This program is NOT for you if:

• You teach other practitioners or are looking to do so in the near future. (College/University nutrition professors are not restricted from this training.)
• You’re not committed to making time on a regular basis to spend on improving your craft.
• You aren’t ready to invest in your growth.
• You aren’t a positive, knowledge-seeking, heart-centered practitioner.

This is the most comprehensive coverage on IFMNT there is today – over 450 hours!  Dietitians, please note the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) has recently dissolved its pre-approved provider program. In its place, there is now a program in which to obtain pre-approval for individual learning events, though it is very labor intensive and thousands of dollars more costly. If it were just on cost alone, this would require us to raise our education fees substantially to cover the manpower needed for the process. The other issue, even more of a concern, is related to new rules for pre-approval that are excessively restrictive to the point we feel would compromise the integrity and high value of our training content – which in turn, also compromises your ability to practice IFMNT at the highest level – most responsibly and effectively. We’re simply not willing to cut out information vital to you and those you serve! We’re also not willing to raise our rates – we feel your investment in our training is quite fair, especially for all you get, and we’re going to keep it that way!

Rest Assured you will always be provided with all materials needed to self-report your continuing education hours. That includes certificates of completion, course descriptions and objectives, and of course, you’ll always have the course slides available as well.

Our training is completely online and all materials are included. Once registered, you’ll access your course portal through your account dashboard on our website. There are no additional books or materials that are required for our training. Content is delivered as modules are opened and the material is presented. All handouts and slides are downloadable to your permanent files. Recordings are accessed only online through your course portal; they are not downloadable. A benefit of being a full course bundle registrant is that you’ll have access to all course recordings throughout the full 4-year course access. Individual module registrants only have limited short-term access to module content. (Typically 4-8 months depending on the Module)

We’ll be teaching the modules one by one, end to end until all are completed. Likewise, we have other classes in progress and their modules, as they come up, will be available to you as a full course bundle registrant as well. There is no established order to take learning modules, though those completely new to Functional Nutrition may want to give priority to reviewing the assessment module early on. You can choose to be flexible with the order you take modules based on your schedule availability, as long as you complete all modules within a 4-year time frame from the course commencement.  You’ll also be offered fast-track opportunities, in which you can take more than one topic at once allowing you the option to matriculate through the training at a faster pace if you choose. It’s all about flexibility! We strive to offer several choices for your learning journey so you can choose the pace that best fits.

We pride ourselves in offering the most comprehensive evidence-based training available in Functional Nutrition there is today – Now over 400 hours of content! We feel there is no better way to be prepared and confident to practice most effectively and responsibly (we often say “You don’t know what you don’t know until you know it!”). We’re pleased to allow much flexibility in program delivery and a very liberal program access of 4 years to complete the training. If you ever need a break – take it. Just ensure all modules are completed within 4 years. Then again, if you wish to take advantage of fast-track options by taking two or more subjects simultaneously, you can conceivably complete the training in a little over 2 years, depending on the timing of the fast-track offerings. In other words, you get to choose and do this whichever way suits you best!

Modules are taught one by one, end to end, until all are completed. In each module description, you’ll see the projected dates of offering. (If you don’t yet see this, it will be populated soon. Once a new series begins, participants get a projected course calendar as well. We say projected because live training is dynamic, especially for us as we are committed to continually updating to provide you with the highest quality of education possible. When the science changes, in our training, you’ll always know it right away!

To offer the most ability for folks to attend our sessions live, we’ll alternate days and times of module offerings. Even within the same module, content may be delivered in two different day and time slots. We realize we can’t make everyone happy all the time, but this way, you’ll likely have the chance of making at least some sessions live, no matter your work/family commitments otherwise. Again attending live or reviewing learning content via recordings after the fact is your choice.

Class sessions are typically 2 hours in length, though very occasionally we may offer a longer Saturday or weekend workshop for a focus topic. We may do this for a practicum session or for specific topics that do well to deliver in a concentrated time, such as SIBO or Histamine.

And yes, sessions are primarily delivered weekly, though there may be occasional weeks off for holidays, Susan’s conference travel (she’s always learning herself!), or simply to give you a breather.

Remember also, full course bundle registrants have the option to take any live module offered whether it’s in your class order or another series of training classes in progress. This is what creates the fast-track opportunities to matriculate through the training that gets you to the certification sooner. This is also what offers the opportunity to take a module over again if you choose, which some want to do to be sure they really soak in all the information and solidify their learning. In some cases, it may be a busy time for you during one module and you aren’t able to entirely focus. Having the recordings available to review after the fact is helpful but some just do better with live training so when the module comes up again live in another class, you’ll have that “do-over” opportunity (as long as it’s during your 4-year course access time). This is a benefit only for full course bundle registrants!

This is really based on the individual. We realize you are a professional, often working full-time. You also likely have family and personal commitments. We are here for your success! Unlike a college course, there is NO HOMEWORK HERE! Our slide content is comprehensive on purpose – so you don’t need to go off and do a bunch of additional research/reading. Of course, for any learning geeks out there, we’ll always offer additional learning links and recommended reading resources. But again, these are completely optional! In the end, all content you need to pass the final exam is contained in the slides given with the learning sessions. We’ll offer self-study quizzes along the way, but no pressure – these are for you to keep abreast of what you’re learning and to help you stay on pace (They’ll also serve as an excellent review for the final exam by the way!). The grades on your quizzes do not count towards your certification.

Bottom line – If you can spare on average say 3-5 hours a week, perhaps giving up a bit of TV time or social media scroll time, then you should be good. Some will want to dive in more extensively and take multiple module topics at once, and some will train in “chunks, taking advantage of recording availability to match their schedule availability and busier and less busy times of year. Either way, you’d be surprised how much free time most of us have in a day if it’s evaluated closely. As for total time to get through the program, that just depends on the pace you choose – again, you’ll have a full 4 years to complete all modules but if you take advantage of fast-track opportunities, you’ll be able to finish in a little over 2 years.

If you get behind, just be sure to set a schedule of catch-up with the recordings and you should be fine. Whatever you do, do not give up. Remember all the reasons you signed on in the first place. You won’t realize your goals if you don’t stay committed to the journey and we’re here to see you succeed! Contact us anytime along the way if you start to fall behind or even just get a bit overwhelmed with the material and we’ll help problem solve a solution.

Great question! Some think they can’t start practicing this specialty until they are certified, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth! You are already trained, and as long as you are practicing already, you can simply add in IFMNT concepts as you learn them, piece by piece. The Assessment module is first – you can already start assessing your clients differently as soon as you learn how. You may not feel very confident in the beginning but we all have to start somewhere – know that confidence will come with experience!

If you’re brand new to practice, I’d recommend you get through at least the first 4 or 5 modules. This way you have a good foundation to begin with. And remember, you have a lot of support here at NLFN! Some are already practicing Functional Nutrition when they enter into this training – ask for opinions and advice in our private class forum and in our monthly coaching calls – you’ll get all the support you need! 

Once you’ve completed the entire suite of training modules, you’ll be eligible to apply for the certification to become a Functional Medicine Nutrition Specialist^TM(FMNS). (This is optional and there is a separate exam application fee). To apply, candidates must be qualified to practice in their state of residence and they must also be qualified to give medical nutrition advice in their practice.

Certification is obtained through a 2-step process which includes a final exam (multiple choice) and your submission of a case study showing assessment, application, and outcome of the IFMNT process.  The exam questions will come directly from content in the slide presentations from the modules – no additional resources are needed. An optional exam review course will be available. Further still, the self-study quizzes given with each module will also serve as a study guide for the final exam.  The case study write-up will follow a template provided – you’ll simply fill in the required information regarding the case. Our goal is for you to be successful! After all your time and investment in the training, we aren’t here to trip you up with the exam process. We’ll even offer multiple attempts for you to pass and get the certification you’ll then deserve! Certified practitioners will be listed in our practitioner referral listing page (currently in development).

The certification will expire after 5 years, at which point you’ll apply for renewal by submitting proof of 75 continuing education hours specific to clinical IFMNT (renewal fee applies). Note: continual NLFN membership is highly suggested to keep you current and immersed in our community of highest-level specialty practitioners. Upon successful completion of the IFMNT certification or certification renewal process, you’ll earn a complimentary year of NLFN membership at the platinum level!

There are many things that set up apart! Here are a few key components

• We’ve had many trained in conventional dietetics and even functional medicine who come to realize there’s more functional nutrition they wish they had had. They then take our program to fill in the gaps and in fact, most are very surprised to find just how much more there is to know about the deep application of Integrative and Functional Medical Nutrition Therapy that can really make a difference in patient outcomes and the success of your practice!
• Ours is not a program primarily focused on diets (though we cover thoroughly), but instead, we dive deeply into all aspects of Functional Medicine including the deep functional assessment and root cause analysis that successful functional practitioners need to know. Blood chemistry and specialty functional lab Interpretation is a major focus in our training, as is also nutritional biochemistry, but unlike in college, this time it’s made practical and application friendly! We also emphasize the incorporation of genetic testing and nutritional genomics to Functional Nutrition practice and as such, include coverage in most all of our modules.
• We are by your side, every step of the way throughout this training answering all questions that you have, helping you work through the nuances of cases, or providing strategy for your business. This isn’t just book learning – it’s personal mentoring, practical application, real-life experience sharing,z and practice-building strategies for success. THIS is the value you want and deserve for your investment.
• As a very successful Functional Nutrition practitioner for over 30 years, Susan Allen shares her clinical and business/marketing expertise directly with you. It makes sense that an award-winning and accomplished Dietitian/Nutritionist be the primary instructor for nutrition training. Further still, while Susan has several expert guest instructors to help provide expanded views and additional expertise, she remains the primary instructor ensuring cohesive messaging in your learning experience. Susan has worked in many different clinical settings as well as in her own successful private practice over the years. As such, she incorporates her “stories from the trenches” that will surely enhance your success, no matter how you are practicing now or plan to in the future.
• Unlike many trainings available that are primarily pre-recorded and hard to stay focused and engaged with, our training is primarily live, offering an engaging, interactive, and even fun experience! Questions are asked and answered right on the spot while the topic is delivered, when the learning is most applicable. Susan’s passion is evident throughout – her mission truly is to have you be the most effective and successful you can be and that you practice most responsibly. She often says – “You don’t know what you don’t know until you know it”! And it’s often validated by those in her training that while they thought they knew a lot about any given topic, they were surprised to find out what they didn’t know! This can surely be career-transforming!
• Other programs may include additional reading/study time. Our content is all from highly valuable and engaging instructional webinars. Just ask yourself – How large is your unread materials list? Also, ponder on how many pre-recorded on-demand courses you’ve purchased that you never finished (or even started)!
• We keep our classes smaller on purpose. Since we offer live training, we wouldn’t want you to get lost in the crowd. Smaller class size ensure everyone’s questions are answered and you get the coaching assistance you really need!
• We feel ours is the most comprehensive training in IFMNT there is today. Many programs provide a good overview of topics; even up to 6-8 hours, but to practice most effectively and responsibly, we feel nothing less than deep coverage is called for. Each of our clinical topics average 27 hours of no-stone-unturned vital to your practice interactive webinar time. Now, that’s different!

We have people come to us who have done $20K celebrity programs (many, they’ve never even finished), $50K masters programs, or $100K doctorate programs. And even after spending gobs of money and time, they’re still struggling with their business and feel like they don’t know enough. Yep, we’ve heard it….”Wow, THIS is what I thought I was going to learn in my integrative master’s program! ” or “This is what I wished I would have learned in my Dietetics training!”

Our program is a fraction of those prices and we have been told (repeatedly) provides much higher value.

We see folks who have been attending seminars, webinars, and summits for years and have no idea how much money and time they’ve put into chasing protocols and clinical pearls. All they have from it are bits and pieces that don’t add up to support cohesive patient care and thriving practice. Still others trying to save some bucks, have opted for the less expensive certification programs only to find out what they thought would be enough training really wasn’t at all. And that’s if they even stayed with it; a problem we see all the time, especially with on-demand learning that is a challenge to stay focused and engaged with.

We get it – sometimes life happens! But think about it – you have 4 years to complete this training and if you ever get behind, you can catch up with recording review after the fact or live modules that are repeated during the course of your program access. You can stop and start probably a few times during the process and still comfortably complete the training as long as you stay committed.

While we do have a no-questions-asked money-back guarantee for a period of 60 days after the training commences, there are no refunds after 60 days – please refer to our terms and conditions at registration checkout for complete details.

No. Anyone who has completed an individual topic module in the past year will not have to repeat that training. In fact, even better, you are able to request a credit for the full registration (less finance fees) that you paid to apply to the full bundle IFMNT certificate training. You can email us HERE to make this request.

In most cases, yes! This is our 10^th anniversary of teaching Functional Nutrition to healthcare practitioners. We’ve grown quite a bit and trained thousands since we began. If you were in full training (COT or advanced IFMNT) any time before 2014, this is basically all new information and thus there would be no discount available, though anyone trained since 2014 will qualify for a discount. Discounts are offered based on the amount of training your previous program(s) covered and how much has been updated or expanded since then. Please inquire about your discount potential HERE

Absolutely not, the certification is optional. To qualify for this training we know you’ve already qualified to practice through your degree or professional credential. As such, you’re capable of simply adding the specialty to your practice. Some simply don’t feel the need for another letter grouping after their name. Others do prefer to be recognized for their specialty. In the end, it’s what serves you best! Credit comes with completion of self-study quizzes as content is delivered and this is regardless of the formal certification process.

Absolutely! Send us an email HERE to get the conversation started. Don’t wait – you wouldn’t want to miss early-bird pricing!