Professional Training Opportunities
Ascend Training Institute provides training solutions in all areas of the IWBMC™ for diverse backgrounds and levels of experience.
Change the conversation.
The Interpersonal Whole-Brain Model of Care® (IWBMC™) is a revolutionary approach based on the scientific principle of neuroplasticity. It allows those you serve to reach their full potential – changing the conversation from the impossible to the possible.
Through Ascend Training Institute, professionals, families, and caregivers can participate in on-campus and remote training. Trainees will be immersed in the IWBMC™ and receive information and strategies to support individuals with neurobiological challenges. Ascend Training Institute’s goal is Global Expansion and Effective Implementation of the Interpersonal Whole-Brain Model of Care®, which supports The Jacob’s Ladder Group’s mission to bring hope, healing, and transformation to individuals with neurobiological challenges.
Participants can use the AHAVA software to implement the model of care in various therapeutic settings.
Take part in a cutting-edge movement to change how we educate and support individuals with neurobiological challenges.
“My visit to Jacob’s Ladder was very inspiring and made me realize how a bunch of people with commitment and passion can deliver quality services in a very exemplary and professional manner. Their facilities and mindful ways of understanding and managing childhood disability were beyond my imagination and are surely an ideal model to be emulated. They have not left any areas untouched from systematic evaluation, careful planning of interventions, monitoring progress, re-evaluations, and guidance given to families. Children with neuro disability are nurtured naturally, and incorporating nature and nurture into a child’s daily routine was wonderful. Jacob’s Ladder manages a large number of children across ages and is a marvel to see how they manage adolescents with autism and help them bring out their potential. Amy O’Dell has a vision to change the world with hope and love and a huge group of committed people with empathy and scientific temper to deliver the best to their families. Each child gets individual attention in the Interpersonal Whole-Brain Model of Care and the changes every child experiences are mind-boggling and tremendous.”
– Dr. Manju George Elenjickal, Professor and Head Pratheeksha Child Development Centre, Pushpagiri Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Tiruvalla, Kerala, India
Who can benefit from training?
- Professionals looking to implement the IWBMC™ as their primary care model
- Professionals who want to get trained as a provider or evaluator and incorporate components of the IWBMC™
- Business professionals who employ or serve individuals with unique needs
- Professionals seeking to enhance their interactions with neurodiverse individuals
- Professionals in the Jacob’s Ladder Network
- Professionals seeking training before completing the Provider or Evaluator Certification Exam
Online Training Courses
- Online, self-paced, assessment-based certificate courses
- Comprehensive written and video instruction
- Module-based instruction with clearly defined Intended Learning Objectives (ILOs) and intermittent knowledge-checks
Live Training
- Customized training based on the needs of your organization
- Remote or in-person training opportunities are available at the Roswell campus or your facility
- Opportunities for hands-on instruction and engagement
Online Resource Series
- Resources are available to support professionals, families, and caregivers needing assistance
- Varied course content may include elements of the IWBMC™, family, and caregiver strategies, Whole-Brain Language Program techniques, Emotional-Behavioral-Relational strategies, and Whole-Brain Learning Style supports
Online Training Courses
Ascend Training Institute strives to increase the success of individuals with neurobiological challenges in any setting by training professionals to employ the IWBMC™ in their workplace. These self-paced, online training courses are available for those with differing levels of training and experience. The primary courses are IWBMC™ Foundations, Educator, Provider, and Evaluations, all of which are assessment-based certificate courses. The Ascend Training Institute can create training content for programs seeking more customized support.
Who are the training courses for?
- Families and Caregivers
- Foster Agencies and Families
- Public or Private School Educators
- Licensed Service Providers
- Church Group, Residential Program, or Daycare Facilitators
- First Responders
- Businesses Serving or Employing Individuals with Unique Needs
IWBMC™ Foundations Training Course
Get access to a self-paced, online assessment-based certificate training course that teaches the core components and strategies of the IWBMC™. This course enables participants to more effectively educate and engage with individuals with brain-based challenges.
Learn more about this course
Learn about:
- Populations that the IWBMC™ serves and how the IWBMC™ supports those populations
- Each element of the IWBMC™
- Brain-based principles
- Approximately 40 neurodevelopmental interventions
- Basic behavioral proactive and reactive strategies
- Basic Trauma Support Model Overview
- The Hope, Truth, & Love Leadership model for personal and professional development
- Course Length: Approximately 25 hours
- Course Costs: Please contact us to learn about individual, professional, and group rates.
- Training Location: Online with in-person training and support available
IWBMC™ Educator Training Course
This course moves beyond the Foundations course and incorporates classroom-related strategies and educational approaches, enhancing success for individuals in traditional and non-traditional classrooms.
Learn more about this course
All components of the Foundations course are included, plus information to:
- Identify brain-based challenges correlating to classroom challenges
- Identify and implement key strategies to support children in their current learning environment
- Apply key IWBMC™ Academic Principles to improve client outcomes
- In-depth Trauma Support Model Training
- Course Length: Approximately 30 hours
- Course Costs: Please contact us to learn about individual, professional, and group rates.
- Training Location: Online with in-person training and support available
IWBMC™ Provider Training Course
This course teaches participants to understand all IWBMC™ elements and implement neurodevelopmental program interventions effectively for clients with various needs, including data tracking with AHAVA.
*The Provider course is a pre-requisite for the Evaluations course.
Learn more about this course
All components of the Educator course are included, plus information to:
- Implement approximately 250 neurodevelopmental interventions
- Understand and implement data tracking to improve client outcomes using AHAVA
- Course Length: Approximately 50 hours
- Course Costs: Please contact us to learn about individual, professional, and group rates.
- Training Location: Online with in-person training and support available
IWBMC™ Evaluations Training Course
This assessment-based certificate course builds upon the information learned in the IWBMC™ Provider course and trains participants to complete IWBMC™ Evaluations, including the evaluation process, executing evaluation metrics, scoring, generating a report, and composing an individualized client program within AHAVA. Participants gain an understanding of qEEGs and correlations between client challenges and qEEG patterns.
Learn more about this course
Learn to:
- Assess over 200 hands-on evaluation metrics and correlate results to functional challenges
- Design an individualized treatment plan for clients based on their evaluation results
- Employ high-level clinical and professional writing techniques
- Understand qEEG results
- Incorporate external evaluations into the IWBMC™ Evaluation
- Use AHAVA for all of the evaluation components
- Course Length: Approximately 30 hours*
- Course Costs: Please contact us to learn about individual, professional, and group rates.
- Training Location: Online with in-person training and support available
The Ascend Training Institute and all associated training offerings are not the only or preferred route for IWBMC certification. Program participants do not receive an advantage for IWBMC certification eligibility by participating in these courses. Enrolling in courses or purchasing training materials through Ascend is optional. Program participants may complete certification eligibility requirements for any of the approved training routes outlined here.
*The course completion time varies based on each individual’s background and learning style. The indicated hours apply to the average completion time for online coursework only.
**Discount rates are available for group training.
Complete Course Components
IWBMC™ Foundations Training Course | IWBMC™ Educator Training Course | IWBMC™ Provider Training Course | IWBMC™ Evaluations Training Course | |
The History of Jacob’s Ladder | Yes | Yes | Yes | Covered in the Provider Pre-Requisite Course |
Populations the IWBMC™ Serves | Yes | Yes | Yes | Covered in the Provider Pre-Requisite Course |
How the IWBMC™ Supports Neurodiverse Populations | Yes | Yes | Yes | Covered in the Provider Pre-Requisite Course |
Understanding Brain-Based Principles | Yes | Yes | Yes | Covered in the Provider Pre-Requisite Course |
The IWBMC™ | Overview of each element | Overview of each element, with additional information on the Learning Style element | Detailed information on each element of the IWBMC™ | Covered in the Provider Pre-Requisite Course |
Trauma-Support Model Approach | Basic Principles | In-Depth Training | In-Depth Training | Covered in the Provider Pre-Requisite Course |
Neurodevelopmental Interventions | Training on approximately 40 interventions | Training on approximately 40 interventions | Training on approximately 250 interventions | Covered in the Provider Pre-Requisite Course |
Academic Principles | No | Yes | Yes | Covered in the Provider Pre-Requisite Course |
Data Tracking | Overview only | Overview only | Intensive Implementation Data Tracking | Evaluation Implementation Data Tracking |
Additional Therapeutic Interventions | Yes | Yes | Yes | Covered in the Provider Course Pre-Requisite |
Personal & Professional Development | Yes* | Yes* | Yes* | Covered in the Provider Course Pre-Requisite |
IWBMC™ Evaluation Process | No | No | No | Yes |
Evaluation Assessment Metrics | No | No | No | Training on over 200 hands-on assessment metrics |
Understanding Brain-Based Challenges Correlated to Evaluation Results | No | No | No | Yes |
Understanding qEEGs | No | No | No | Yes |
Incorporating External Evaluation Tools | No | No | No | Yes |
Professional Clinical Writing | No | No | No | Yes |
Evaluation Findings Report Development | No | No | No | Yes |
Create Customized Client Intervention Plans | No | No | No | Yes |
Determine Individualized Neurodevelopmental Client Goals | No | No | No | Yes |
Create Emotional-Behavioral Relational Goals and Strategies | No | No | No | Yes |
Test-Your-Knowledge Quizzes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Certificate of Completion Provided | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Live Training
Professionals can engage in live training through various offerings, including:
- Provider and Evaluator Hands-On Training, with week-long sessions for each focus area, hosted at Jacob’s Ladder or your facility
- Advanced Evaluator Training, including up to four weeks of training and immersion in the IWBMC, hosted at Jacob’s Ladder
- Professional Development Training, with the content catered to your program
- Parent and professional coaching and support calls to discuss and receive support on challenges in the home or school environment
- Coaching calls for Provider and Evaluator implementation expectations and processes
- QEEG collection and Neurotherapy Training, hosted at Jacob’s Ladder or your facility
Online Resource Series
The Ascend Training Institute offers opportunities for continuous learning and professional development for those seeking to increase their understanding of brain-based challenges and the IWBMC™ in specific focus areas.
Online resources include content such as:
- Hope, Truth, & Love Training for Personal Development
- Understanding Reactive Attachment Disorder
- Importance of a Union of Science and Love
- Teaching Strategies for Traditional Classroom
Environments - Foundational Principles for Engaging with the Neurodiverse Population
- Increasing Communication with the Whole-Brain Language Program
- Communication for Non-Vocal Clients
- Understanding the Whole-Brain Learning Style
- Sensorimotor Intensive Programming
- Physiological Roots of Behavior
- Proactive Self-Regulation Strategies for Home and School
- Promoting Early Reflex Integration in Infancy
- Impacts of Screen Time and Strategies to Reduce or Eliminate Use in the Home and at School
- First Responder Support Strategies
- Foster Family and Agency Support Strategies
These courses are available for purchase, and credit hours earned are applicable toward IWBMC-CE and IWBMC-CP re-certification requirements.
Ascend is excited to connect with professionals internationally to share the IWBMC™, changing the conversation for individuals with brain-based challenges.
We consult with many organizations and individuals to determine what training opportunities and resources best suit their needs. Contact us with inquiries related to your or your organization’s specific needs.