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The Cognitive Function Development (CFD) Institute is an operational program of Transformational Opportunities. The Institute is responsible for developing, promoting, advocating, and otherwise supporting cognitive function development as an evidence-based, research-backed, non-invasive therapeutic treatment. CFD may be an appropriate primary, adjunct, or follow-up therapy in many situations including, but not limited to:

• Cognitive impairment or decline which can occurr in patients as a result of one or more prior, current, or chronic medical condition(s). For example, cognitive impirment commonly occurs as a result of kidney or heart failure, chemotherapy & radiation treatments, meningitis, multiple sclerosis, AIDS, brain tumors, exposure to toxic substances, malnutrition, and head injury.

• Those in which chronic cognitive impairment results from genetic influences (e.g. Huntington’s disease and Down’s syndrome), the onset of dementia (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease), strokes, or other conditions.

• Cognitive decline resulting from mental and behavioral health disorders – e.g. schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, substance use disorder, anorexia nervosa, etc.

• Though not a result of cognitive decline per se, an individual may experience significant academic, work/career, and relationship challenges as a result of overall low cognitive functioning or specific gaps in their cognitive function profile.

Cognitive Function Development Therapy

Because CFD therapy is increasingly challenging, uses varied activities to repeatedly target specific functions, is adoptive to recipient needs and situations, and is delivered through personal interaction, it has an unmatched capacity to produce long-lasting, far-reaching effects in recipients. The Institute founders have, since 2009, efficaciously implemented CFD therapy to provide positive therapeutic outcomes for individuals and groups.

CFD Institute Certification Levels

The primary mission of the CFD Institute is to train, certify, and support the various levels of CFD therapists and their life-changing work. Currently recognized CFD certifications include:

Cognitive Function Development Assistant

Individuals at the CFDA level are recognized as having demonstrated the knowledge and technical expertise necessary to service as a local proctor for remote CFD therapy sessions and to assist with facilitating large group CFD sessions.

Cognitive Development Technician

Individuals at the CDT level are recognized as having demonstrated the knowledge and technical expertise necessary to administer various cognitive function development activities under the supervision of a certified or master CFDT, or to perform duties as might commonly be called "brain training" with the expectation that clients become more accurate or faster performing specific, targeted tasks.

Associate Cognitive Function Development Therapist

The ACFDT is recognized as having demonstrated the knowledge and technical expertise necessary to provide local or remote 1:1 CFD therapy under the direct supervision of a Master or Certified CFD Therapist for academic or career enhancement, or as may be otherwise approved by a Master or Certified CFD Therapist with the expectation that clients develop long-lasting, far-reaching transfer effects.

Cognitive Function Development Specialist

The CFDS is a unique, non-advancement certification track for individuals desiring to utilize the skills, knowledge, and techniques for effective, long-term CFD therapy for family members or others with conditions resulting in chronic cognitive decline or impairment (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease, Down’s syndrome, etc). Individuals with this certification are not licensed to practice CFD therapy professionally, and may not receive monetary compensation from doing so.

Cognitive Function Development Therapist

The CFDT is recognized as having demonstrated the knowledge and technical expertise necessary to provide local or remote 1:1 CFD therapy under the supervision of a Master or Certified CFD Therapist for academic or career enhancement, or as may be otherwise approved by a Master or Certified CFD Therapist; or to provide local 2:1 CFD therapy as directed by a Master or Certified CFD Therapist with the expectation that clients develop long-lasting, far-reaching transfer effects..

Certified Cognitive Development Therapist

The CCFDT is recognized as having demonstrated the knowledge, technical expertise, and theoretical understanding necessary to provide, adjust, and modify CFD therapy to one or more of the primary reception groups, under the auspices of a local or remote Master CFD Therapist, and to provide direct CFD therapy supervision of individuals of equal or lower certification grade (4^th – 1^st grade) and/or level. CCFDT certification includes 4 grade levels:

• Grade 4 – specializing in CFD therapy for academic improvement for individuals in grades 1 – 12;

• Grade 3 – specializing in CFD therapy for academic, career enhancement, and promotion of general neuroplasticity in adults;

• Grade 2 – specializing in CFD therapy as a primary, adjunct, or secondary therapy for individuals experiencing cognitive impairment due to past, current, or chronic medical, behavioral health, genetic, or aging conditions;

• Grade 1 – specializing in CFD therapy as a primary, adjunct, or secondary therapy for individuals experiencing cognitive impairment or needing specific neuroplastic stimulation relative to severe mental or behavioral health issues.

Master Cognitive Development Therapist

An individual who achieves MCFDT certification is recognized as having demonstrated preeminent knowledge, technical expertise, and theoretical understanding of all aspects of CFD therapy, has consistently contributed to furthering the CFD therapy knowledge base, and has consistently developed excellence of practice and improved theoretical understanding of CFD therapists.

CFDI as a Service

The Institute makes available customized access to its therapeutic model, various procedures and materials, and therapist training on an as-a-service subscription basis for individuals, therapeutic practices, and therapeutic institutions. The current as-a-service subscription offerings include:

• Individual
  • Membership in the Institute
  • Access to select Institute therapeutic procedures and materials
  • Opportunities for certification advancement
  • Participation in local, regional, national, and remote Institute events and activities
 
• Therapeutic Practice
  • Everything included in the Individual subscription, plus
  • Additional Institue memberships for up to 5 therapeutic team members
  • Complete therapist kits customized for your intended therapy recipients
  • Up to 160 hours of onsite training for new CFD therapists
  • Ongoing remote support from a Certified or Master Cognitive Function Development Therapist
 
• Therapeutic Institution
  • Everything included in the Therapeutic Practice subscription, plus
  • Discounted Institute memberships for therapeutic team member
  • Discounted onsite training for new CFD therapists
  • Discounted therapist kits
 

Detailed cognitive function assessments are also available through the Institute, with mapping of assessment results to CFD therapy focal areas.