Some coaches are therapists who transition to work as coaches. Others work in a specific field before transitioning to a coaching role in that same industry.
Some simply discover a passion for coaching and pursue training through an online or in-person program. Although not all coaches pursue formal training, anyone can benefit from attending one of these programs.
The internet is simply flooded with coaching training programs, and it can be overwhelming to find the right one. In this post, we present you with some training programs that are worth your attention. Remember to research them thoroughly before signing yourself up.
What Is Coaching Training?
Coaching training is a formal training process through which professionals from all backgrounds can become effective and skilled coaches. Coaching training programs can take place in person or online. They are offered by both university departments and training companies.
Coaching is an art form, one that must be acquired through practice. For this reason, coaching programs usually offer a hands-on component. Similar to therapy training, coaching training pairs new coaches with mentors who help them improve by critiquing their work and offering case-specific guidance.
The training programs below can be specialized or generalized. They may be specific to a certain industry or focused on a certain type of client. Depending on the program, coaches may already be established and may use existing clients as case studies and learning material for their classes. Others are tailored toward complete beginners.
Coaching training programs usually present participants with certificates upon completion. Certification is not required to be a coach but can be an attractive credential when connected to a prestigious and well-known institution, such as the International Coaching Federation.
Best ICF-Accredited Training Programs and Institutes
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is the world’s best-known and respected coaching program certifier.
It provides accreditation for programs that are considered the industry gold standard. It accredits both life coaching and business coaching programs.
Below are some of the best ICF-accredited training programs, as well as some places where you can find your own.
1. Coaching Out of the Box
Coaching Out of the Box offers a Fast Track to ICF Certification program for those looking to become certified coaches in the least amount of time possible.
The training takes 60 hours total and includes 3 hours of one-on-one mentorship training.
It offers two tracks: a 60-hour and 125-hour program. The program offers training in a wide range of subject matters including emotional intelligence and positive psychology.
3. Express Coaching
Express Coaching offers an ICF-certified life coaching program that provides a knowledge base for beginning coaches to help clients. The program is available online, and it also offers scholarships to make the programs more affordable.
Training Options for Therapists
Therapists have a variety of training options to become coaches. Some therapy training programs, such as Widener University’s PsyD program, have a dual-degree MBA option and also offer practicum and internship experience with coaching.
Therapists who do not want to complete a formal program can get a job at a consulting firm and learn by doing. They can start a client-facing coaching firm, even without experience, and learn by soliciting supervision from another coach/therapist.
The differences between therapy and coaching are subtle. Therapists can even become coaches in a very similar realm to their therapy expertise. For example, a therapist who did therapy with students with learning disabilities can become a coach for special education teachers.
Coaching involves taking one step back from the work and helping empower someone else to do it instead. This article provides more information about how coaching differs from mentoring and counseling.
Therapists, of course, can take the same route as non-therapists and complete one of these coaching training programs. Therapy skills, such as active listening and case conceptualization, may put them ahead of the curve in terms of client-facing skills.
They will, however, encounter the differences that come with coaching, including how to let others do the work and how to switch from speaking like a therapist to speaking like a coach.
A Look at the Validity of Happiness Coaching Programs
Happiness coaching programs are still in their infancy, and there is still not an established or empirically supported framework for the programs that provide training.
For simplicity’s sake, we will explore the next closest thing: positive psychology coaching.
Positive psychology coaching involves the application of positive psychology principles to the practice of coaching. Since anyone can become a coach, the empirical literature is disparate and just beginning to flourish.
Positive psychology can provide an evidence-based framework for the practice of coaching (Seligman, 2007). Since positive psychology is the study of meaning, positive emotion, and engagement, all of which combine to create happiness, it appears positive psychology coaching could lead to happier clients.
Unfortunately, since there is not a robust body of literature about positive psychology and happiness coaching, we can’t make a statement either way on its validity and efficacy. One thing holding back the research is that there is still no unified definition of what positive psychology coaching entails (van Zyl, Roll, Stander, & Richter, 2020).
Once a definition of the practice is agreed upon and coaches begin to work from an established, evidence-based framework, we will have more information about the validity of happiness coaching.
3 Online Coaching Training Opportunities
Online training programs are certainly the most convenient and accessible options out there. Here are three online training programs – two for life coaching and one for business coaching – that are accredited by the ICF and offered online.
1. The Life Purpose Institute
The Life Purpose Institute offers a Life Coach Certification that is available online. It also offers in-person, five-day intensive workshops. The online core program takes five days to complete, but the institute also offers more intensive three- and five-month-long programs.
2. The Coach Training Alliance
The Coach Training Alliance offers a Certified Coach Program. Packed with knowledge about how to start and grow a coaching business, this program’s specialty is helping you to start strong professionally.
3. The Coaching and Positive Psychology Institute
The Coaching and Positive Psychology Institute offers a Certified Personal and Executive Coach Program. This hybrid coaching program is meant to give you the coaching tools to run a successful coaching practice based on the principles of positive psychology.
For an even more comprehensive look at online training programs and tools for coaches, check out our article on the 17 Best Online Coaching Programs.
Life Coaching Training Institutes + Online Options
A life coach is a professional who is trained to offer social support.
They help people break negative habits, understand themselves deeply, and achieve their life goals.
Although we all can hopefully think of important people who support us when we need help, having a professional life coach can be important for those who struggle with life direction or other issues.
Here is an article if you are interested in learning more about life coaching specifically.
1. Institute for Life Coach Training
Several life coaching training institutes offer online training, the most prominent of which is the Institute for Life Coach Training. The Institute for Life Coach Training offers over 40 different elective courses and accredited coaching programs that can lead to certification.
2. The Life Coach Training Institute
Another (distinct, but similarly named) institute offering online options is the Life Coach Training Institute. Based in San Diego, California, this is the largest in North America; however, all of the Life Coach Training Institute’s coaching programs are offered online.
If you are going to spend money on an accredited program, it makes sense to be familiar with the overarching organization doing the certifying and to understand the value that this accreditation provides.
2 Recovery Coach Training Courses
Recovery coaches help clients at all stages of recovery to prevent relapse. Like other forms of coaching, these coaches use a strengths-based approach (Eddie et al., 2019). Their work is non-clinical.
Unlike addiction counselors or therapists, they do not provide any mental health diagnoses. They do not address the past, and they do not attempt to heal trauma. Instead, recovery coaches help their clients to navigate the distinct steps of recovery, helping them achieve their goals.
1. The Recovery Coach Academy
The Recovery Coach Academy provides a five-day intensive training course to help people become recovery coaches. The training program is offered online, but the academy is based in Hartford, Connecticut.
Coaches learn how to remove obstacles to recovery and serve as a guide for people who are already involved in the process of recovery. Among other things, program participants learn about the stages of change, the stages of recovery, and how to work with adult learners.
2. The International Association of Professional Recovery Coaches
The International Association of Professional Recovery Coaches is another organization that provides recovery coach training. This organization offers multiple programs, most notably its Certified Professional Recovery Coach certification, which trains participants in the neuroscience behind recovery and family issues in addiction.
It is certified as a form of continuing coaching education by the ICF. The institute also offers a dual Life Coaching/Recovery Coaching Certification.
Coaching Programs for Management and Business
Coaching programs for management and business dominate the coaching offerings.
Many programs are executive coaching programs, which produce executive coaches who work with managers in the workplace. These programs can help managers learn how to coach their clients.
Instead of having to work with an executive coach, business leaders can learn how to implement coaching skills on their own to push their organizations forward.
1. The Naveen Jindal School of Management
The Naveen Jindal School of Management offers an Executive and Professional Coaching Certificate. This program is certified by the ICF and offered online through the University of Texas at Dallas. It focuses on evidence-based approaches to coaching that can be applied at all levels of business leadership.
2. Harvard University Extension School
Harvard University offers an online leadership coaching strategies program. The program is meant for managers and executives who have direct reports, rather than for independent coaches. The program provides a framework for those who are looking to apply coaching skills in their existing leadership position.
Training Courses for Health Coaching
Health coaches are trained professionals who are educated in the latest health, nutrition, and exercise research. Beyond their book knowledge, they are trained in how to form one-on-one helping relationships with others who need their help to live healthy lives.
1. Emory University Health and Wellness Coaching Certificate
This online program is a 20-week-long intensive in which participants learn the ins and outs of health coaching. Participants receive coaching and mentoring from staff and even complete a practicum in which they work with a live client under the supervision of a senior coach. The program is certified by the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC).
2. Duke University Integrative Health Coach Professional Training Program
Coaches in Duke’s program learn from an integrative medicine perspective, which focuses on how physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual, and environmental factors combine to affect a person’s health.
The program combines online and hands-on practical experiences so coaches can feel confident about practicing right after graduation. Graduates can then sit for the NBHWC.
3. Ace Fitness Health Coach Certification
This program, which is rooted in the principles of behavior change science and lifestyle medicine, is a non-university-affiliated and lower-cost option than the two listed above.
A relationship coach is a trained professional who helps people learn the skills to build and maintain healthy relationships.
They focus especially on romantic partnerships and family structures.
Relationship coaches differ from dating coaches, as they focus on helping those in already established relationships. They often work with couples together in sessions.
Here are two training options, while our in-depth article, How to Become a Relationship Coach: 7 Certification Courses, offers more options.
1. The Relationship Coaching Institute
The Relationship Coaching Institute is an ICF-accredited program for relationship coaches. It offers online training opportunities for those who already have a coaching background and those who are starting from square one.
2. Somatica Institute
Somatica Institute offers training in both relationship and sex coaching. It also provides programs for those who are already trained as therapists. Somatica coaches focus on using touch and experiential tools to help couples connect.
2 Training Options for Grief and Trauma Coaching
Grief and trauma coaching are two specialties of life coaching that focus on helping clients heal after they have lost a loved one or experienced a traumatic event.
1. The Institute of Life Coaching Training
The Institute of Life Coaching Training provides specialty training in Grief Coaching. It is an online program that helps train coaches to help their clients enjoy life and find meaning after losing a loved one.
2. The International Association of Trauma Recovery Coaches
The International Association of Trauma Recovery Coaches is an organization formed by Bobbi Parish, a trained marriage and family therapist. The organization both certifies coaches and regulates trauma coaching as a field. It provides online training courses for those interested in learning to practice.
Although many clients with grief or trauma see therapists, coaches can be an invaluable part of the healing process. Coaches are there to walk alongside the client as an equal, providing emotional support and comfort as the client makes hard decisions.
Why We Chose It: The Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership (IECL) is well-recognized as an Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP) and is known for being affordable, offering online instructor-led courses via Zoom.
IECL coaching services are primarily marketed to the Asia-Pacific region
Onsite events are based in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and China
IECL is designed for experienced coaches. The courses cost AU$3,850 to AU$6,300 plus tax. IECL Members are charged lower rates. After paying the annual membership cost, you will still come out ahead. However, IECL provides free materials such as a blog, podcast, and videos to learn more about coaching or to get feedback on executive coaching practices.
Once you become a student, you’ll have the benefit of a coaching network (IECL Academy) with access to communities of practice, alumni, and resources to support your executive coaching practice.
IECL Academy includes an e-learning software tracking system to manage your training progress for what’s completed and course activities yet to be done. You’ll participate in a peer group of co-learners, sharing feedback via online discussions.
The IECL course and certification are available to executive coaches worldwide and it prepares the learner for more advanced education.
RUNNER-UP, BEST OVERALLCoach Training Alliance
Why We Chose It: Coach Training Alliance is our runner-up due to the variety of ICF coach certification programs available and you’ll find workshops that will prepare you to coach individuals and groups, start your own executive coaching business, or publish your first book.
What We Like
Instructor-led telecourse with weekly calls and mentoring over six months
Is accredited and meets the standards of ACSTH and ICF
Includes business-building skills for those who wish to launch their firm
What We Don’t Like
Courses are more geared toward those with some form of professional experience
Participants sign up for a fixed course timeframe, not self-paced
Entirely online with no onsite networking sessions available
The Certified Coach Program prepares learners for ICF certification. You’ll receive a free assessment to determine if you have what it takes to be a coach. In addition, the Coach Training Alliance offers free workshops, such as the Becoming a Coach workshop to learn more about the program before you enroll.
The Certified Coach Program costs $3,747.
Participants provide rave reviews, citing solid instructors and a positive learning environment.
BEST FOR COLLEGE GRADSCollege of Executive Coaching
Why We Chose It: For educated, experienced, and senior professionals and business owners, the College of Executive Coaching provides a fast-track way to add the ICF’s PCC or BCC credential to your existing degree and certifications.
What We Like
Supports coaches in multiple disciplines, i.e., healthcare, internal coaching, psychology
Provides live workshops with experienced, engaged faculty
Offers value-added certifications such as EQ, Strengths, and Supervision Certifications
What We Don’t Like
Requires a graduate degree or is studying for one
More expensive than some of the other programs
The College of Executive Coaching supports post-graduate students to obtain their ICF Professional Coach Certification (PCC) or Board Certified Coach (BCC) with a variety of options, including an intensive short course, a two-week online program, and multiple virtual course offerings.
However, the certification program is pricey, costing between $8,490 and $10,800, depending on whether or not you take advantage of distance learning, discounts for multiple students, or additional factors.
The College of Executive Coaching was founded by Dr. Jeffrey E. Auerbach, a coach since 1986.1 Students like its focus on ethical standards and high-quality content taught by PhD-level instructors. Online company reviews are mostly positive, noting the powerful learning experiences and breadth of tools.
BEST LOW-COST OPTIONThe Academies Inc.
Why We Chose It: The Academies is our best low-cost option due to its affordability, small classroom size, and online program that can be completed in eight to 12 weeks.
What We Like
The online program can be completed in a few hours a week using Zoom
You can obtain an executive coaching certificate for cheaper than most competitors
One-on-one online training is available for those unable to attend scheduled sessions
What We Don’t Like
More than one course is required to meet ICF prerequisites for ACC, PCC, or MCC
Live classes offered two hours a week on a fixed day and time
Online reviews are scarce and inconsistent
Courses through The Academies, LLC, often cost four payments of $675 or one payment of $2,597, but some are a bit more or less. However, until you click the link to enroll in the class, you are unable to see either the price or the schedule.
Classes are held once a week for two hours on Zoom, based on the instructors’ availability. Its Certified Executive & Leadership Development Coach training results in a proprietary certificate as well as serves as 30 hours toward an ICF-certified coach designation.
The Academies is based in the U.S. It was launched by Susan Britton, an ICF-certified Professional Certified Coach (CCC) and author of seven career books.2 In addition to the Certified Executive & Leadership Development Coach program, it offers a Career Management Coach Certification and a Brain-Friendly Job Search Coach Certification program.
The Academies students rate it highly. Many of the online testimonials attest to the leadership of the CEO in addition to the quality of the executive coaching training programs, commenting on the customized approach, robust tools, and global focus.
BEST FOR NON-DEGREED COACHESCo-Active Training Institute
Why We Chose It: Co-Active Training Institute is more costly due to the requisite academic coursework and practice required, but may be faster and less costly than spending four to six years at a university.
What We Like
Virtual training is offered with weekly online sessions
The program content is accredited by the ICF
Extensive, multi-stage training
What We Don’t Like
Long-term commitment over many months
Co-Active is one of the more expensive executive coach certification programs
If you don’t have a college degree and are starting from scratch, you’ll appreciate the one-on-one certification and personalized feedback in addition to a professional network provided by Co-Active Training Institute. Those benefits may warrant the costs of over $12,000 as you can complete the program while working or managing your coaching business.
Co-Active Training Institute requires you to work with a professional coach through their organization or a PCC or MCC certified by ICF. Paying for that one-hour-per-month coaching will increase your overall costs. College credits are available for those who wish to add executive coaching to an existing degree program.
Co-Active Training Institute receives strong third-party customer reviews which highlight its usefulness in developing and applying insight and effective communication. If you lack a college degree, it may be one of the few ICF-accredited executive coaching programs available to you.
BEST FOR WORKING PROFESSIONALSCenter for Executive Coaching
Why We Chose It: Center for Executive Coaching offers flexible learning options available to professionals regardless of where they live or work.
What We Like
The program can be completed in two to four months
Weekly webinars or go at your own pace with recorded webinar content
Distant learning is available along with a proprietary textbook
What We Don’t Like
ICF designation requires participation in live webinars and supervised coaching
Costly
The Center for Executive Coaching is best for working professionals, as you can earn your coaching certificate regardless of where you live or work. Those who have a master’s degree can fast-track their ICF designation. However, the prerequisites are flexible based on your work/life experience. A prior degree is not mandatory.
Depending on the training format you choose, you’ll pay between $5,000 and $7,500 for the coach training program. But, you’ll receive the Center for Executive Coaching proprietary systems, such as The Leadership Dashboard and KPIs, in addition to content required to achieve ICF certification.
Online reviews for the Center for Executive Coaching are top-notch, even on industry sites such as Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), where participants rate it highly, touting the certification prep and practice and the professional instructors.3
Once you enroll, you’ll have access to a member area with a just-in-time library and a variety of executive and leadership assessment tools to use in your coaching practice.
BEST ACADEMIC CERTIFICATION PROGRAMRoyal Roads University
Why We Chose It: Royal Roads University’s Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching meets the ACTP requirements through the ICF. Graduates will receive their PCC hours as well as the Certified Executive Coach designation.
What We Like
Six-month accredited blended learning program
Transferrable credits can contribute to a master’s degree
Financial aid available
What We Don’t Like
A separate application process is required to apply for ICF certification
Class enrollment is on an academic calendar year (April, August, January)
More expensive than many of the non-academic executive coaching programs
Enrollment into the graduate program at Royal Roads University, like all university programs, requires an existing degree. Costs for the entire program run between about $10,000 and $12,000 depending on whether you are a domestic or international student. While it doesn’t specify, these are likely Canadian dollars as the university is located in Canada. Even though Royal Roads University is located in Canada, credits are transferable and financial aid may be available.
Although curriculum, timeframe, enrollment process, and certifications are similar to programs at U.S.-based schools like George Washington University or New York University, the cost for executive coach certification is much lower at Royal Roads University.
BEST FOR GLOBAL CERTIFICATIONAcademy of Executive Coaching Limited
Why We Chose It: The Academy of Executive Coaching Limited (AoEC) offers the Practitioner Diploma in Executive Coaching as well as accreditation through three international coaching organizations including the International Coaching Federation (ICF), European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC), and the Association for Coaching (AC).
What We Like
Course content is accredited by ICF, EMCC, and AC
Both in-person classrooms (worldwide locations) and online virtual courses offered
The course can be completed in as little as four months
What We Don’t Like
Requires degree or equivalent industry experience
May not have great name recognition
Onsite courses require travel and lodging
The benefit of AoEC is that the certification is renewable and the training you receive is recognized by multiple accredited coach training organizations. The worldwide locations make this robust program available to student attendees in Poland, Ireland, UAE, and the UK, as examples.
You can choose either classroom or online options and the cost of 4,500 GBP is more affordable than attending a similar program at a university. Course participants rated the academy favorably, noting the coaching models and balance between theory and practice.
APEC was founded in 1999, has 14 locations globally, and has trained over 13,000 people worldwide.4 It provides its student alumni with a knowledge bank full of podcasts, videos, and best practice coaching tools.
What Is an Executive Coaching Certification Program?
An executive coaching certification program provides you with the training and practical experience to achieve accredited certification through a coaching organization. It’s a certificate, like a degree or a diploma, that proves you’ve completed the required training and possess the requisite executive coaching skills.
In general, an executive coaching certification program should provide:
Methodologies to help you assess executive and leadership skills and goals
Tools to maximize executive potentials, like strategy and communication
Skills to track organizational progress and individual goal achievement
A professional mindset focused on listening and bringing out the best in others
No one agency establishes standards for executive coach certification or requires executive coaches to use a specific job title. Nonetheless, executive coach certification establishes your credibility as a business-savvy executive who can provide tools and insight to maximize leadership potential for individuals and organizations.
Do I Need to Get Certified as an Executive Coach?
If you’re working as an executive coach within an organization, your employer will likely desire that you have certification, but not all clients will demand it. Most executive coaches are certified, although the certification criteria vary. Not all certifications are equally recognized.
Here’s a list of some common executive coach certification titles promoted by various organizations:
Board Certified Coach (BCC) through the Center for Credentialing and Education
Professional Executive Coach (PCC) through ICF
Master Certified Coach (MCC) through ICF
EMCC Global Individual Accreditation (EIA) through EMCC
EMCC Global Supervision Individual Accreditation (ESIA) through EMCC
Certified Professional Coach (CPC)
If you wish to be an executive coach, having a bachelor’s degree and corporate or business experience helps. Executive coach certification builds upon your industry experience and education, assuring your employer and clients that you possess the skills and training they require.
How Much Does an Executive Coaching Certification Program Cost?
An executive coaching certification program costs from $1,000 to $20,000 or more, with the average being in the $3,000 to $5,000 range for those who already possess a degree. What contributes to higher-end costs are the extra training and coaching you’ll need if you don’t already have a degree. The more expensive programs provide you with the hands-on experience and education you need to meet the certification prerequisites.
How We Chose the Best Executive Coaching Certification Programs
This list of best executive coach certification program providers was created by reviewing about 50 coaching organizations that specifically offered executive certification programs. To narrow down the list, we prioritized those accredited by coaching organizations in compliance with their robust standards. However, some of the proprietary executive coach training programs were so robust that they were added.
We culled out any that were overpriced (some as high as $18,000 for a course) to provide you with affordable options.
We also omitted training programs in which details were hard to come by, or that required a hard-sell consultation to get information on the program. (That’s usually a sign that the program is overpriced.) Before finalizing the list we looked for online reviews, Better Business Bureau ratings, and attendees feedback, eliminating any that had poor ratings. Lastly, we added a franchise for those whose primary goal in obtaining executive coaching certification is to start a turnkey coaching business.
8 Best ICF Coaching Certification Programs and Courses
Coaching is for everyone, and that means that there are more coaches than ever before and more uncertainty about what makes a good coach.
This is where certifications come in. Certifications are handy as they are used to quickly identify who has the qualifications to perform a particular job. They’re not foolproof, of course, but they give us a shorthand for understanding and talking about who is qualified.
Before you begin, we recommend starting Quenza’s 1 monthly trial for $1. Quenza’s suite of easy-to-use online coaching tools will help you support others with original, engaging programs, packages, and solutions so that you can develop others more effectively.
What are Coaching ICF Certifications?
When a profession is relatively new, it is ripe with opportunity. People who are interested in the field will find ample room to stake their claim, carve out their niche, and contribute to the growing body of knowledge and practice.
This makes for an exciting time for those just breaking into the field, but it also makes for some uncertainty around qualifications. If a profession is new, who is to say what constitutes a “good” professional? Who is qualified, and how is that determined?
While coaching has been around for about as long as humans have been around, it’s only recently that it found an expanded purpose and an expanded audience. Suddenly, coaching isn’t just for the elite few, and it’s not just for athletes or executives.
In the world of coaching, no certifications are more well-known and well-respected than the International Coaching Federation (ICF) certifications.
In the world of coaching, no certifications are more well-known and well-respected than the International Coaching Federation (ICF) certifications.
The ICF was established over 25 years ago as a membership organization for trained professional coaches, and they offer several levels of certification to interested and experienced coaches.
When you hold a certification from ICF, you are showing potential clients and any other interested individuals that you have put in the time and effort to become skilled at your craft.
There are three credentials to highlight your level of skill and experience, with varying requirements:
Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential: minimum of 60 hours of coach-specific training, 100 hours of client coaching experience, and 10 hours of mentor coaching over a minimum of three months.
Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential: minimum of 125 hours of coach-specific training, 500 hours of client coaching experience, and 10 hours of mentor coaching over a minimum of three months.
Master Certified Coach (MCC) credential: minimum of 200 hours of coach-specific training, 2,500 hours of coaching experience with at least 35 clients, and 10 hours of mentor coaching over a minimum of three months.
How Does ICF Accreditation Work?
As you can see from the descriptions above, each credential carries certain requirements regarding training and experience.
There are other requirements as well, including passing a knowledge assessment and a performance assessment.
When you hold a certification from ICF, you are showing potential clients and any other interested individuals that you have put in the time and effort to become skilled at your craft.
The ICF credential is issued by “a self-regulating group of elite coaches who provide accountability to clients and the coaching profession as a whole.”[1]
In other words, the ICF is not a detached body of administrators, but a group of highly regarded coaches who work hard to uphold the integrity of the profession. When you apply for and receive an ICF credential, you become a part of this group.
To apply for an ACC credential (the lowest level of ICF accreditation), you will need to:
Complete an ICF-accredited Coaching Training Program (ACTP) or receive at least 60 Approved Coach Specific Training Hours (ACSTH).
Receive at least 10 hours of mentor coaching over a minimum of three months, from an ACC who has completed a full cycle of the credential through renewal, a PCC, or an MCC in good standing.
Provide documentation of at least 100 hours (at least 70 paid) of coaching experience with at least 8 clients; at least 25 of these hours must have occurred in the 24 months before applying.
Provide an audio recording and written transcript of a coaching session for performance evaluation (if using ACSTH for application).
Complete the Coach Knowledge Assessment (CKA).
For the PCC and MCC credentials, the requirements are stepped up appropriately (e.g., 125 training hours and 500 hours of coaching experience for PCC, 200 training hours, and 2,500 hours of coaching experience for MCC).
3 Best ICF Coaching Programs and Courses
To meet the training hours requirements, there are many courses and programs to choose from.
You can search outside of the ICF, but using the ICF’s training program search service (TPSS) is a great way to find coach training that passes the rigorous ICF review process. When you find training through the TPSS, you know that the curriculum aligns with the ICF definition of coaching, Core Competencies, and Code of Ethics.
If you’re looking for ICF-accredited, in-person or hybrid training (may be temporarily offered in an all-virtual format due to COVID) to become a highly trained and experienced coach, consider these 3 options:
Coaching for Personal and Professional Mastery from Newfield Network: this premier 8-month program will give you the foundations you need to learn the Newfield ontological approach to coaching; it includes 125 student contact hours, personal coaching and mentor coaching, and performance evaluations.
CoachRICE Certification from Rice University’s Doerr Institute for New Leaders: this professional 4-month program offers 80 hours of coach-specific training and prepares participants to apply for the ACC credential.
Leadership Coaching for Organizational Well-Being from George Mason University: this 5-month course was developed by the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being and prepares the applicant to make positive changes in the team and organizational culture.
5 Online Coaching Certification Programs
If you’re looking for all-online coaching certification programs, you’re in luck; there are tons of options available with a wide range of schedules, hours, and fees!
Here are a few of the best ICF-accredited online coaching programs:
Coach School – Certified Professional Coach program (82 ACSTH hours, see the link for fees)
NLP – Life Coach Certification Training program (150-225 hours, see the link for fees)
Life Purpose Institute – Life Coach Certification program (60 hours, see the link for fees)
ADD Coach Academy – Basic ADHD & Life Coach Training Certification Program (109 hours, see the link for fees)
Coacharya – Coaching Foundation program (60 hours, see the link for fees)
Best Software and App For Coaches
Of course, your learning and development aren’t over once you’ve completed a course or certification program. You will still have much to learn, both about coaching as a profession and about how to best run a coaching practice that works for you.
One of the biggest decisions you’ll need to make as a coach in setting up your independent practice (or expanding/improving upon your existing practice) is on the kind of digital tools you use to run your practice.
Just like coaching training options, there are tons of options available for software and apps. You can find many reliable platforms to help you with billing and invoicing, reaching potential clients, scheduling, organizing notes and documentation, and more.
However, there is only one platform that offers a robust set of tools to help you actually deliver your coaching services to your clients with lots of room for customization and growth: Quenya.
7 Unique Features Included In Quenza
Cuenca offers a suite of features to help you boost the efficiency and effectiveness of your coaching practice.
Included in these features are:
The Activity Builder: this drag-and-drop tool allows you to create customized activities to send to your clients. Use it to create coaching worksheets, assessments, forms, quizzes, exercises, and more.
The Expansion Library of Activities: if you want to cut down on your time and effort spent putting together activities, look no further than Quenza’s library of science-based and evidence-backed activities; you can use them as-is or adapt them to fit your clients’ needs.
The Pathway Builder: with your created and/or adapted activities in hand, you can build thoughtful activity pathways for your clients to work through your content on a pre-determined schedule. You can create multiple pathways for different groups or types of clients.
The Client App: with the Quenza app, your clients are within reach all the time, no matter where they are. Send them notifications and reminders, chat with them, and keep them on track.
The Client Profile: the client profile feature helps you stay organized and keeps all relevant information in one place—including your notes!
The Quenza Chat: this feature allows you to quickly and conveniently reach out to clients and keep all your digital communication in one place.
Client Groups: with this feature, you can put together groups of clients for easy access when sending activities or pathways to individuals on the same team.
While there are many software and app options to assist you in running your coaching practice, there are none that offer this helpful suite of features. With these tools, you can take your coaching practice to the next level.
A Take-Home Message
As you can see, coaches provide services that cover a vast spectrum. If you are interested in becoming one type of coach mentioned above, the training programs provided in this article are a good place to start your research.
While looking at programs, it’s important to understand your budget, your needs, and your goals. Since coaching is not a regulated industry, it is not required that you complete a program to work. However, if you have no prior training and are looking to build coaching skills and a business, a coaching training program could very well be the right move for you.
REFERENCES
Eddie, D., Hoffman, L., Vilsaint, C., Abry, A., Bergman, B., Hoeppner, B., … Kelly, J. F. (2019). Lived experience in new models of care for substance use disorder: A systematic review of peer recovery support services and recovery coaching. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1052.
Seligman, M. E. (2007). Coaching and positive psychology. Australian Psychologist, 42(4), 266–267.
van Zyl, L. E., Roll, L. C., Stander, M. W., & Richter, S. (2020). Positive psychological coaching definitions and models: A systematic literature review. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 793.
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