Certified From Diagnosis to Goodbye Facilitator
Certification Requirements & Program Authorization
Becoming a Certified From Diagnosis to Goodbye Facilitator means more than completing a course.
Certification represents demonstrated understanding of the program's facilitation methodology, commitment to its ethical standards, and authorization to responsibly facilitate the approved From Diagnosis to Goodbye program.
“Certification is not ownership. Certification is authorization to responsibly carry the work.”
The Certification Path
Six steps from first session to credential.
Complete the Five-Session Training
Complete The Five Voices of the Journey — Certified Facilitator Training for From Diagnosis to Goodbye (FD2G-FAC-001).
NOTICE→LISTEN→UNDERSTAND→RESPOND→HONOR
The training prepares facilitators to recognize the voices in the room and responsibly apply the Five Voices Framework.
Explore Facilitator TrainingComplete the Session Assessments
Each learning session includes scenario-based assessment designed to evaluate understanding and practical application.
Participants must complete the required assessments before proceeding to final certification.
Pass the Final Facilitator Certification Assessment
After completing all five sessions, participants complete a final scenario-based Facilitator Certification Assessment.
Passing score: 80%
The assessment focuses on practical facilitator judgment rather than memorization alone.
Participants may review instructional feedback and retake the assessment when needed.
Affirm the Certified Facilitator Code of Ethics
Every facilitator must read and affirm the current Certified From Diagnosis to Goodbye Facilitator Code of Ethics.
The Code establishes expectations concerning participant autonomy, respectful facilitation, privacy, boundaries, spiritual and cultural differences, professional scope, program integrity, intellectual property, and accurate representation of certification.
Accept the Authorized Facilitator Agreement
Certification requires acceptance of the current Authorized Facilitator Agreement.
The agreement establishes the terms under which a Certified From Diagnosis to Goodbye Facilitator may use and facilitate the approved program, curriculum, methodology, and authorized resources.
Receive Your Certification
After all certification requirements have been satisfied, the participant receives the credential:
Certified From Diagnosis to Goodbye Facilitator
Certification includes an individual certification number and certification period.
Certification term: 12 months
Certification must remain active for the individual to represent themselves as a currently Certified From Diagnosis to Goodbye Facilitator and exercise the authorization associated with the credential.
What Certification Authorizes
During an active certification period and subject to current program standards, a Certified From Diagnosis to Goodbye Facilitator may facilitate approved From Diagnosis to Goodbye conversations, groups, workshops, and learning experiences using authorized program materials.
Certification may support facilitation in appropriate settings such as:
Certification authorizes responsible facilitation of the approved program.
It does not transfer ownership of the program, curriculum, methodology, intellectual property, trademarks, books, workbooks, or other protected materials.
What Certification Does Not Authorize
Certification does not independently authorize a facilitator to:
- —Practice psychotherapy or clinical counseling
- —Provide medical or healthcare advice
- —Represent themselves as a licensed healthcare professional
- —Represent themselves as a professional chaplain solely because of this certification
- —Provide crisis or mental-health services beyond their existing qualifications
- —Train or certify other From Diagnosis to Goodbye facilitators unless separately authorized
- —Rewrite, rebrand, reproduce, sell, sublicense, or create derivative versions of the protected program or curriculum
- —Represent an organization as licensed merely because one employee or member is certified
“The credential expands authorization to facilitate the From Diagnosis to Goodbye program. It does not expand a person's professional scope of practice.”
Individuals who already hold professional credentials remain responsible for practicing according to the laws, ethical standards, organizational policies, and scope requirements applicable to those credentials.
The Certified Facilitator Code of Ethics
Every Certified From Diagnosis to Goodbye Facilitator agrees to uphold twelve core responsibilities.
Protect the Person's Voice
Keep the lived experience of the participant at the center of facilitation.
Respect Autonomy
Honor each person's right to speak, remain silent, participate differently, or decline to disclose.
Facilitate Without Judgment
Create room for experiences and perspectives without imposing conclusions.
Honor Spiritual and Cultural Differences
Respect beliefs, traditions, cultures, values, and worldviews that may differ from the facilitator's own.
Protect Privacy
Handle personal stories and disclosures responsibly and communicate appropriate privacy expectations.
Maintain Appropriate Boundaries
Remain within the facilitator role and within any professional scope the facilitator independently holds.
Recognize When Facilitation Is Not Enough
Identify situations requiring referral, additional professional support, organizational procedures, or appropriate safety response.
Protect Program Integrity
Use the approved program responsibly and according to current standards.
Respect Intellectual Property
Do not improperly reproduce, distribute, modify, sell, or appropriate protected program materials.
Represent Certification Accurately
Do not exaggerate what the credential means or claim qualifications the certification does not provide.
Maintain Current Certification
Complete required renewal and do not represent an expired credential as active.
Use the Facilitator Role With Integrity
Carry the program in a manner consistent with its purpose, standards, and responsibility to participants.
The complete current Code of Ethics is presented for formal review and affirmation during the certification process and again as required during renewal.
Certification Belongs to the Individual
A Certified From Diagnosis to Goodbye Facilitator credential is issued to an individual.
It does not automatically license the facilitator's employer, church, hospice, healthcare organization, business, ministry, or other organization to formally adopt or offer the program organization-wide.
A facilitator is certified.
An organization is licensed.
Organizations seeking formal implementation should review the Organizational Licensing program.
Explore Organizational LicensingYour Certification Period
Initial certification is valid for
12 Months
Certified facilitators are responsible for maintaining active status through annual renewal.
The renewal process helps ensure facilitators remain familiar with current program standards, ethical expectations, methodology, and program updates.
Renewal is designed as a focused annual process rather than repeating the entire initial certification course when certification remains current.
Active Facilitation Requirement
To maintain active certification, facilitators must complete at least five approved facilitation sessions during each 12-month certification period. Each session must be recorded in an Annual Facilitator Activity Log and supported by acceptable verification as described in the Facilitator Renewal requirements.
Full documentation standards, confidentiality requirements, exceptions, and how this requirement fits into annual renewal are described on the Facilitator Renewal page.
Certification Status
As the facilitator system develops, certification records may reflect statuses such as:
ACTIVE
Certification is current.
RENEWAL DUE
The facilitator is approaching the certification expiration date and remains active during the designated renewal window.
EXPIRED
The certification period has ended and authorization associated with active certification is no longer current.
SUSPENDED
Certification authorization has been temporarily suspended under applicable program standards.
REVOKED
Certification authorization has been withdrawn under applicable program standards.
VOLUNTARILY INACTIVE
The facilitator has chosen not to maintain active certification.
A future verification system may allow certification status to be confirmed using an individual certification number while limiting unnecessary disclosure of personal information.
Certification and Program Integrity
Certification exists partly to protect the people participating in From Diagnosis to Goodbye programs and partly to protect the integrity of the work itself.
The stories and conversations involved in serious illness, caregiving, dying, and grief can be deeply personal.
People deserve facilitators who understand that responsibility.
The certification process therefore asks more than:
“Did you finish the course?”
It also asks:
Can you notice the voices in the room?
Can you listen without forcing disclosure?
Can you understand the story beneath what is being said?
Can you respond without taking over, correcting, or fixing?
Can you honor the person, the story, and the boundaries of the space?
That is the responsibility represented by the credential.
Certified From Diagnosis to Goodbye Facilitator
A Certified From Diagnosis to Goodbye Facilitator is an individual who has successfully completed the authorized facilitator training, demonstrated understanding of the program's facilitation methodology, agreed to its ethical and program standards, and received time-limited authorization to facilitate the approved program.
The credential does not independently confer clinical, counseling, healthcare, ministry, or professional chaplaincy credentials.
See the person. Hear the voice. Honor the journey.
Back to Facilitator Program Overview