may be able to begin training again with a course scheduled at a later date, but the full course payment is still due as scheduled for the initial course registration.

In the event that a course is canceled, you will be notified immediately via email and a credit will be issued toward a rescheduled course group or the entire submitted fee will be refunded without further liability on the part of the organizer.

If you have questions, contact training@profectum.org.

What is the cancellation policy

We strive to accommodate start times and international time zones for our participants and, therefore, reserve the right to adjust course start dates and times as needed. A minimum number of participants are required to run each scheduled course offering. We reserve the right to cancel or postpone a scheduled group if the required number of participants is not achieved.

Contact training@profectum.org if you have questions.In the event that a course group is canceled, you will be notified immediately via email and a credit will be issued toward a rescheduled course group or the entire submitted fee will be refunded without further liability on the part of the organizer.

If you have questions, contact training@profectum.org.

What are the technology requirements

Participants are required to have reliable access to a device and internet connection that support full participation in all course activities. This includes the ability to:

  • Access and navigate the Learning Management System (LMS)
  • Download and view PDFs and other course materials
  • Watch streaming video content
  • Complete and submit online forms and assignments
  • Participate in live Zoom sessions with camera and audio enabled


The course is supported on the most recent versions of Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge. Please note that the course is incompatible with Internet Explorer 8 or earlier. 

A printer or access to a printer to print resources and materials, if desired is advisable.

Special accommodations

If you require ADA accommodations or have a special needs request, please email training@profectum.org at least two weeks before the program start date so arrangements can be made.