NADA ACUDETOX SPECIALIST (ADS) TRAINING · COLORADO
NADA Acudetox Training in Colorado
Become a certified NADA Acudetox Specialist. Hands-on, in-person ADS certification training in Lafayette, Colorado (north Denver / Boulder County), led by Jessica Eden LCSW, LAC, ADS-RT, NMIT – your local NADA Registered Trainer.
3 days
In person, 9am–5pm. Didactic learning plus supervised hands-on practice.
Lafayette, CO
About 25 minutes from Denver and Boulder. Address sent after you register.
$600 + NADA dues
Training fee includes the manual and supplies, plus the $100 annual NADA membership. Student and senior discounts available.
Private options
1:1 trainings and on-site agency trainings for your whole team.
Upcoming trainings
October 16–18, 2026
Lafayette, Colorado · 9am–5pm each day · In person
2027 dates coming soon
Want to hear when new dates are posted? Join the interest list and you’ll be the first to know.
$600 training fee (includes manual and supplies) + $100 annual NADA membership
Student and senior discounts are available for the membership. To register, you must create a login account on acudetox.com before navigating to the training.
What is acudetox training?
Acudetox training teaches you the NADA 5-Point Protocol (5NP): a simple, standardized ear acupuncture protocol using five points (Sympathetic, Shen Men, Kidney, Liver, and Lung). It’s used in addiction recovery programs, behavioral health, harm reduction, disaster response, and trauma care around the world.
NADA (the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) certifies people who complete the training as Acupuncture Detoxification Specialists, or ADS. As an ADS you can offer the protocol to your clients as a complement to your existing work, in individual, group or community settings. It’s quiet, it’s nonverbal, and clients don’t have to talk about anything to benefit.
New to the protocol? Start with the beginner’s guide to acudetox acupuncture or read how acudetox differs from traditional acupuncture.
Who this training is for
- Licensed therapists, social workers, and counselors
- Addiction counselors, peer recovery specialists, and recovery center staff
- Nurses, medical assistants, and other healthcare workers
- Corrections & probation officers
- Agencies, treatment programs, and community organizations that want an in-house team
Who can practice as an ADS, and under what supervision, depends on your state and your license. Before you register, check the acudetox laws by state guide.
What you’ll learn
- Accurate point location and proper needling technique for the NADA 5-Point Protocol
- Clean needle technique and universal precautions
- How to modify treatments, including fewer points, ear seeds, and non-needle options
- How to run individual and group acudetox sessions in clinical and community settings
- The history and philosophy of NADA and its roots in community-based recovery
- How to fit acudetox into therapy, recovery, and crisis intervention work
How certification works
Three full days of didactic learning and supervised practicum, plus 90 days of supervision afterwards: demonstration, small group work, discussion, and written reflection. Attendance at all sessions is required for certification.
01
Join NADA
Create your NADA profile and pay the annual membership ($100).
02
Register
Pick a date from the upcoming trainings and register on the NADA website. You’ll get the address and prep materials by email.
03
Train in person
Attend all three days of hands-on training in Lafayette, CO.
04
Get certified
Document 40 supervised treatments within 90 days to receive your ADS certificate.
Private and agency acudetox training
Can’t make a public date, or want to train your whole team? Private 1:1 ADS trainings and private agency trainings are available for individuals, treatment programs, clinics, and community organizations.
Trainings can be held on-site at your location or in Lafayette. Agency trainings are a great fit if you want to launch an acudetox group program on-site, with staff who learn the protocol together and support each other through their supervised treatments.
Your trainer
I’m Jessica Eden, LCSW, LAC, a NADA Registered Trainer and the founder of Intuitive Life Wellness. I’ve used the NADA protocol in addiction recovery, therapy, and psychedelic integration work, and I still offer acudetox sessions in the Denver area to individuals and groups.
Acupuncture was my own gateway to a different kind of healing, and teaching it is one of my favorite parts of this work. See my other trainings for therapists and facilitators.
About CE hours
Formal CE credits aren’t currently available for this training. When you finish, I can give you a course summary with a description and total instructional hours that you can submit to your licensing board for individual CE tracking.
Acudetox training FAQ
How long does it take to become an acudetox specialist?
The in-person training is three days. After that, you have 90 days to complete and document 40 supervised treatments. Once NADA reviews them, you receive your ADS certificate.
How do I obtain my 40 supervised treatments?
You have two options. You can have a local NADA-certified Acudetox Specialist (ADS) approve and sign off on your treatments, or you can upload photos of your treatments through the treatment log in your training portal for your trainer to review and approve. Ninety days of supervision are included with the training. If you need more time, supervision can be extended in 3-month increments at $150 per extension. Treatment logs not completed within 12 months of the training will require retaking the training.
How much does NADA acudetox training cost?
For public trainings, the training fee is $600 (including the manual and supplies), plus the $100 annual NADA membership. Student and senior discounts are available. Private and agency training pricing depends on group size and location.
Where is the Colorado training held?
Public trainings are held in Lafayette, Colorado, about 25 minutes from both Denver and Boulder. You’ll receive the exact address after you register.
Do I need to be licensed to take the training?
No license is needed to attend the training. Whether and how you can practice afterward depends on your state’s rules. See the acudetox laws by state guide for details.
Does the training include CE credits?
Not currently. A course summary with the description and instructional hours is provided for individual CE tracking.
Ready to learn the NADA protocol?
Join an upcoming training in Lafayette, or reach out about a private or agency training for you or your team.
