DDPI Worldwide is the global Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and Practice training and certification institute.
We are a not-for-profit organisation based in the US, that educates, facilitates, promotes and advances DDP across the world.
For over 15 years DDPI Worldwide (formally DDPI) has provided training and robust certification in DDP, a life-changing therapeutic treatment model for children with significant developmental trauma, their families and caregivers.
We were founded by Dan Hughes, creator of DDP, Clinical Psychologist and noted author. As DDP grew in popularity the need to establish training and certification procedures increased. DDPI was created to fulfil this need as a training and certification institute in 2009.
We are a primarily volunteer led organisation and have evolved and grown to serve a global DDP community with members in 5 continents.
DDPI Worldwide is the operating name of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Institute, Inc.
Our Leadership
DDPI Worldwide is run by our Board of Directors, Executive Team as well as various Committees and Working Groups. We have strong ties with our official chapters, voices and sibling organisations. All members of our Board, Committees and Working Groups are volunteers.
Explore our vision, mission and values
Board objectives
- Certification: to provide and support a rigorous certification process for Practitioners, Consultants and Trainers in DDP and a certification process for organisations.
- Learning and Development: to provide training opportunities to individuals and groups seeking to learn more about Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and Dyadic Developmental Practice
- Practice: To support individuals and organisations working to develop and maintain consistent Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and Dyadic Developmental Practice.
- Research and Evaluation: to explore and provide evidence of how and why DDP is an effective intervention and try out new ways it can be applied.
- Communicate and Inform: to provide opportunities for Practitioners in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and parents/caregivers to share their experiences and learning.
Membership
We are also a membership organisation open to individuals and agencies. A full member is defined as:
- One or all of the following three categories: a Certified Practitioner in DDP, a Certified Consultant in DDP, a Certified Trainer in DDP, who has undertaken a DDPI Worldwide approved Certified Training Programme, has paid the annual fee due on January 31st and is current with the certification and renewal of certification requirements.
- An individual in the DDP Practitioner Practicum, who is undertaking a DDPI Worldwide approved Certified Training Programme, has paid the Practicum Application fee and is current with the practicum requirements.
- A Certified DDP Agency/Organisation that has undertaken a DDPI Worldwide approved Certified Training Programme, has paid the annual fee due on January 31st and is current with the certification and renewal of certification requirements.
- Individuals and organisations who do not meet the above criteria can request membership from the DDPI Worldwide Board.
All DDP Practitioners and those in training are required to be members in good standing of DDPI Worldwide and abide by the DDPI Worldwide Code of Conduct.
For DDP Practitioners, membership in DDPI Worldwide requires:
- Timely payment of the annual DDPI Worldwide membership fee
- Maintaining professional indemnity insurance and
- Maintaining registration or licensing with your professional body
- Renewal of Certification every 4 years
The Board reserves the right to exclude from membership individuals who meet the above criteria.
Membership of DDPI Worldwide does not include the right to have a profile included on the DDP Network website.
Funding
Funding for DDPI Worldwide comes from fees paid for annual membership, certification fees and fees paid by DDP Trainers or the commissioning organisation for facilitating DDP Level One and Level Two, and DDP PACE Training. Funding is used to:
- To fund the working of the Board, such as insurance and lawyers for the Trademark process
- To fund administrative time to support the work of the Board. All Board members give all their time for free
- To develop and maintain our websites
History of DDPI Worldwide
Dan Hughes founded and developed DDP prior to the establishment of DDPI. Interest grew in DDP with therapists who attended training wanting to learning more about how to work using these principles.
In late 2009, the Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Institute was established in the USA. It was set up as a training and certification institute.
In 2022, DDPI and DDP Connects UK voted together to support the creation of a new worldwide organisation to replace DDPI, as well as explore a new charitable foundation.
In 2025, we moved from DDPI to become DDPI Worldwide to better reflect our global DDP community and signify our commitment to become a social just and racially equitable organisation.
Art Becker-Weidman, past Board member, established an Attachment-Focused Treatment Institute (AFTI) that certifies individuals as Attachment-Focused Therapists. AFTI states that it certifies individuals in DDP. DDPI Worldwide does not recognise AFTI’s certification programme as maintaining fidelity to the DDP treatment model.
