Frequently Asked Questions

Got questions? Check out many of the common questions our Academic Advisors have been asked.

Frequently Asked Questions2021-03-04T09:49:26-06:00
What happens if I need to cancel, postpone, or withdraw from a class?2023-06-15T09:34:21-05:00

Money Back Guarantee for The Essentials of Life/Leadership Coaching

Your experience is of utmost importance to us. If you find yourself unsatisfied after beginning either The Essentials of Life Coaching or The Essentials of Leadership Coaching course at PCCI, you may request to withdraw by emailing [email protected].

As long as your notification is received no later than 48 hour following your 2nd class session, a full refund of tuition paid (minus $100 administration fee) will be issued. Under no circumstances will any refund be issued after this point.

Cancellation of ANY Courses Except The Essentials of Life/Leadership Coaching

Should you need to cancel registration for any of our advanced courses, you will receive a full refund minus any monthly payment plan fees if your
cancellation is received by email at [email protected] 30 days or more prior to the start date.

Cancellations received within 7 to 29 days prior to the start date of any course will receive a full refund minus any monthly payment plan fees and excluding a non-refundable administrative fee of 10% of tuition.

Cancellations received within 6 or less days prior to the start date of any course will receive a full refund minus any monthly payment plan fees and excluding a non-refundable administrative fee of 25% of tuition.

Cancellations received within less than 24 hours of the start date of any course are not refunded nor is any credit issued toward a future class.

Change Requests and Postponements

Should you need to change or postpone commencement of any course for which you are registered, you will be accommodated at no cost if your request is received by email at [email protected] 30 days or more prior to the start date.

Changes or postponement requests received within 7 to 29 days prior to the start date of any course will be accommodated for a non-refundable administrative fee of $50.

Changes or postponement requests received within 6 or less days prior to the start date of any course will be accommodated for a non-refundable administrative fee $100.

Changes or postponement requests received within less than 24 hours of the start date of any course are considered a no-show and are not refunded nor is any credit issued toward a future class.

Attendance Policy

Our attendance policy is based upon on our approval by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and is therefore non-negotiable. The ICF only grants credit for training that is completed live-in-real-time (ie: not audio or video recorded, nor delivered via workbooks or other written materials.) Each class allows a very limited number of absences, so be sure to read the attendance policy for each course.

Some of our courses allow students the ability to make-up missed classes at a future offering, but please be aware that some elective courses are offered only one time a year, or even every-other year.

An administrative fee of $50 per course is charged for coordinating make-up of absences in excess of the number allowed by our ICF limitations.

**Note: Our practicum courses, Coaching Skills Development (CSD) and Coaching Skills Mastery (CSM), cannot be made-up at any time due to the confidentiality of their live coaching content. Students missing more than 1 (one) of the 13 (thirteen) classes in either CSD or CSM must re-take the entire course at full tuition in order to receive a certificate of completion.

What is the Attendance Policy for classes?2023-06-23T13:53:50-05:00

Attendance Policy

Our attendance policy is based upon on our approval by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and is therefore non-negotiable. Each class allows a very limited number of absences, so be sure to read the attendance policy for each course.

Some of our courses allow students the ability to make-up missed classes at a future offering, but please be aware that some elective courses are offered only one time a year, or even every-other year.

An administrative fee of $50 per course is charged for coordinating make-up of absences in excess of the number allowed by our ICF limitations.

**Note: Our practicum courses, Coaching Skills Development (CSD) and Coaching Skills Mastery (CSM), cannot be made-up at any time due to the confidentiality of their live coaching content. Students missing more than 1 (one) of the classes in either CSD or CSM must re-take the entire course at full tuition in order to receive a certificate of completion.

In what languages are courses taught?2022-12-13T15:49:08-06:00

All courses are taught in English, and if needed, arrangements can be made to accommodate the hearing impaired to view closed captions during live classes, as well as providing an AI-generated transcript afterwards.

Are there any special requirements for international students?2022-01-11T09:17:03-06:00

We have more than 20 different countries represented in our student community at PCCI. All of our courses are taught in English and all class participation in coaching exercises will require students to coach in English. All oral assessments are given only in English.

Zoom is utilized for all courses and can be downloaded for free at https://zoom.us/download. Alternatively, a Zoom meeting can be joined via phone, and international students may see if there is a phone number local to their area on Zoom’s International Dial-in Numbers page here: https://zoom.us/zoomconference.

During the meeting the sound will come through your speakers and most computers include a built-in microphone that will pick up your voice. It is highly recommended to use earbuds or a headset to prevent feedback and echo.

What technology is required in order to take classes from PCCI?2022-01-11T09:18:46-06:00

The technology requirements in order to take PCCI classes are very minimal.

At the very least students need a telephone (either landline or cell phone), and access to a computer with Internet in order to access our Student Center, the hub where students can view and print all course documents, listen to required course audios, obtain Zoom information for classes, and access other essential resources.

Additionally, if students do NOT want to use a landline or cell phone to call into the Zoom meeting room for classes, students must download and install the Zoom app here: https://zoom.us/download.

If using Zoom, our recommendation for minimum Internet speed is 1 mbps upload and 1 mbps download. Please contact your Internet provider to see if your current Internet service plan meets this recommendation.

Finally, we recommend that all users utilize a headset or earbuds with a built-in microphone to reduce feedback.

What is the process for becoming credentialed through the International Coach Federation (ICF)?2023-06-23T13:55:49-05:00

Great question! Visit the page Earn Your ICF Credential for all the details, and of course, be sure to visit the ICF’s website at https://coachfederation.org for all the up-to-date details.

What distinguishes PCCI from all other coach training schools?2023-06-23T13:58:56-05:00

PCCI provides all live training, via Zoom videoconference, enabling real-time feedback, Q&A, role play demonstrations, case presentations, and supervision of your practice-coaching.

All classes are taught live, via high-definition Zoom videoconference so you can literally attend from anywhere in the world – even from a remote mission field.

PCCI training is at the college/graduate level, honoring and integrating your Christian worldview and involving core texts and skills that are foundational in professional coaching.

The ICF has approved our program as both a Level 1 and Level 2 Certificate program, and every course at PCCI is aligned with ICF standards and is approved for Coach Education Hours to be applied toward your ICF credential or for CCE’s if you’re already credentialed.

Our instruction is based upon a European model of adult education with no written papers or tests, and no grades given. You will read several of the classic texts in this field followed by live discussion and lecture on the material in class, supervised and unsupervised practice-coaching in a telebridge lab setting, private journaling exercises to personalize the material, and live coaching demonstrations.

From a Learning Theory perspective, this is an extremely holistic approach to instruction – reading, journaling, lecture, Q&A, role play, case presentation, peer labs using a structured ICF observation form, and live supervision of practice in class.

Such a comprehensive style has been proven to train in a whole-person manner, incorporating both hemispheres of the brain and dramatically increasing comprehension & integration.

You will experience a transformational process within your ‘being’, as well as in your skills for ‘doing’.

PCCI integrates a distinctly Christian worldview throughout, as presented in our foundational text, Christian Coaching: Helping Others Turn Potential Into Reality, by Dr. Gary Collins.

All of our instructors are strong in the Faith and take a mainline, non-denominational approach to the Truth of Scripture and the importance of Christian values & morality in all areas of life.

We honor and incorporate your faith – training Christians to become professional coaches, not training ‘coaches who happen to be Christians’.

A passage that beautifully expresses our view of the role of a Christian coach is Proverbs 20:5, “The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.

We equip you to draw out the deep waters of purpose from people’s hearts, serving both Christian & non-Christian clientele, without imposing your worldviews or agendas upon them.

We firmly believe that the real learning of anything begins when you start doing it, so our training encourages a tremendous amount of hands-on learning from the beginning. We encourage new coaches to start taking on clients within their first few months of training and, as a result, better than 50% of our students secure paying clients before completion of our introductory courses, The Essentials of Life Coaching or The Essentials of Leadership Coaching.

This enables you to grow your private practice and increase your income while taking additional coursework over time in an ‘a la carte’ fashion.

At PCCI, your training costs are truly an investment – many students recoup their entire tuition costs by securing private clients before their coursework is even completed.

All of our course tuitions are moderately priced and have extended payment plans available.

We offer business development & marketing classes to get you earning a solid income – fast. Our highly-acclaimed course, The Successful Coach, has been privately contracted by entire denominations and teams of coaches because of its strength in launching successful coaching practices.

We also provide ongoing business support through Power Lunch, our monthly live community and private online discussion group. We are firmly committed to the financial & business success of our PCCI family.

PCCI provides a wide range of advanced specialty classes, enabling you to brand & niche yourself in the marketplace.

Advanced courses include some of the hottest niches in coaching, such as Leadership Coaching, Career Coaching, Group Coaching, Culturally Competent Coaching, Coaching Work Teams, and Coaching for Spiritual Formation, with new courses added every year.

PCCI offers certification (CPLC) only after true competence has been demonstrated – no ‘rubber stamps’ here. Many training programs offer ‘certifications’ of highly questionable value, requiring little to no supervised practice or evaluated skill.

Our Certified Professional Life Coaches (CPLC) and Certified Professional Leadership Coaching (CPLC) have demonstrated proficiency in four core courses – either The Essentials of Life Coaching OR The Essentials of Leadership Coaching (43 hrs.), Coaching Skills Development (34 hrs.), Coaching Skills Mastery (31 hrs.), and Ethical Practice & Liability Risk Management (10 hrs.)

Additionally, they have been mentor coached by an ICF-certified coach (PCC or MCC) and have passed a final Performance Evaluation by ICF-credentialed coach evaluators.

Our certifications carry real weight – you will be CONFIDENT as a coach because you are COMPETENT as a coach.

All PCCI instructors are ICF-certified and our training is aligned with ICF standards & code of ethics, the ‘gold standard’ of this profession.

PCCI’s founder & president, Christopher McCluskey, is a pioneer and thought leader in the field, and has been called by many the ‘Father of Christian Coaching’. He established the world’s first distinctly Christian coach training program accredited by the ICF (through a previous institute) in 2000, and is a founding board member of both the Christian Coaches Network and Christian Coaching Magazine.

A best-selling author and popular keynote speaker, Chris is co-host of the top-rated podcast “Professional Christian Coaching Today” and has been interviewed in numerous books & magazines including Christian Coaching by Dr. Gary Collins, Therapist as Life Coach by Dr. Patrick Williams, Christian Counseling Today magazine, Psychotherapy Networker, Focus on the Family publications, Marriage Partnership, ChristianityToday.com, Ladies Home Journal, Marriage & Family Journal, Psychotherapy Finances, Christian Coaching Magazine, and many others.

His is a prominent voice shaping our profession, serving on several boards and frequently presenting at national and international conferences. Chris has authored or co-authored all PCCI curriculum and has assembled here the largest faculty of ICF-certified Christian coaches in the world.

Dr. Gary Collins states, “More than any other person, Christopher McCluskey introduced me to coaching and has been a prime encourager as I have taken formal training, grown as a coach trainer, and written this book. (Christian Coaching: Helping Others Turn Potential Into Reality, © 2001, 2009, p 246.)

PCCI’s motto is “Raising the Standard”, and we mean it. We are raising the standard of professionalism among coaches who bear the name of Christ and we are raising the ‘royal standard’ of Jesus Christ in the arena of this profession.

Professional Christian Coaching Institute is the school that integrates

  • Sound Christian Faith
  • Strong Coaching Competencies
  • Solid Business Practices
  • Supportive Professional Community
What is the process for becoming certified through PCCI?2023-06-23T13:59:39-05:00

Great question! Check out our CPLC Certification page which thoroughly answers this question for you.

How long does it take to become certified through PCCI?2017-01-09T14:33:34-06:00

A person can expect to meet the requirements for either of our Certified Professional Life Coach OR Certified Professional Leadership Coach (CPLC) designations within 12 – 18 months. This time frame can be shortened based upon the timing of each course offering and on the number of clients the coach is able to secure quickly.

The CPLC is a designation of professional competency in coaching, not a quick ‘rubber-stamp’ to aid in marketing. It provides assurance of training, skill and experience to those interested in hiring a professional coach and is in keeping with the high standards of Professional Christian Coaching Institute.

While we are aware that many coach training schools offer certifications requiring fewer hours of training & experience, not requiring demonstration of proficiency through live supervised coaching with structured feedback and oral examination, or not requiring the experience of mentor coaching, we do not feel this serves the profession, the public, nor the name of Christ well.

PCCI strongly embraces its responsibility to establish a high degree of competency in our students. This is in keeping with our mantra, “Raising the Standard” – a double entendre on raising the standard of professionalism among Christian coaches and raising high the ‘royal standard’ of Christ in the field of coaching.

How much does it cost to become certified through PCCI?2023-06-23T14:01:50-05:00

Aside from the tuition for our four core education courses and individual mentor coaching from a PCCI-approved and trained mentor coach, there are processing fees involved in becoming a Certified Professional Life Coach (CPLC) or Certified Professional Leadership Coach (CPLC), but there are no periodic renewal fees.

Costs for the four education courses are as follows:

TOTAL: $5,750

Processing Fees for CPLC (Life & Leadership) are as follows:

  • $300 for the first CPLC (you must submit an audio recording of a coaching session for evaluation)
  • $100 for the second certification
What does a person get upon completion of the program?2023-06-23T14:03:35-05:00

You will receive a Certificate of Completion for every course you take, and will be able to download a PCCI icon with the designation “Trained” for use on your website and promotional materials. These identify you as having received training at Professional Christian Coaching Institute and can be utilized later in applying for various certifications within the profession.

Once you complete our four core education courses (The Essentials of Life Coaching or The Essentials of Leadership Coaching, Coaching Skills Development, Coaching Skills Mastery, and Ethical Practice & Risk Management) and meet mentor coaching and client coaching experience requirements, you may apply to be awarded our Certified Professional Life Coach (CPLC) credential or our Certified Professional Leadership Coach (CPLC) credential, depending on which Essentials course you completed.

Your CPLC credential comes with a beautiful hardcopy certificate suitable for framing along with a digital graphic icon for use on your website, signature tag and other promotional materials.

Is certification or licensing required to become a life coach?2023-06-15T08:03:37-05:00

There is no certification or licensing required to practice professional coaching in the U.S., just as none is required to practice professional consulting. Several types of certification exist, however, and can be beneficial for establishing credibility in the marketplace.

Most coach training schools provide their own internal certifications affirming competency in coaching, and PCCI provides two such internal designations; the Certified Professional Life Coach and/or Certified Professional Leadership Coach (CPLC).

Additionally, the ICF has approved our program as both a Level 1 and Level 2 Certificate program, and every course at PCCI is aligned with ICF standards and is approved for Coach Education Hours to be applied toward your ICF credential or for CCE’s if you’re already credentialed.

This enables you to do “double duty” — securing our own high standard of certification while simultaneously securing the highest standard of credentialing in this field through the ICF.

What type of Mentor Coaching is required for certification through PCCI?2023-06-23T14:05:30-05:00

In order to be awarded our Certified Professional Life Coach credential or our Certified Professional Leadership Coach credential, you must receive 10 hours of mentor coaching (at least 3 of which are individual 1:1 hours) with an ICF-credentialed and PCCI-approved faculty mentor. The coaching must be focused on developing your skills in alignment with the ICF Core Competencies rather than other topics such as business building, marketing, systems, etc.

At the end of your mentor coaching, your coach should provide you with a letter confirming the completion of the individual 1:1 mentor coaching requirements focused on core skills development.

Your mentor coach can partner with you in the selection of one of your recordings to be submitted for evaluation as part of the certification process.

Are there any prerequisites for becoming a student at PCCI?2019-09-09T07:13:54-05:00

No. The majority of our students have a background in various people-helping roles such as pastor, therapist, lay counselor, 12-step group facilitator, support group leader, etc., but these are not required.

Most of our students are in their 30s to 60s and most have a college degree, with more than half having advanced degrees, but we do not restrict entry to anyone based on education or experience.

If you have a strong desire for training in distinctly Christian coach training and sense that God is leading you in this direction, it is not our place to establish any barriers to your entry. There is no application/screening process.

We do reserve the right to remove anyone from a class and/or the school if, in our opinion, their presence is proving unacceptably disruptive to the learning process for other students.

How does PCCI integrate our Christian faith into professional life coaching?2019-09-09T07:14:00-05:00

Life coaching is about examining the entirety of a person’s life; their core values, sense of life purpose or calling, and the fulfillment of that calling on every plane of their being.

In as much as this includes examination of spirituality and theological beliefs, Christians often prefer to train under facilitators who ascribe to their same core beliefs.

Likewise, many Christians seeking to hire a coach prefer that he or she holds their same convictions and works within a Christian worldview and value system.

Our theological framework is ecumenical, fairly conservative, and evangelical. We do not promote a particular denomination, welcoming Christians of all mainstream Protestant and Catholic backgrounds.

Classes are bathed in prayer, Scripture is cited frequently, and our common Christian worldview shapes all that we teach.

We believe that, despite the great number of denominations throughout the Christian world, we have more in common than in conflict, and we choose to work within that joyful space.

Our faculty are all strong in the Faith and active in their churches and ministries (see our Faculty page), and are of varied denominational perspectives.

We embrace the Bible as the inspired, inerrant Word of God, the triune God of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross as payment for our sins and the only means of salvation for mankind.

Your Christian faith will be honored and integrated throughout your training and, on any points in which you find doctrinal disagreement with a fellow student or instructor, you will be encouraged to hold fast to your convictions while being open to the ever-deepening truths the Father reveals to all of us through relationship with those in the Body of Christ. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” (Prov 27:17)

While we train from a distinctly Christian perspective, we fully support the decision by many of our students to work with both Christian and non-Christian clientele. A coach must always seek to discern and work within the unique value system and worldview of his or her clients without imposing their own or using the coaching relationship to proselytize.

What is the average income for a coach?2017-01-09T14:33:34-06:00

A PricewaterhouseCoopers study commissioned in 2007 by the International Coach Federation found that part-time coaches averaged annual salaries of $26,000 and full-time coaches were averaging $82,000.

Most of the coaches we have trained charge fees in the range of $150/month to $400/month for a package of 3 scheduled sessions per month. A very manageable caseload for a full-time coach is around 25 clients/month.

Gross income projections can therefore be estimated by multiplying the number of clients desired by fees within that range. Twenty-five clients, for example, at $250/month generates $75,000/year. Twenty-five clients at $350/month is $105,000.

Coaches who specialize in executive, corporate and leadership coaching often charge considerably more ($600 to $1,000+/month), but we encourage prospective students to make conservative projections when considering the field.

The financial viability of coaching is very real, and the overhead costs of a business run out of your home (as most coaches do) are quite minimal.

What is coaching?2017-01-09T14:33:34-06:00

The International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”

A coach is a collaborative partner, not a hired expert. A coach is not a consultant, mentor, counselor, or adviser because he or she is non-directive. We say that coaching is done “from the inside out” rather than “from the outside in”.

Coaches have no agenda, no personal investment in a client taking one path versus another. Instead, coaches will listen for and focus on the gap between where a client is now and where the client senses God is calling them to be.

Coaching is the art of asking powerful questions that prompt clients to think about things they’ve never considered before, or may have dismissed as impossible.

A really good coach is masterful at “staying in the questions”, prompting clients to listen to and express their hearts & minds, their core values — what Scripture would call “the desires of their hearts.” Coaches then challenge clients to move proactively toward the clarified vision that results from such non-directive exploration.

What is the difference between coaching and counseling?2017-01-09T14:33:34-06:00

Counselors and therapists are, like consultants, hired for their expertise. They have specialized training in such things as healthy communication, good parenting, effective social skills, mental/emotional & spiritual health, and the like. They are skilled in uncovering underlying reasons for dysfunction and debilitating conditions such as depression, anxiety, and other mood and thought disorders.

Coaching is about stability and growth rather than dysfunction and healing. Whereas psychotherapy & counseling are primarily about the past and present, coaching is primarily about the future.

A person in need of healing is not yet ready for coaching and should be referred to a therapist. There are more basic issues to be addressed before they can effectively pursue greater fulfillment.

What is the difference between coaching and consulting/mentoring?2017-01-09T14:33:34-06:00

Consultants are hired because of their expertise in a given area. They provide information and give direction and advice to clients.

By contrast, coaches do not necessarily have expertise in an area in which a client wants to grow. Their role, instead, is to ask powerful, probing questions which enable clients to discover their own answers.

In a sense, coaches help clients to hear themselves more clearly and gain a greater sense of what God is speaking to their spirits. They then help them develop plans and take action to ensure follow-through.

What is the difference between coaching and discipleship?2017-01-09T14:33:34-06:00

As with consultants, counselors, and mentors, a discipler has considerable experience from which to draw in helping persons make desired change. A Christian who disciples is mature in the faith and is able to impart that faith to others – to instruct them in the tenets of our faith, its moral code, spiritual disciplines of the faith, and the like.

Discipleship is tremendously helpful, and coaching in no way replaces it, but the mode and methods of people-helping are dramatically different.

Discipleship is more of an “outside-in” model of people-helping versus the “inside-out” of coaching. Coaching is non-directive, non-advisory, non-instructional. It is inquisitive, exploratory, genuinely curious.

A coach could not possibly be an “expert” on the things around which they coach because no one could be an expert on someone else’s future. No one could know what someone else’s life path should be; what their core values are, their sense of life purpose or calling, their unique giftings, their passions, etc.

Clients are often not aware of these things either, but the assumption of coaching is that the answers they seek are to be found within themselves and their individual walk with God.

Romans 11:29 states “…God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.” It doesn’t say we will necessarily discern those gifts and calling, nor fulfill them – it just says they’re inside of us and they’re not going to be taken back. A Christian coach helps clients discern and then fulfill what God has uniquely placed within them.

Proverbs 20:5 captures this beautifully: “The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.”

What is the future of life coaching?2017-01-09T14:33:34-06:00

Several business and news magazines as well as internet, television and radio sources have cited coaching as one of the fastest growing professions in the U.S.

With the rise of the internet and advancements in technology such as telebridges, video conferencing, and VOIP, coaches literally enjoy a wide-open international market. There are no geographic limitations.

We train people throughout the world, and our students often secure international clientele within their first year in business.

We have witnessed an explosion of interest in coaching over the past decade and anticipate much more dramatic growth in the current decade, particularly within the Church.

What if I have to miss a class?2022-08-29T08:16:29-05:00

Since our classes take 3 to 4 months to complete, nearly everyone misses a class sometime due to sickness or vacation or a short-term mission trip.

In The Essentials of Coaching, you are allowed to miss up to 2 classes and still complete with full credit for the 40 hour course. If you miss 3 or more, we offer the ability to make up the missed class(es) at the next course offering for a $50 administrative fee.

In the practicum classes (Coaching Skills Development & Coaching Skills Mastery), you are allowed 1 absence, and there is no mechanism for making up further missed classes.

Since these courses are centered around live coaching in-class every week, active participation is required. If you miss 2 or more classes, or if you miss a class where you are scheduled to coach, you must retake the course after registering again at full tuition.

**PLEASE NOTE: Because of the closed nature of these small practicums (no more than 9 students in any offering), we are unable to provide partial refunds or discounts for withdrawals/changes within 24 hours of the start date.

In The Successful Coach, you are allowed to miss up to 2 classes and still complete with full credit for the 15 hour course. If you miss 3 or more, we offer the ability to make up the missed class(es) at the next course offering for a $50 administrative fee.

In all other courses, you are allowed only 1 absence per class to still receive full credit for their 10 hours of training. If you miss 2 or more, we offer the ability to make up the missed class(es) at the next course offering for a $50 administrative fee.

We record all of our classes, so you can listen in on a missed class, but we are not able to give credit for any training that is not “live”. This is in alignment with International Coach Federation (ICF) standards.

How are the classes taught?2023-06-23T14:07:33-05:00

All classes are taught live, via Zoom, and no special equipment is required. At a minimum you can use a phone to call into the virtual classroom.

All classes are taught live, via high-definition Zoom videoconference, and many students call into the Zoom meeting using their cell phone or landline telephone. You do not need to have a video camera, nor be in front of your computer in order to attend classes.

Our classes use a combination of lecture, role play, case examples, Q&A, class discussion, and live coaching by the students with real-time feedback.

Readings for each class are assigned from selected texts, and homework assignments for each week are provided in our course curriculum. There are no tests and no grades — this is college/graduate-level learning with the only test or ‘proving’ being the marketplace.

In our core education courses (The Essentials of Coaching, Coaching Skills Development, and Coaching Skills Mastery), students are assigned to peer groups of 3 participants which meet weekly outside of class time by telebridge in a ‘lab’ experience to discuss integration of the material and to practice new skills by coaching each other.

Each week in these peer triads, you will rotate the roles of ‘coach’, ‘client’, and ‘observer’, enabling you to experience real coaching conversations. You will utilize a structured observation form based on the Core Coaching Competencies as established by the International Coach Federation (ICF).

We believe strongly that the real learning of anything begins when you start doing it, so our courses are highly interactive. Additionally, we encourage our students to let others know that they are training in coaching, and be willing to take on clientele fairly quickly when people express interest.

We have conducted exit surveys for more than 10 years on students in this and our previous training program, and we consistently find that more than 50% of our students secure one or more paying clients before they complete our very first course, The Essentials of Coaching.

Our goal is to enable you to quickly become established and grow your business while continuing your training and certification. You will be joining more than 2,500 students worldwide that our faculty has trained over the last 15 years.

What is the benefit of receiving formal training in life coaching?2017-01-09T14:33:34-06:00

Although formal training is not yet required to practice life coaching, it is our firm belief that those who have been trained through a recognized institution are generally more skilled and professional in their service delivery.

Coaching draws upon numerous disciplines and yet it is a distinct profession. Our training clarifies these distinctions, covers the skills of effective coaching, addresses business development and marketing of a coaching business, and invites students to carefully examine their own lives to ensure alignment with coaching principles of a personal life vision, mission and purpose.

Additionally, formal training aids the public in making an informed decision about selection of a coach, as they look to schooling and certification as marks of credibility.

How do coaches market their services?2023-06-23T14:07:54-05:00

Most coaches specialize in addressing a few key life issues, seasons of life, or types of clientele. They niche themselves, in other words.

Niche markets include career transition, health & wellness, parenting, ministry & leadership development, relationship enhancement, balance & simplicity, starting a small business, spiritual growth, and the list goes on.

The most effective methods of marketing are 1:1 relationships & referral, networking, public speaking, writing or blogging, social networking, and anything else that enables prospective clients to gain a sense of the individual personality of the coach.

We offer a 15-week course called The Successful Coach that is designed to enable you to quickly incorporate and launch your coaching practice. More than 50% of those taking this course secure one or more paying clients before they complete, and many recoup the entire cost of tuition before the course ends.

Many coaches diversify their income streams through related services such as speaking, writing, teaching, administering personality & career assessments, facilitating groups, and the like. These serve double-duty as they enhance your visibility in the marketplace while increasing your financial bottom-line.

Many also coach within their church or denomination, para-church ministry, or place of employment. Coaches are increasingly being hired internally by businesses, ministries and non-profits in addition to being contracted privately.

Why do people hire a coach?2017-01-09T14:33:34-06:00

People seek a coach because they want growth. The work is not problem-focused, per se. There should be no particular dysfunctions or diagnostic issues that need healing – that is the work of therapy and counseling.

Coaching clients have specific goals/dreams/visions toward which they feel drawn, and they desire to discern these more clearly and then act upon them.

People hire coaches to start home businesses, prepare for retirement, switch to living on one income, or carve out more time for their families. Many clients are in transitions such as empty-nesting, or are moving on after the death of a spouse, or divorce.

Many work with coaches to improve time management, become more organized, or lose weight and improve health practices.

Couples hire coaches to strengthen their relationship and enhance their parenting.

Business and ministry leaders hire coaches to strengthen their leadership abilities, improve performance of work teams, establish healthier company cultures, and improve their bottom lines.

Whatever the life issues, all coaching clients hold a deep desire for richer, more fulfilling, more God-honoring growth in their lives.

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