Advanced Obesity Counselling Certification (AOCC)
Guide behaviour change with confidence and care
Master the counselling skills that guide lasting behaviour change in obesity & chronic disease care.
Starts Nov. 20, 2025 | Limited to 20 participants
Led by global experts in behavioural counselling, Dr. Tiffany Shepherd & Dr. Michael Vallis
Built for healthcare professionals
Support behaviour change with more confidence and less guesswork
AOCC is immersive, intensive training in applied behavioural science—designed for clinicians and allied health professionals working directly with patients in obesity management and chronic disease care.
This program takes best-in-class behavioural change strategies, applies them to real-world clinical settings, and gives you the confidence to lead conversations that make a positive impact.
Learn the psychology behind behaviour change—then apply it in practice.
AOCC gives you the psychological tools and behavioural change strategies that help build trust, reduce stigma, and make patients feel seen and supported. Not as theory, but as real, usable skills you’ll start applying in week one.
Feel confident leading conversations grounded in behavioural science strategies
In AOCC, you’ll learn how to:
- Build trust through conversations that support real change
- Identify what drives—and hinders—behaviour change
- Use approaches like motivational interviewing, ACT, and CBT within your scope of practice
- Recognize internalized bias and respond with empathy
- Empower patients to define success on their own terms
Immersive learning in a small group setting
AOCC is an immersive and feedback-rich learning environment that blends self-paced content with interactive live sessions. You’ll build real skills through practice, reflection, feedback, and expert guidance—all with a small group of like-minded peers.
Fully online
Learn from anywhere with on-demand + live sessions.
8-month program
28 modules developed & delivered by expert faculty.
10 hrs/week
Designed to work around your clinical practice.
Small cohort
Limited to 20 people for depth, feedback, and connection.
Program cost: $3,000 CAD
Attendance requirement: 80% minimum live session attendance
Note: A letter of employer support of the time commitment is required if you work in a clinical or hospital setting.
Bring back skills your whole clinic can use
AOCC doesn’t just benefit individual clinicians—it helps teams speak the same language when it comes to behaviour change and obesity care.
If you’re part of a hospital, clinic, or interdisciplinary team, there’s a strong case for having your tuition covered as professional development. We’ve made it easy with a pre-written pitch letter you can personalize and send to your manager or department lead.
Learn from global leaders in psychology and behaviour change
Dr. Michael Vallis
Health psychologist & Associate professor, Dalhousie University
Dr. Vallis specializes in behaviour change for chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes. He was lead author of the Psychological and Behavioural chapter of the Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines and has trained healthcare professionals internationally.
Dr. Tiffany Shepherd
Health psychologist
Dr. Shepherd is a clinical health psychologist in Halifax, NS, specializing in chronic disease self-management. She provides care for patients with conditions like obesity, diabetes, and IBD, is involved in related research, and trains healthcare providers in behaviour change counselling.
FAQs
Who can enroll in AOCC?
This program is designed for licensed healthcare professionals who work directly with patients—physicians, nurse practitioners, registered dietitians, pharmacists, and others in clinical practice. If you’re ready to level up your skills in behaviour change and support people living with obesity and other chronic conditions more effectively, this course was built for you.
I don’t work primarily in obesity—will this course still be useful?
Yes. While AOCC focuses on obesity care, the behavioural science, counselling strategies, and communication skills you’ll learn apply across many areas of chronic disease management. Whether you work in diabetes, cardiovascular health, dietetics, or general primary care, this course will strengthen how you support behaviour change in any patient population. Many of our past participants work in settings where obesity is one part of a broader clinical picture—and they’ve found the training immediately applicable.
Can this course benefit our entire clinical team?
Yes. While AOCC is completed individually, enrolling multiple staff members can help to develop a shared understanding of behaviour change. This has helped them align communication styles, reduce internal confusion, and support patients more consistently across disciplines.
What does the AOCC designation mean?
Graduates of the program receive a certificate of completion and can use the formal designation “AOCC.” This signals your advanced training in psychological and behavioural strategies for obesity care—rooted in evidence and aligned with national obesity clinical practice guidelines.
Is this aligned with the Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines?
Yes. AOCC brings the psychological pillar of the Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines to life. This program translates evidence into practice—giving you the practical strategies, tools, language, and structure to make guideline-informed care real and actionable.
What’s the time commitment?
Plan to invest approximately 10 hours per week across 8 months. That includes on-demand learning, practical assignments, live sessions, and reflective practice. This is intensive—but intentionally so. The format is flexible, but the transformation comes from showing up.
Is this course difficult?
Yes—but in the best way. You’ll be challenged to think differently, reflect on your own communication style, and engage in meaningful feedback. This isn’t surface-level content. It’s deep, applied, and designed to shift how you practice.
Why is the cohort limited to 20 participants?
This course is a collaborative, high-touch learning experience that depends on interaction, discussion, and personalized feedback. Small cohorts ensure every participant gets the most out of the program.
What if the cohort doesn’t fill?
The program only runs if all 20 seats are filled. If we don’t reach that number, we’ll wait until we do—your spot will be held or refunded.
Is a letter of employer support really required?
Yes—if you work in a hospital or clinic environment, we ask for a short letter from your employer confirming you’ll be able to commit to the time required. This helps protect your learning time and ensure your full participation.
Don’t wait to secure your spot
If you’re ready to close the gap between knowing what to do and knowing how to help someone do it—this course is for you. We’d love to have you join us.
Let’s keep in touch.
We’ll send you updates worth opening—hear when the next AOCC cohort or other Obesity Canada courses launch.
