Course Information
Overview
When consequences can't teach and compassion can't mend, caregivers begin to feel they no longer matter.
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NonViolent Resistance therapy and practice (NVR) helps clinicians and caregivers recover their diminished agency facing young and adult children who harm themselves or others, avoid, withdraw socially, become digital media or cannabis, threaten suicide, or reject any kind of help, including therapy.
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​​​​The Foundations of NVR course offers an overview of NVR’s principles, process and tools, as well as a gateway for further specialisation in NVR's many areas of application. It may be taken as standalone, for the sole benefit of making your existing practice NVR informed, but can also or can serve as the first step in training toward certification in NVR therapy or practice.
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The course is usually delivered online, and spans four, six-hour study days, or 24 hours in total. The first three days are consecutive. This part is followed by three months of discretionary assignment work, during which participants can learn how to integrate various aspects of the NVR approach into their ongoing work. This interval if followed by a study day, devoted to refelctive practice.
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What you will learn
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The Foundation Level module introduces NVR’s core principles and practices. During the course participants will:
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Acquire NVR’s core concepts and values as a philosophy of self and care.
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Understand NVR's position in relation to attachment, trauma, and behaviour-based approaches.
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Learn how an integral NVR process unfolds, based on a didactic, step-by-step, process model of transition from caregiver helplessness to empowerment.
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Learn about shame regulation and Hot-Iron work.
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Address typical barriers to change such as parental despair, parental mistrust, anxiety, guilt, shame, accommodation, protectiveness, fear, and trauma.
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NVR-inform their existing practice.
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​Asynchronous learning assignments (non mandatory):
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Implement steps such as:
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Practicing de-escalation in role play with clients
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Supporting a client to draft an announcement
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Initiate and chair a supporters meeting.
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Take part of a peer support group
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Write a reflective log documenting your experience
Next cohort dates and times
January 26-28 + April 28, 2026
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The course spans 24 learning hours, divided into 4 days X 6 hours per day.
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The first 3 are delivered consecutively
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The 4th day is dedicated to reflective practice learning, takes place 2-3 months after the third day. ​
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Course hours are between 10.00 am - 5.00 pm Eastern Standard Time.
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Delivery
All trainings will take place via Zoom.
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Group size
Minimum 6, Maxiumum 20
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Instructors
Dan Dulberger, RMFT-SM (Nationally) and Mary-Jo Land, R. Psy. (ON)
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Attestation
A foundation level certificate of attendance will be provided to individuals who attended all four training days.
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Fees
$1,160 CAD + 5% GST / $899 USD per participant.
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Who can Register?
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Admission to the Foundations of NVR course is open to persons who qualify under criteria 1, or 2, or 3 below:
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Professional qualification in a social work, mental health or educational profession, with eligibility for membership in a recognised professional association, a provisional or full registration with a recognized provincial regulatory college (in Canada), or a state licensing board (in the USA). Typical professions of this kind are nursing, social work, special needs teaching, clinical psychology, counselling therapy, addictions counselling, educational psychology, psychiatry, systemic therapy. In certain cases we may invite applicants for a chat in order to help us refine our criteria, and/or assess, together, how well the course may be suited to their expectations.
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Academic training and/or a diploma or certificate considered by CNTP as equivalent to a professional qualification, in cases where the applicant has worked in public services or NGO’s that offer organizational support such as supervision and practice guidelines, for the duration of at least two years. Examples include: child and youth workers in residential and other settings. To evidence equivalence, we kindly ask: 1) That you send us a full CV, including your work experience; 2) That you attach a cover letter explaining your interest in NVR and the way in which participating in the course aligns with your goals and future plans; 3) That you would be willing to meet with us, on Zoom, for a chat.
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Persons who do not necessarily qualify as described above – be they community leaders, administrators, social entrepreneurs – are invited to approach us (see below). We will do our best to admit those persons who in our thinking would benefit most from the Foundation Level course, while benefiting other particpants. This open dialog embodies our commitment to learn about what people and communities need, which NVR education training can address. ​To help us reach the best decision., we kindly ask three things: ​1) That you send us a full CV, including your work experience; 2) That you attach a cover letter explaining your interest in NVR and the way in which participating in the course aligns with your goals and future plans; 3) That you would be willing to meet with us, on Zoom, for a chat.
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