Frequently Asked Questions

Coach Approach Training subscribes to the International Coach Federation’s (ICF) definition of coaching. The ICF is the only “independent, globally-recognized accrediting organization for coaches” and has more than 50,000 members worldwide (Feb 2023).

The ICF defines coaching as

“Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential, which is particularly important in today’s uncertain and complex environment. Coaches honor the client as the expert in his or her life and work and believe every client is creative, resourceful and whole. Standing on this foundation, the coach’s responsibility is to:

— Discover, clarify, and align with what the client wants to achieve
— Encourage client self-discovery
— Elicit client-generated solutions and strategies
— Hold the client responsible and accountable.

This process helps clients dramatically improve their outlook on work and life, while improving their leadership skills and unlocking their potential.”

You can get an idea of the scope of coaching expertise by reviewing ICF’s Core Competencies.

We also subscribe to and teach from the PAAC (Professional Association of ADHD Coaches) list of core competencies. They are compatible with ICF’s competencies but make some key distinctions for ADHD coaching.

Yes! We are a Level 2 program with the International Coaching Federation (ICF), and are in the process of attaining Level 1 accreditation as well.

Yes, several of our coaches are available for these kinds of inquiries. See the Find A Coach Directory for names and contact info for our previous coach training students.

Yes! We’ve had increasing numbers of international students in the last 10 years, and they have enriched the learning and perspectives for all of us. Countries represented so far include Canada, the UK, Sweden, Iceland, Romania, France, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Peru, Mexico, and South Africa.

All courses are taught in English, and students need to be fluent in English for practicing coaching in their skills groups (speaking, reading and writing).

Class start times are often scheduled between 12 pm noon and mid-afternoon US Eastern time during the work week (morning and midday US Pacific time). We teach virtually and meet via Zoom which makes our course offerings accessible for international students. Please reach out to the Director of Education with additional questions about our international student opportunities.

There are many valuable skills and strengths that tend to be characteristic of organizing and productivity professionals: a helpful nature, clarity about physical space and time realities, experience in seeing options and evaluating choices, creative problem-solving, energy, and follow-through to get the job done. With training and experience, organizers also develop wisdom about both life management challenges and about people.

Ironically, there are times when offering these skills and strengths can be counter-productive for the client — even when the client is asking for our expertise or opinion. Traditionally, and as currently practiced, people in this field of work may include these characteristics overtly or subtly:

• Rescuing the client
• Carrying (or taking over) the client’s motivation
• Showing up as “The Expert” and inadvertently reducing opportunities for the client to identify their own strengths, and develop their own expertise about their needs, choices, and best actions
• Unintentionally reinforcing the client’s sense of impairment or incapacity through all of the above

What coaching offers are the skills to provide the space for the client to become a fully active collaborator. Coaches engage clients in deepening self-knowledge, developing decision-making skills, and in designing, using, and evaluating sustainable solutions and systems – including maintenance strategies.

Coaches who bring these skills together with their professional backgrounds offer patience, assistance and expertise while creating an environment where the client identifies their own strengths, values, and needs. Our clients can create a life that suits them fully, if we provide the support and space to learn how their abilities can support:

1. The functioning of their day-to-day lives;
2. The use and storage of their information and belongings; and
3. Attention and prioritizing of what matters most

The two roles are extremely compatible but differ in their underlying assumptions.  A brief explanation is that an organizer comes to the client offering their problem-solving expertise, while a coach offers the client a process to discover their own answers and strengths. 

Nonetheless these are two powerful and non-contradictory skill sets to combine in the service of a client.  Moving between them and choosing which to work from in a given moment takes training and practice. Learning coaching skills and coaching philosophy, and how to integrate coaching into organizing work, is part of training we offer to professionals in this particular field. We also believe that the “cross-disciplinary” approach to organizing, productivity, and ADHD/ND coaching enriches the experience of all students, whether they have an organizing background or not.

Yes, it can, absolutely. Although the training addresses the use of coaching skills within an organizing session, “stand-alone coaching” (coaching which is independent of a consulting or organizing session) is the primary focus of our training. Most stand-along sessions are conducted virtually.

Because Coach Approach Training Institute began as a coach training program for organizing and productivity professionals, the curriculum design does have some specific differences from other coach training programs:

— Our organizing and productivity students are already self-employed — or if beginners, committed to becoming self-employed. Although there are some organizer employees, these are exceptions. As a result, none of the required training is about how to market or how to run a business. We do have a great elective course Client Enrollment Best Practices that supports individuals in identifying their authentic coaching message. That said, some marketing questions or discussions may occur informally, or addressed in special interest Bonus Hours that are offered throughout the calendar year.

— The coaching examples we use (scenarios or example coaching questions) are typically related to the wide area of individual functioning: time management, getting organized, prioritization, working with individual strengths, accommodating individual challenges, the impact of brain-based differences on life management, communicating of idiosyncratic needs, identifying values & needs, delegating, boundaries, self-care strategies, etc. It isn’t until a coaching student moves into an advanced training track that they are addressing more specific scenarios. 

— Education, mental health, and other professionals benefit from exposure to the professional expertise of those who work one-on-one with people ready to take charge of their goals, and become self-aware and self-directing. Issues related to organization, prioritization, time management, and general life order will likely be brought to coaches of all backgrounds at some point in their careers. These skills and challenges do not exist in silos, but impact client lives holistically. The reverse is also true: we have broader and more useful course discussions and professional networking with a more diverse student population.

Our program has a focus on working with clients who do not conform easily to neurotypical standards–in particular, adults with ADHD. \

Research suggests that less than 20% of adults with ADHD are appropriately diagnosed and treated for their symptoms. Estimates are that up to 80% of adults with ADHD also have a co-occurring condition such as autism, dyslexia, anxiety, depression, and more. Many people who are neurodivergent struggle with organizing and productivity challenges, and this often includes reaching out for professional assistance.

The above background is relevant to our mission as coach trainers: we are committed to teaching coaches to empower clients to discover their best selves and best lives. Our first foundation training course, Coaching Essentials, teaches classic coaching skills and methodology, as described in the International Coaching Federation’s Core Coaching Competencies. Our second foundation course, Strengths-Based Coaching, teaches students to use traditional coaching methods to help clients identify and use their strengths. Strengths-Based Coaching is great for anyone, but it’s essential for people with brain-based differences.

In the third foundation course, Brain-Based Coaching, coaching conversations address the impact of brain-based differences on the individual–on efforts to manage their lives and on how they work best with others. This communication is an application of coaching that is appropriate and at the same time extraordinary for people with ADHD or who are otherwise “neurodiverse.”

The fourth and fifth foundation courses continue to deepen students’ coaching competence with progressively more holistic applications. We bring in the PAAC (Professional Association of ADHD Coaches) Core Coaching Competencies, which is enhanced in significant ways (for example with greater patience and compassion).

Not all organizing and productivity specialists want to focus their businesses on clients with brain-based differences, but because they will work with a wide range of clients, it is inevitable that they will come across neurodivergent individuals. We teach coaches to understand the challenges that undermine their clients’ efforts and–like any ADHD coach–how to have appropriate, ethical, sensitive and frank conversations; make referrals; encourage the engagement of other professionals as needed; and more.

After the foundation training, the focus of advanced coach training is up to the coach. Courses allow them to immerse their coach training in the areas of organizing, productivity and/or leadership, ADHD, neurodiversity, or life coaching. Our nine credentials describe the deep areas of coach training/competence each person chooses.

We provide high-quality, intensive coach training for organizing professionals, productivity consultants, advocacy, mental health, education, and other related professionals. We create learning environments that are inclusive and respectful of people across differences of gender, race, class, size, culture, ability, and modalities.

Our training is grounded in classic coaching skills and processes (ICF). We specialize in teaching coaching strategies that support neurodiverse clients, in the areas of life, personal organization, productivity, and leadership.
We strive to create coach training that models the values the coaching process and competencies inspire. By creating training environments that affirm differences and pausing to listen to and learn from each voice in the room, we (trainers and participants) will have opportunities to grow in our understanding of community — and unlearn internalized bias.

• We advocate for individual self-awareness–specifically, understanding what matters most to each person, how their brain learns, and what they need.
• We are aware that variations in cognitive functioning are natural. Nonetheless, many people have experienced and may have internalized the disabling and marginalizing impact of living in a society based on neurotypical needs and expectations.
• We advance client self-knowledge by offering accurate brain-based information with permission, clarity, and integrity. We encourage people to consider other sources of information and support. We maintain a respectful, compassionate detachment in these exchanges, knowing each client is the best judge of the relevance and value of offered observations and information.
• We encourage client metacognition and self-compassion–to learn from experimenting and curious accountability.
• We are honored to witness the liberation of individuals who have identified and are connected to their ‘personal best’ ways of being, learning, thinking, accomplishing, and expressing.
• We self-manage coaching power imbalances with agreements, vulnerability, transparency, collaboration, and support so that each client learns to self-advocate, grow in independence, and know themselves as the leaders of their life journey.

The coaches we nurture, and the clients they serve play a dynamic role in healing the earth and restoring the wholeness of her people.

Our mission and vision statements speak to our commitment to inclusion, diversity, and healing. Please read them. To elaborate on and extend our commitment, the following statement describes the nature of cultural and contextual competence in coach training and serves as a guide for members of our learning and coaching community:

Statement for Coach’s Cultural & Contextual Competence
Whether trainer, coach, student, or client, each person’s cultural and contextual competence begins by identifying and reflecting on our own identities and differences.^[1] Learning about our own experience of systemic disadvantages and/or privilege in the context of others is also critical. From this understanding, we can consider if and how our own experiences influenced or even blocked our perceptions of others’ cultural and contextual differences and experiences.

Good coaching requires trust, rapport, and an understanding of who each client is — it is, by definition, inclusive and without assumptions. Understanding oneself (roots and experience) provides the necessary grounding for authentic coaching communication.^[2]

• As a coach, it’s important to develop the skills to listen, make space, provide support, and coach to the needs and goals of each client in the wholeness of their experience — and to make a referral to an appropriate coach or other professional if they cannot.
• A coach’s cultural and contextual competence demonstrates an informed acknowledgment that each individual has differences (race, class, gender, brain-based differences, health abilities, etc.) in life experiences, capacities, and family and community cultures.
• A competent coach recognizes that each person’s experiences of/within/because of the dominant culture and its systemic biases are significant and relevant.

^[1]Coach Approach Training (CAT) created a three-part Identity Module as part of the Neurodiversity Support & Advocacy course. There are reading assignments on different kinds of bias (history, analysis, and narratives). It also includes an Identity Workbook (instruction, personal history and identify exercises, and reflection assignments) to anchor a participant on the personal journey described in the first bullet point above. The Identity Module can also be completed (by student choice or director of training recommendation) as an independent study assignment prior to applying for a coaching credential.

^[2]The International Coaching Federation’s Core Competencies (revised in 2020) define the coaching abilities that reflect respect for individual differences:

• 1.2 Is sensitive to clients’ identity, environment, experiences, values, and beliefs;
• 1.3 Uses language appropriate and respectful to clients;
• 2.4 Remains aware of and open to the influence of context and culture on self and others;
• 2.8 Seeks help from outside sources when necessary;
• 4.1 Seeks to understand the client within their context, which may include their identity, environment, experiences, values, and beliefs;
• 4.2 Demonstrates respect for the client’s identity, perceptions, style, and language and adapts one’s coaching to the client;
• 4.4 Acknowledges and supports the client’s expression of feelings, perceptions, concerns, beliefs, and suggestions;
• 6.1 Considers the client’s context, identity, environment, experiences, values, and beliefs to enhance understanding of what the client is communicating.

Disability Policy
Our goal is to create a learning environment that meets the needs of each individual student. By collaborating with our students, we have created a long list of strategies to accommodate a variety of learning differences and make our program more accessible.

Whether trainer, coach, student, or client, each person’s cultural and contextual competence begins by identifying and reflecting on our own identities and differences. [1] Learning about our own experience of systemic disadvantages and/or privilege in the context of others is also critical. From this understanding, we can consider if and how our own experiences influenced or even blocked our perceptions of others’ cultural and contextual differences and experiences.

Good coaching requires trust, rapport, and an understanding of who each client is — it is, by definition, inclusive and without assumptions. Understanding oneself (roots and experience) provides the necessary grounding for authentic coaching communication. [2]

• As a coach, it’s important to develop the skills to listen, make space, provide support, and coach to the needs and goals of each client in the wholeness of their experience — and to make a referral to an appropriate coach or other professional if they cannot.
• A coach’s cultural and contextual competence demonstrates an informed acknowledgment that each individual has differences (race, class, gender, brain-based differences, health abilities, etc.) in life experiences, capacities, and family and community cultures.
• A competent coach recognizes that each person’s experiences of/within/because of the dominant culture and its systemic biases are significant and relevant.

[1] Coach Approach Training (CAT) created a three-part Identity Module as part of the Neurodiversity Support & Advocacy course. There are reading assignments on different kinds of bias (history, analysis, and narratives). It also includes an Identity Workbook (instruction, personal history and identify exercises, and reflection assignments) to anchor a participant on the personal journey described in the first bullet point above. The Identity Module can also be completed (by student choice or director of training recommendation) as an independent study assignment prior to applying for a coaching credential.

[2] The International Coaching Federation’s Core Competencies (revised in 2020) define the coaching abilities that reflect respect for individual differences: 

• 1.2 Is sensitive to clients’ identity, environment, experiences, values, and beliefs;
• 1.3 Uses language appropriate and respectful to clients;
• 2.4 Remains aware of and open to the influence of context and culture on self and others;
• 2.8 Seeks help from outside sources when necessary;
• 4.1 Seeks to understand the client within their context, which may include their identity, environment, experiences, values, and beliefs;
• 4.2 Demonstrates respect for the client’s identity, perceptions, style, and language and adapts one’s coaching to the client;
• 4.4 Acknowledges and supports the client’s expression of feelings, perceptions, concerns, beliefs, and suggestions;
• 6.1 Considers the client’s context, identity, environment, experiences, values, and beliefs to enhance understanding of what the client is communicating.

Foundation Training courses must be taken in order, and begins with Coaching Essentials. Advanced training courses are only for graduates from our Foundation program, or other coaches with 60+ ICF training and 100+ client hours. Other requirements may apply, so please reach out to the Director of Education if you aren’t certain whether you qualify for a course.

We accept registration from veterans from the organizing and productivity fields, as well as those who are preparing to enter them. It’s important to note that our training is not about how to become an organizer or productivity specialist. We teach coaching and tangentially address ways to integrate coaching into other professional work.

As noted, we also accept enrollment from individuals in related fields, mental health, education, entrepreneurship, and more. Experience as a self-employed person, with marketing efforts including prospective client conversations, and with client dynamics (intake sessions, client agreements, project management) will all be useful.

There’s no single answer to this question, as we offer different packages and offer monthly payment options, which increase the pricing slightly. We find that students appreciate the flexibility of choosing to pay as they go, and not having to commit thousands of dollars up front.

Generally speaking, the 5-course Foundation Training program runs between $3,075 (using the most economical package) and $3,360 (if paying for all courses individually with monthly payments).

Taking the additional Advanced Training courses required for one of our credentials varies, as all Advanced courses are offered a la carte, and selection of courses depends upon the credential you are seeking. For example, the Certified Neurodiversity Coach™ requirements beyond costs for the Foundation program total between $2,505 (paying in full) and $2,565 (paying monthly).

Level 1 credential applications are currently $400, and Level 2 credential applications are $575.

ALL PRICING IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Please view the individual course pages for pricing and packages.

Absolutely! Although we originally created our training program to work with POs and PCs, we now admit other aspiring coaches from a variety of backgrounds. Our training is a great fit for professionals in the education and mental health fields as well as advocates of people served by those fields.

A conversation with our Director of Education is a prerequisite for the registration of people from these groups. The purposes of this conversation are 1) to understand the individual’s motivation to take our training; 2) to explain our training philosophy; and 3) to communicate the required commitment to training.

Our courses unfold from a single, stand-alone course, Coaching Essentials. This intensive 8-week course provides an introduction to the coaching process, skills, industry, and ethics. For some, it is all the coach training they need or want to complement the consulting work they do. They have learned the skills and philosophy to shift how they work with clients.

But becoming a coach is different than adopting coaching strategies, and it takes more than an 8-week course. So, Coaching Essentials is the first and pre-requisite course in our 5-course Foundation Training program. This training takes a year to complete assuming you proceed straight through. Twenty-seven of the weeks in that year will include a coaching class. Completing the 5 foundation courses in the foundation program results in more than 60 hours of coach training and graduation from a comprehensive coach training program.

If you wish to go further, there are specialized advanced coaching courses and the option of preparing for credentialing.

The decision of how much coach training to take can be made as you experience coaching and use your coaching skills. You can pause your training after any course and pick up where you left off down the road–even years later. Your training credits will never expire. And while there are some package registration options, we don’t even provide an option for signing up for the entire foundation program before you start. We want you to learn if we are a good fit for you, and feel confident in moving through the program.

While our program roots are in the powerful combination of the professional organizing/productivity world and coaching skills, in recent years we have welcomed students with a variety of backgrounds, including education, mental health, entrepreneurship, the corporate world, and more. At this point in our history, approximately 50% of our students are from the organizing/productivity world, and 50% from other related professions. Students from all of these professions benefit from class discussions, and sharing different experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives.

No, however most of the coach training students who are also organizers are affiliated with these organizations (as is Coach Approach Training Institute’s Founder and the Director of Education). We are also aware of the important work of POC*, APDO*, JALO* and other international organizer organizations. Members of any of these organizations who take advantage of their training and conference opportunities learn more than an isolated organizer would.

ICD* subscribers in particular have access to training about client characteristics and the needs of people who live with chronic disorganization. This in depth information is a great complement to CAT Institute training.
If you have questions about your readiness for this work, contact Sara Skillen [link] to learn more.

*NAPO — National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals
*ICD — Institute for Challenging Disorganization
*POC — Professional Organizers of Canada
*APDO — Association of Professional Declutters and Organizers
*JALO — Japanese Association of Life Organize

The International Coaching Federation confers three levels of credentials:

• Associate Certified Coach
• Professional Certified Coach
• Master Certified Coach

Earning one of these credentials signifies a commitment to coaching excellence, ethical practices, and continuing coach education.

As an ICF-accredited Level 2 program, we offer three Level 1 (Associate Certified Coach-level) credentials:

• Certified Organizer Coach,
• Certified Productivity Coach, and
• Certified Neurodiversity Coach

Additionally, students who want to go even further can work towards one of our five Level 2 (Professional Certified Coach-level) credentials:

• Professional Certified Organizer Coach
• Certified Productivity Leadership Coach
• Certified Organizer Life Coach
• Certified ADHD Organizer Coach
• Certified ADHD Productivity Coach

All of our credential requirements meet and exceed the rigorous ICF requirements.

Coaching credentials are evidence of your extensive training, and highlight your credibility within the industry. The 2022 Global Consumer Awareness Study indicates 85% of coaching clients say it’s important their coach have a certification.

In our experience with both of these programs, all of the Coach Approach Training hours would count for either of them. However, the final word on this is the prerogative of those programs.

Early in 2015, we were recognized by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) as an Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP). We were pleased that every minute of coach training we had created was approved. Our training is also compatible with the requirements for ADHD coaching credentials and a large portion of our coach-trainers have ADHD or Neurodiversity coaching specialties. As new courses are established, they are sent to ICF to be evaluated, and if accepted, are then folded into our ACTP approval.

Any course we teach can be used for coaching credit because we teach to the core competencies, and have credentialed trainers. Our training was approved by ICF in 2015 because we meet and often exceed ICF’s training standards. Confidence in our training is confirmed by our students’ high level of competence and their ongoing success.

Yes, and here’s how it works.

If you have at least 60 hours of comprehensive coach training from another International Coaching Federation (ICF)-accredited coach training program, and 100+ paid client hours, you may enroll in our advanced training courses. This process is not a formal transfer of training credits, but it is an acknowledgment of completion of a basic level of training and experience.

The motivation for taking Coach Approach Training Institute advanced courses is to gain CCE hours, to take advantage of our unique training on organizational/productivity coaching topics, and to access coaching skills in order to work with neurodivergent individuals (often, specifically, those who live with ADHD).

We require information from you on your prior training and confirm your completion. Upon registration, documents and a video outlining our basic coaching models will be provided to the registrant. Our coaching models are fully consistent with ICF core competencies. They utilize our acronyms and highlight a beginning-intermediate coaching process.

If you have completed a Level 1 program (or 60 Approved Coach Specific Training Hours of comprehensive coach training from another coach training program), you may request credit in our program for these coach training hours. The motivation for gaining credit within our program for previous coach training is eligibility to apply for one of our coach credentials without having to begin with our coach Foundation Training program. Some students, in consultation with the Director of Education, choose to take our Foundation Training courses regardless.

A specific process is followed for consideration of training credit within our institution for previous coach training, as well as existing ICF credentials earned. It begins with an email inquiry and exchange, followed by a conversation with the Director of Education.

After initial approval from the Director of Education the formal request process can begin. It is outlined below:

1. The applicant must submit the following: training completion documents; credential verification information (if earned); information on completed courses and their content; the program website and contact information.
2. The Director of Education evaluates the request and information submitted.
3. The Director of Education may create a written report on the path forward, or will provide a standard path to a credential. Either defines how many credit hours will be accepted — and which CAT Institute courses can be considered complete. The report will detail what CAT Institute courses must be addressed by the applicant and the option or options for completion: a) Listening to the course recordings, reviewing course materials and meeting with a trainer/mentor to discuss; b) Auditing the course and participating in specific assignments; or c) Registering for the course and completing it as taught.
4. The Director of Education will advise the transferring coach on the appropriate courses to register for to support their training goal.

The Coach Approach Training (CAT) Institute credentials are first and foremost coaching credentials, but each is named to indicate an area of expertise. Each coach has experience in one or more fields and each has chosen to empower the clients that come to them (ex: organizing, productivity and/or neurodiversity challenges) by coaching, rather than advising. The CAT Institute Code of Ethical Standards reflects the dual nature of these credentials by requiring adherence to the ethical standards of the industries they operate within.

CAT INSTITUTE CODE OF ETHICAL STANDARDS

1. 1. I will respect the needs and processing styles of my clients.
   2. I will strive for excellence as a CAT Institute credentialed coach.
   3. I will develop the knowledge and skills required to serve my clients and strive to keep current with relevant information.
   4. I will offer services only in areas for which I am qualified, and will accurately represent my expertise, qualifications and certifications in all communications and circumstances.
   5. I will refer a client to other professionals if the client’s needs are best served by another professional, or if the client requires additional support.
   6. I will maintain strict confidentiality with all client information unless authorized by the client in writing, as required by law, or in situations where they or someone else may be in serious danger.
   7. I will respect the intellectual property of others and will not use proprietary information without permission.
   8. I will safeguard these ethical standards of CAT Institute and report violations to CAT Institute.
   9. I acknowledge that a breach of the CAT Institute Code of Ethical Standards will result in sanctions, including a revocation of my credential status.
   10. I agree to honor my ethical and legal obligations to my clients, colleagues and the public at large.
   11. I will comply with the International Coaching Federation Code of Ethics of the, as well as of any organizing, productivity, ADHD-related and/or coaching institutions of which I am a member (e.g., NAPO, BCPO, POC, AAPO, ICD, and/or PAAC).

Our goal is to create a learning environment that meets the needs of each individual student. By collaborating with our students, we have created a long list of strategies to accommodate a variety of learning differences and make our program more accessible.

In order to earn the required training for certification, attending and participating in all classes is essential. Contact your instructor immediately if you become ill or have an emergency and cannot attend a class. If you miss a class you will be expected to read all session materials, listen to the class recording, and complete all assignments before joining your Skills Building Group and the next class. Reach out for support from your trainer and your SBG partner. If you miss more than 25% of the classes, you have the option to engage the instructor at your expense to review the material covered in the classes.

Participants must be present at all Skills Building Group meetings.

You may request extensions on assignments unless a delay would interfere with the learning of other participants. Petitions to the above policies are considered on a case-by-case basis and must be submitted in writing to the trainer(s) and the director of training.

To ensure credit for mentor coaching, all scheduled mentor coach sessions—whether group or individual—must be attended in person.

See also: “Withdrawal and Refund Policies” under Financial Policies.

Coach Approach Training Institute does not sell, trade or rent your personal information to any other companies or organizations. We are committed to providing you and your clients as much privacy as possible, considering that:

• We publicize our courses and training program on our website, email promotional notices of upcoming courses, communicate with individual prospective students through email and online appointment reservations (through Acuity scheduling), and follow up by telephone or Zoom conversations.
• We receive payments for course fees and credentialing application fees via e-commerce sites (Square and PayPal).
• If you register for a course, we will enroll you in the technology that facilitates your learning and any follow-up communication. We provide live virtual training with classes and practice training conducted with internet and telephone technology (Zoom, etc.); course assignments and communication through our learning management system (Coaches Learning Lab) using the Moodle platform; and individual trainer-student communication via email and phone.
• We record all course sessions and reserve the right to use excerpts for training purposes: to train trainers, to support the learning of auditing students, and potentially for marketing purposes. We have not and will never use a recording with a person’s name or voice without permission.
• We archive course forum posts for a limited time and reserve the right to use excerpts for training and educational purposes. We will never use direct quotes you have made unless we receive your written permission. We will either credit you or not at your request.
• Upon completing each coach training course, students must complete course evaluations via survey software (e.g., Jotform). These evaluations are anonymous unless the individual shares their name within a particular entry. We frequently summarize satisfaction ratings from these surveys and/or use a quote anonymously.
• Credentialing applications also have privacy concerns and protections. Applicants must submit one or two coaching session recordings (for performance evaluation) as well as client coaching logs. We require you to maintain records of clients’ names, contact info, and permissions. For the client coaching log, you must code the client’s name and contact info within your records and formally stipulate that you have those records and that permission. If we need to verify this submitted information, we will contact you.
• We will confirm your connection with the CAT Institute upon request from a recognized coaching industry organization. This type of request arises if you enroll in a peer coaching program or apply for a credential using training received at the CAT Institute.

Before beginning their first Coach Approach Training Institute (CATI) course, each registered student must sign and return the Understanding and Agreements document. This agreement stays in force for each individual throughout their CATI training.

We endeavor to maintain an inclusive and respectful learning community and class environment. We are continually learning how to strengthen this effort as trainers and staff. We are also constantly integrating new students into our courses and community. Sharing our inclusive values can be challenging and rewarding, as the regular influx of new people offers ongoing opportunities to learn more about embracing diversity.

To start this integration, each new student receives a copy of our Understanding & Agreements document to review and sign. In that document we introduce students to our inclusive culture and value of mutual respect.

We also ask students to advocate for themselves, whether about personal emergencies, struggles keeping up with the pace of the training, confusion or overwhelm, different learning needs, unmet needs or expectations, inadequate training information, or incidents of miscommunication or disrespect.

We are a smaller training company (approximately 12-25 Foundation graduates each year). Trainers are familiar with organizational values and procedures, including embracing diversity and supporting students with learning challenges. If any confusion or exchange with a student is not simply resolved with mutual satisfaction, the Director of Education is advised with a request for guidance, support or intervention.

The path we invite students to follow begins with communication with 1) the person involved in the miscommunication, 2) with the trainer on miscommunication or problems with the course or training, 3) and then with the Director of Education, who has an ‘open-door’ policy.

We invite students to communicate with their trainers by:

• Coming early to class or staying late after it.
• Posting concerns in the Student-Initiated Forum (part of each course)
• Responding to the question in their weekly Skills Building Report: “Any question for your trainer(s)?”
• Using the email contact info for the trainers in the course overview.

We also require students to complete an anonymous online evaluation after each course. It covers feedback on the value of different elements and delivery formats in the course — and feedback on the trainers. The evaluations are reviewed by the Director of Education and shared with the trainers to strengthen their efforts and revise the course, if feedback indicates a need.

Communication with the Director of Education may be by email or in-person meeting — and be initiated by students or trainers. The Director of Education’s response includes scheduling a conversation within 48 hours, listening carefully to all parties, finding additional education if useful, and collaborating to create a resolution. These efforts are relevant on three levels:

1. Relief, met needs, learning and/or resolution for the student;
2. Clarity, learning and/or greater support for the trainer and Director of Education; and
3. Strengthening organization-wide policies, revising communication, and deepening understanding for the Director of Education, trainers, and staff.

If a participant is dissatisfied with the offered solutions, they may request one of the following courses of action, pending approval of the Director of Education:

• Withdrawal from the training and a refund of registration fees (based on the timing and provisions in the Refund Policy, and at the discretion of the Director of Education).
• Withdrawal from the course with an option to retake the course at a later time with a collaborative agreement and reduced registration fee (from no additional charge to a proportionate fee).

Regardless of the resolution for the participant, the staff will continue to process and learn from each complaint.

Purpose
This policy establishes guidelines for students who wish to use AI-powered notetaking platforms while attending Coach Approach Training Institute Zoom classes. It ensures responsible use, academic integrity, and compliance with copyright laws.

Ethical Use and Academic Integrity

• AI notetaking tools should be used to enhance learning and not replace active participation or independent critical thinking.
• Students must review and edit AI-generated notes to ensure accuracy and alignment with course material.
• AI notes should not be shared, sold, or distributed as substitutes for personal engagement in class.
• Misrepresenting AI-generated notes as original work in assignments or assessments violates academic integrity policies.

Copyright and Intellectual Property Compliance

• Students must obtain permission from the instructor before recording or transcribing class discussions using AI tools.
• AI-generated summaries should not infringe on the rights of copyrighted materials, including lecture slides, books, and proprietary course content.
• Direct quotes from instructors or copyrighted texts should be properly cited when included in AI-generated notes.
• Students are responsible for ensuring that AI tools do not store, share, or repurpose copyrighted materials without authorization.

Privacy and Confidentiality

• AI notetaking platforms must comply with institutional privacy policies and data security regulations.
• Students should not record or transcribe class discussions that include personal or sensitive information about classmates or instructors.
• Any AI-generated content that includes discussions of private matters should be deleted or securely stored to prevent unauthorized access.

Trainer Approval and Institutional Guidelines

• Before using AI notetaking tools, students should seek explicit approval from their trainer(s) and/or the Director of Education.
• Any Coach Approach Training Institute specific policies on AI use in online classes take precedence over personal preferences.
• The use of AI should not disrupt the class or interfere with other students’ learning experiences.

Responsible AI Engagement

• Students should choose AI notetaking platforms that are transparent about data usage, privacy policies, and AI-generated content reliability.
• The limitations of AI-generated notes should be acknowledged, and students should verify key concepts with official course materials.
• Ethical AI use fosters collaboration and respect for intellectual property while supporting academic growth.

Enforcement & Consequences
Failure to adhere to this policy may result in disciplinary actions as determined collectively by the trainer(s) involved and the Director of Education. Violations related to copyright infringement may also lead to legal consequences.

By following these best practices, students can responsibly integrate AI-powered notetaking into their learning while upholding ethical and academic standards.

It is not an option to pay for the entire program in advance. Our training is robust and we want participants to be sure they can thrive within our training format (not to discount the possibility of accommodations).

Access to CAT training is secured by registration on a course-by-course basis (although there are a few training packages). You may make payments in full or in monthly installments.

Regardless of the payment schedule a participant registers with or negotiates, it is the participant’s responsibility to make the payments on time or contact the registrar and the director of training to propose a different arrangement.

We accept payments from within the US via Square, our e-commerce site linked from the course description pages on our website. International registrations may be made via PayPal. Individuals may request an extended payment schedule in the event of hardship or emergencies.

We do not have scholarships or training grants at this time, although we cooperate with participants who have secured grants for themselves.

If you’ve registered for a course and a situation arises that precludes your participation, contact us as soon as possible.

If the withdrawal notification is received BEFORE the registration deadline date (typically 2 weeks before the first class), we will refund the registration payment minus a $100 administrative fee plus any third-party payment processing fees.

If the withdrawal notification is received AFTER the registration deadline but before the Friday before the first class, we will refund the registration payment minus a $150 administrative fee, plus any third-party payment processing fees.

If the withdrawal notification is received the day before the first class or after they have begun, we will refund the registration payment minus a $200 administrative fee plus any third-party payment processing fees. If more than one class has been held, there will also be a deduction for a prorated amount of the balance reflecting the number of training weeks remaining in the course.

Alternatively, if withdrawal notification is received before the first class, we will hold a credit for the refund amount to be used on a future registration, at the request of the withdrawing student and at our discretion.

If the withdrawal is due to an emergency, we will consider holding a credit for the full registration or the refund amount to be used on a future registration, at the request of the withdrawing student and at our discretion.

We do not offer credit for partial completion of a course. One must complete the entire course and all assignments to receive credit. We do work with participants on extensions of assignment due dates.

The Coach Approach Training (CAT) Institute Foundation Training Program is made up of five required courses which must be taken in order. It takes about a year to complete all five. A participant may drop out of the foundation training after any course and join a later foundation cohort, no matter how many years have passed (unless there is no room for an additional participant).

The CAT Advanced Training Courses are all taken à la carte (individually). None of them are prerequisites for others, except in the case of certain transferring coach educational paths (which are determined with the Director of Education). At the advanced (or graduate) level, one may pause their training (after completing a course) and return to take another months or years later.

Upon request and at the director of training’s discretion, “paused participants” may audit courses they have taken previously at either the foundation or advanced/graduate level at no charge.