BCBA Sleep Competency Certification Program

Our next cohort begins January 18, 2025

This program is for you if you are…..

  • A Board Certified Behavior Analyst interested in establishing competency in sleep support for your clients. 

  • A Board Certified Behavior Analyst looking to distinguish yourself within the field and enhance your earning potential and qualifications.

  • A company looking to elevate your BCBA’s continued education and scope of practice.

Competency is more than reading articles and attending workshops.

Defining Sleep Competency

Competency is crucial for professionals in this field to ensure they provide high-quality, evidence-based services to individuals with behavioural challenges in the area specific to sleep support. Here's a more detailed definition:

Competency for Behavior Analysts includes:

  1. Knowledge: Behavior Analysts should possess a deep and comprehensive understanding of the principles and theories of behavior analysis and how this applies to sleep support. This includes knowledge of sleep assessment methods, creating function-based sleep plans, sleep support strategies, understanding the complex role of reinforcement contingencies for parents and their children, as well as relevant research and literature.

  2. Skills: Behavior Analysts need practical skills to apply their knowledge effectively. This involves conducting assessments, collecting and analyzing data, designing sleep intervention plans, supporting families to implement interventions and evaluating their effectiveness. They should also have strong communication and collaboration skills to work with clients, families and interdisciplinary teams when it comes to sleep support.

  3. Ethical Standards: Competent Behavior Analysts adhere to strict ethical standards and guidelines, such as those set forth by professional organizations like the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). Ethical behavior includes maintaining client confidentiality, obtaining informed consent, avoiding conflicts of interest and providing services in a culturally sensitive and responsible manner.

  4. Professionalism: Competency in Behavior Analysis and sleep support is demonstrated through professionalism in practice. This involves being punctual, organized, and reliable in delivering services. It also includes ongoing professional development and a commitment to staying current with advancements in the area of behavior analysis and sleep research.

  5. Client-Centered Approach: Behavior Analysts should prioritize the well-being and best interests of their clients. This involves tailoring sleep assessment and sleep intervention approaches to the unique needs and preferences of individuals with behavioral challenges. A client-centered approach fosters a positive therapeutic relationship and increases the likelihood of successful outcomes.

  6. Evidence-Based Practice: Competent Behavior Analysts base their interventions on empirical research and evidence-based practices. They should be capable of critically evaluating research literature and applying the most effective and ethical interventions to address specific sleep challenges.

  7. Continuing Education: Competency also involves a commitment to ongoing learning and professional development. Behavior Analysts should seek opportunities for further training, attend conferences and stay updated on the latest developments in the field to continually improve their practice.

As Behavior Analysts, developing these skills must start through the guidance of a mentor or supervisor who specializes in this area. This will support you in building independence and moving into competency and specialization.

Your Behaviour Gal’s

BCBA Sleep Competency Certification Program

I created this course for many reasons. The main one is because other Board Certified Behavior Analysts have been asking me for help in building out their own specialty in this area.

There is a need in our community to serve clients in sleep and there is no holistic, organized, in-depth, inclusive and structured sleep training for Behavior Analysts available at this time, so I thought it was time to share all that I have learned.

The goal of this program is for you to acquire the tools to build your own sleep practice and expand your capacity to support more clients with sleep struggles.

I strongly believe that through the power of sharing and hearing other’s experiences and perspectives the learning power exponentially increases and will allow you to experience multiple exemplars, see problems from various angles and help you become a true sleep specialist (and analyst!) in the field of behavior analysis.

Upon completion of this program, you will feel confident in your abilities to support clients with sleep. Through active participation, completion of homework, real life (Zoom) practice, evaluation of case studies and guided support in your first few cases you will be feeling competent and confident in supporting more clients.

What to expect in this program?

  • Live Seminars: Weekly 2 hour live seminars on Zoom with sleep specialist and Behavior Analyst Nicole Shallow. Each session will be a structured approach including case studies of real-life examples, breaking down skills into detail and an opportunity to practice with classmates and instructor. This small group approach allows you to engage directly with the material and ask questions.

  • Weekly Office Hours: Weekly office hours offer the opportunity to have more personalized discussions with Nicole Shallow. Participants can seek clarification on program material, discuss specific cases and client questions, and/or explore practical applications.

  • Small Cohorts: Having small cohorts ensures that each participant has the chance to engage in group discussions, get their questions answered and obtain the necessary assistance, fostering a learning environment that is more interactive and conducive to collaboration.

  • Direct Email Access: Providing direct email access to Nicole throughout the week allows participants to seek guidance or clarification between teaching sessions. This support is valuable for establishing learning and addressing specific questions as they come up.

  • Homework Assignments: Assigning reading and homework after each class is an effective way to enhance and deepen the learning and encourage practical application of the material. You will also receive feedback from the instructor to help improve upon applications/writing skills. This will allow you the opportunity to create your own sleep assessments, data collection, interpretation practice and comprehensive sleep plan writing.

  • CEU Credits: Offering Continuing Education Units credits for each LIVE session attended, including ethical and learning CEUs.

Class Outline

Class 1: Sleep Science & First Steps to Supporting Your Clients

Learning Objectives:

  1. Students will learn to describe and comprehensively understand sleep science.

  2. Students will learn to identify specific setting events and behaviours that influence the ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.

  3. Student will learn how to recommend general sleep strategies and behavioral support strategies to encourage implementation and change for parents.

  4. Student will learn how to support development of skills to reduce anxiety around bedtime.

Class 2: Supporting Healthy Sleep Dependencies

Learning Objectives

  1. Students will learn to identify sleep dependencies and how stimulus control plays a role.

  2. Students will learn to identify alternative behaviours and least restrictive behavioral support strategies to support this sleep problem.

  3. Students will learn how to support prior and during implementation for parents/caregivers in fading themselves out of the fall asleep.

  4. Students will learn about common student responses to intervention and how to analyze students responses and make recommendations in the moment.

Class 3: Addressing Night Wakings and Bedtime Difficulties

Learning Objectives

  1. Students will learn about sleep rescheduling and how to best apply this for their clients.

  2. Students will learn about various strategies to support night wakings .

  3. Students will learn about risks and benefits to implementation of procedures.

  4. Students will learn how to individualize their recommendations based on client needs.

Class 4: Sleep Assessments 101: Ethical Considerations in Assessment of Sleep Problems.

Learning Objectives.

  1. Students will learn about the various assessments in the field of Behavior Analysis.

  2. Students will learn strategies to support building trust and rapport with clients during the assessment phase.

  3. Students will learn when and how to include their clients into the assessment (e.g., teenagers, young adults).

  4. Students will learn to conduct an assessment and how to use this time to help identify client goals, values and insights into informing development of the sleep plan.

Class 5: Evaluating Sleep Assessment Results & Plan Design

Learning Objectives (Ethics CEUs)

  1. Students will learn to identify key information from their assessment to inform a function based plan.

  2. Students will learn to identify least restrictive strategies and prioritize recommendations from simplest to most complex.

  3. Students will learn to identify medical considerations and how to plan moving forward through evaluation of varying case studies and results.

Class 6: Plan Review and Implementation Support for Families

Learning Objectives:

  1. Students will learn how to review a plan with client through active participation and practice.

  2. Students will learn how to use behavior skills training to support families in learning how to make decisions based on child’s responses.

  3. Students will learn to respond to common implementation difficulties (e.g., changing plans, letting children in their bed, stopping the procedure, etc.).

  4. Students will learn to identify when it is time to stop with current plan and adjust based on client and parent responding.

Class 7: Data Analysis and Decision Making

Learning Objectives:

  1. Students will learn about a number of data collection strategies.

  2. Students will learn to identify variables for measure and actively analyze data across different sleep problems.

  3. Students will learn how and when to make decisions.

  4. Students will learn about common patterns to look for across different procedures.

  5. Students will learn how to problem solve when parents are not sending data.

Class 8: Ethical Considerations In Sleep Practice 

Learning Objectives:

  1. Students will learn about various cultural considerations that may arise within sleep support. (1.07 Cultural Responsiveness and Diversity).

  2. Students will learn to identify and describe how their own personal biases and challenges may interfere with sleep support. (1.10 Awareness of Personal Biases and Challenges) 

  3. Students will learn how to identify when to recommend other professionals and how to support families in navigating additional recommendations and supports. (2.10 Collaborating with Colleagues).

  4. Students will learn how to identify their specific role as a sleep specialist and support. When to redefine the role. (1.04 Practicing within a Defined Role)

  5. Students will learn how to recognize it is time to discontinue services and how to proceed (3.15 Appropriately Discontinuing Services (see 1.03, 2.02, 2.05. 2.10, 2.19) 

  6. Students will learn about ethical considerations for marketing and building their sleep specialty (5.10 Social Media Channels and Websites (see 1.02, 2.03, 2.04, 2.11, 3.01, 3.10) & 5.11 Using Digital Content in Public Statements (see 1.02, 1.03, 2.03, 2.04, 2.11, 3.01, 3.10) 

  7. Opportunity for students to bring their own ethical concerns and review different case studies and how best to approach.

Weekly Office Hours

Clarification and Understanding: Office hours will provide students with the opportunity to seek clarification and a deeper understanding of program material. During office hours, students can ask questions, seek clarification on specific topics, and discuss any confusion they may have about the course content.

  1. Individualized Support and Guidance: Office hours offer students the chance to receive individualized support and guidance from the instructor. The instructor will provide personalized feedback, suggest additional resources, and offer guidance on assignments or projects.

  2. Application of Concepts: Students can seek guidance on designing and implementing sleep interventions, analyzing sleep-related data, or addressing specific case studies. This application-oriented support helps students bridge the gap between theory and practice, preparing them to excel in their future roles as behavior analysts specializing in sleep.

Join us Starting January 2025!

The Details

  • January 18, 2025

  • November 16, 2024

  • Private Zoom Room

  • Saturday Mornings from 10:00am-12:00pm PST (1:00pm-3:00pm EST)

    There will be no class on

    • Saturday from 1:00pm-3:00pm PST

      • 4:00pm-6:00pm EST

    • Sunday from 1:00pm-2:00pm PST

      • 4:00pm-5:00pm EST

    • You will have email access to Nicole Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm.

The Investment:

$3500

USD

  • We are pleased to offer flexible payment plans for the BCBA Sleep Competency Certification Program, which comes with a total cost of $3500 USD. Nicole will cover the different payment options available on your discovery call.

  • To secure your spot an initial non-refundable reservation deposit of $500 USD must be made. This deposit not only serves as a commitment fee but will also be deducted from the total course cost.

  • Given the limited spots available we strongly advise securing your seat with this deposit, as enrolments are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

FAQs

  • Payment will be via credit card.

  • Instalments will be available and can be individualized and discussed on your discovery call.

  • Currently we are running two cohorts a year one, in January and one in September.

    Our next cohort starts on January 18, 2025.

  • Submit your application, attend a meeting to ensure that this program is a fit for you and you are a fit for this program.

  • There will only be 5 participants accepted to ensure that everyone can be served effectively.

  • If you cannot make a class, material will be shared and when the class is offered again you will receive complimentary access. Opportunity for make up class may be provided.

Meet Your Instructor

I have been a Board Certified Behavior Analyst®, since 2019 and love helping people feel empowered, and supported on their journey to make positive changes in their lives. This rings true not only for my clients but for other BCBAs looking to expand their competency with sleep.

I love problem solving using critical thinking and analyzing a situation from every angle.

I have over four years of experience in the field and I am ready to share all that I have learned with you!