Learn a broad set of tools to understand and address healthy sexual development for people with complex needs.
“I absolutely loved this training. I could have spent days longer learning all of this!”
Tier 1: FOUNDATIONS
Tier 1 is the First Step to Becoming a Certified Instructor of the Sexual Health & Relationships Education (SHARE) Curriculum.
This 3-day, highly interactive and engaging course can be taken as a stand-alone training to strengthen your skills, or as the first part of the full three-part sexual self-determination certification program. These tools are beneficial for anyone, and especially helpful for people who work with folks who have cognitive impairments and/or complex needs. Over this three-day training participants will:
Broaden their understanding of sexuality and how it influences someone’s behavior
Identify healthy sexual development; respond to unhealthy behaviors
Recognize how trauma impacts sexuality and relationships
Utilize a framework for balancing risks, choice, and decision-making within a person-centered, collaborative team environment
After completing this training, participants will feel more confident in providing rights based, medically accurate, trauma informed, and culturally sensitive support on matters related to healthy relationships, sexuality, sexual health, sexual development, and challenging sexual behaviors.
Review the extensive FREE perks available to every participant of our Certification Program!
2026 Tier 1 Dates
Mar 11-13
(early bird ends Jan. 25; registration closes Feb. 20)
Apr 29 - May 1
(early bird ends Mar. 15; registration closes Apr. 10)
Sep. 23-25
(early bird ends Aug. 10; registration closes Sep. 5)
Oct. 14-16
(early bird ends Sep. 1; registration closes Sep. 25)
To save $100 Use Promo Code: EARLYBIRD
2026 Registration Fees:
Pay It Forward!: $395
Standard Registration Fee: $345
Early Bird Discount : $100 off
Use Promo Code: EARLYBIRD
Bundle Rate for Tiers 1, 2, &3: $695
If you need additional financial assistance, please contact us to apply: certification@among-friends.org
Tier 1: FOUNDATIONS Schedule
Wednesday-Friday (9am-4pm Pacific Time each day)
Day 1
Morning: Opening Session
Afternoon: UNIT 1 - Understanding sexuality, Puberty vs. Adolescence, the Hierarchy of Needs
Day 2
Morning: UNIT 2 - Overview of trauma, trauma and sexuality, trauma therapies, overview of Trauma-Informed Care
Afternoon: UNIT 3 - Milestones in healthy sexual development, signs of serious sexual concerns, responding to sexual incidents, trauma-informed mandatory reporting
Day 3
Morning: UNIT 4 - Talking about sex with teams, Duty of Care vs. Dignity of Risk, Supported Decision-Making
Afternoon: Closing Session
Program Perks
For EVERY participant of the program:
Can retake Tier 1: FOUNDATIONS anytime for FREE!
Have access to our shared list of over 500 resources for FREE!
Invited to our roundtable community of practice every month for FREE to learn from guest speakers and ask for guidance regarding social-sexual situations.
Receive a speical certification program newsletter exclusively for program participants for FREE!
Can apply to coordinate and co-facilitate any of the tiers for additional training and experience.
Network and share strategies using our private Social Media pages.
Use the contact lists from your Tier 1, 2, and 3 to reach out to other participants for ideas, connection, and to collaborate.
We know participants invest in this program, and we invest in them, too!
“I am blown away about how comfortable this has been to talk about these uncomfortable topics with people I don’t know!”
“As a sister of two brothers with disabilities, I love that this exists.”
“I learned that there are many ways to support people with IDD with many different sexual behaviors to make them safe for the individual and the community.”
