FAQs & Policies

Because learning to coach is a commitment, many questions arise. We’ve gathered the questions and answers that come up most often.  

CAT – IAC Policies

There are two branches of our organization: Coach Approach Training (courses) and the Institute for Applied Coaching (credentialing). Many of the FAQ answers reflect or are informed by our policies and organizational statements, which are shared in full below the FAQ section — and linked here by topic.

Frequently Asked Questions — and Answers! 

Your Question? If you have a specific question that isn’t answered here — or if you would like to gain a fuller understanding of the potential of coaching and the power of this training program in a conversation, please reach out. 

Ask Questions or Schedule Time with Denslow

Ask me any questions about the training or about coaching and organizing! My email is Denslow@OrganizerCoach.com. Or schedule a 15-minute appointment time on the link below.

Schedule a Talk with Denslow

coaching and coaching skills
What is coaching?  What are coaching skills?

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 )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 but make some great distinctions for ADHD coaching.


Quality and NATURE of Coach approach training
Is your program ICF accredited?

      Coach Approach has been proud to proclaim Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP) status from the International Coaching Federation from 2015 until now (June 2023). The basis of that accreditation (our courses, training content and methodology, trainer qualifications and coaching credentials) hold ICF approval through January 2025.
     ICF is revamping their coach training program accreditation framework and has replaced previous approval terms. To support this transition, we have removed mention of ICF accreditation/approval and ICF logos from our website and elsewhere.
     Like other ICF-affiliated programs, we have submitted new information as requested — organizational statements of intent and detailed policies and administrative procedures (about 40 documents). 
     We expect to hear about our new status in the fall of 2023.  The several-month delay is due to a flood of documentation coming to ICF from the global coach training community.  Stay tuned!
  

May I speak with someone who has completed the training?

Yes, several of our coaches have offered to be available for these kinds of inquiries.  Look at the Find A Coach Directory for names and contact info to previous coach training students.


Do you accept course registration from people who live outside the US?

While we have a robust and proven coach training program, with over 200 hours of coach training, we are a relatively small coach training organization.
It was never our plan to be international — and, yet, in many ways we are. Unfortunately, there are ways we can’t to serve international students fully.
We teach in English and all students need to be fluent English (speaking, reading and writing). Class start times are scheduled between noon and mid-afteroon US Eastern time during the workweek (morning and mid-day US Pacific time).
On the other hand, we teach virtually and meet via zoom which is affordable with internet.
We’ve has about 20 international students in the last 10 years. They have enriched the learning and perspectives for all of us. Easily a third of them are Canadians. Five were from Australia, two from the UK and one each from New Zealand, Peru, Mexico, France and Romania.


Coachng combined with professional ORGANIZing and/or Productivity consulting
How will coaching skills help me become a more successful organizing or productivity specialist/consultant/educator?

There are many valuable skills and strengths that tend to be characteristic of organizing and productivity professionals: a helpful nature, clarity about physical and time reality, experience in seeing options and evaluating choices, willingness to recommend the best course of action, creative problem-solving know-how, 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 includes these characteristics overtly or subtlely:
– Rescuing the client 
– Carrying (or taking over) the client’s motivation                            
– Showing up as “The Expert” and reducing opportunities for the client to identify their own strengths — and to develop expertise about their own needs, best choices, and best actions.
– Inadvertently reinforcing the client’s sense of impairment or disability 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, systems and strategies – including maintenance strategies. 
Professionals who have become trained coaches learn that it is more effective to become “bi-lingual” in their client dynamics. 
They do this by offering 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. 

If there is such a big difference between the two roles (organizing/productivity consultant AND coach), then how do you combine them?  Is this what you offer in your training?

The two roles are extremely compatible but different in their underlying assumptions.  A brief and possibly simplistic 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 not contradictory skill sets to combine in the service of a client.  Moving between them and choosing which to work from in a given moment or situation does take training and practice. Learning coaching skills and coaching philosophy and how to integrate coaching into organizing work is the terrain of the training we offer to professionals in this field. 

Can Organizer Coaching be done as virtual organizing over the phone and internet?

Yes, it can, absolutely.  Most coaching is done by phone with email support.  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.

How many of the Coach Approach Training hours count toward my ICD or BCPO recertification requirements? 

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.

Do I have to be a member of NAPO or ICD to apply? 

No — absolutely not.  However most of the coach training students who are also organizers are affiliated with these organization (as is the CAT-IAC founder and director of training). And yes, we are 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 so much which an isolated organizer would not. 
ICD* subcribers in particular have access to training about client characteristics and the needs of people who live with chronic disorganization. This indepth information is a great complement to CAT-IAC training.
If you have questions about your readiness for this work, contact Denslow to talk it over (blue box above). 

*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 Organizers

Applying for the Training / How much organizing/productivity experience do I need to apply for the training?

We accept registration from veterans from these fields, as well as those who are preparing to enter them.
IMPORTANT! 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.
Experience as a self-employed person, with marketing efforts including prospective client conversations, with client dynamics (intake sessions, client agreements, project management) will all be useful.


coach training for people who are education and mental health professionals and advocates
Do you accept anyone who is not a professional organizer or productivity consultant?

Absolutely! Although we were inspired to start our training to work with POs and PCs, we were asked over a dozen years ago to admit on an individual basis other aspiring coaches. Our training is a great fit for professionals in the education and mental health fields — and for those who advocate for those served by those fields. (Yes, we do realize these are not necessarily mutually exclusive groups!)
A conversation with our director of training is a pre-requisite for registration by people from these groups. The purposes of this conversation are 1) to understand the individual’s motivation to take our training; 2) to explain the pros and cons of coach training from a program designed for a particular industry; and 3) to communicate the required commitment to training.

Well, just what are those pros and cons???

Because we began as a coach training program for organizing and productivity professionals (our “traditional students,” the curriculum design has some specific differences (from other coach training programs).
— Our “traditional 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 (CEBP) that supports individuals in identifying their authentic coaching message. However there are marketing implications of different areas of coaching and these are mentioned briefly and explored on request in the after-class or forum discussions.
— The coaching examples we use (scenarios or example coaching questions) are typically related to the wide area of individual functioning: time management, getting organized, what matters most, 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., etc. It isn’t until a coaching students moves into an advanced training tract that s/he is addressing leadership coaching, for example.
— The education and mental health professionals benefit from exposure to the professional expertise of those who work one-on-one with people ready to take charge and become self-aware and self-directing. And the reverse is true: we have broader and more useful course discussions and professional networking with a more diverse “student body.”


ADHD and Neurodiversity coach training
What about ADHD coaching — or coaching people who are neurodiverse?

Well, everyone is neurodiverse if you think about it, but you could think that some are neurotypical because their strengths align easily with education and medical norms, then, yes there are neurodiverse people. And tangentially, but adding to the confusion, 80% of the adults with ADHD in the US are undiagnosed. Most of people who are neurodiverse are struggling with organizing and productivity challenges and reaching out to those kinds of professionals.
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 course teaches classic coaching skills and methodology — which is to say, coaching as described in the International Coaching Federation’s Core Coaching Competencies. Our second foundation course teaches how 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 (like their coach). This is an application of coaching that is simply 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 wholistic applications. We bring in the PAAC (Professional Assoc. of ADHD Coaches) Core Coaching Competencies, which is enhanced in significant ways (for example with greater patience and compassion).
The truth is that not all organizing and productivity specialists want to focus their businesses on clients with brain-based differences — but because they work with clients who don’t themselves know they have (for example) ADHD, they are working with them already. 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, life coaching. Our eight credentials describe the deep areas of coach training/competence each person chose.


deciding to start — THE options
Do I have to sign up for the whole program or are there different options?

Because we were founded to provide coach training to professional organizers, 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. All-in-all, this training takes about a year to complete. Twenty-seven of the weeks in that year will include a coaching class. The week before each of the five courses require some alignment time and there are 1-week assignments after a couple of the courses — but there are many weeks off between courses.
Completing the five foundation courses in the foundation program results in “more than 60 hours of coach training” and “graduation from a comprehensive coach training program.”
If a coach wants 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.


training costs
How much does training cost?

There’s no single answer to this although the chart below will give you some idea of the ranges.

We offer 30 courses and eight credentials.  You are not required to commit to a several thousand dollar training program — and there’s no single credentialing pathway. And you might not want a coach credential!

We can’t quote you a single cost for our training because your choices impact training costs:
– It’s less expensive if you register for course packages — and more expensive to register for each course individually.
– You’ll save money if you make full payment when you register. It costs a bit more to pay in monthly installments.

But here’s a good overview of costs. Specific training cost options and breakdowns can be found on overview pages: Coaching Essentials (the intro course), Foundation Training, Advanced & ADHD Courses, Mentor/Lab Coaching and Coach Credentialing.

Coach Approach Training program costs summarized

coach credentialing
How many of the CAT training hours count for ICF (International Coach Federation) or ADD coach credentialing?  Are the training hours pre-approved or accredited?

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, folded into our ACTP approval). (ICF requires a course be taught before submission.) Approval, when it comes, is retroactive. 
Any course we teach can be used for coaching credit because we teach to the core competencies, have credentialed trainers, etc. 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’ competence.  Many of the applicants for one of our ACC-level credentials are evaluated in their performance evaluations at a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) level, a credential that requires more than twice the training. 


CAT-IAC Policies – and More

Mission Statement for Training

We provide high quality, intensive, coach training for organizing and productivity consultants, and advocacy and education 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 the coaching strategies that support neurodivergent clients.

We strive to create coach training that models the values that the coaching process and competencies themselves 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.

Mission Statement for Coaches and Clients
  • We advocate for individual self-awareness – specifically,  understanding what matters most to each person, how their brain learns and shows up, 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 ‘lack of attachment’ in these exchanges, knowing each client is the best judge of the relevance and value of offered observations and information.
  • We encourage client meta-cognition and self-compassion – to learn from experimenting and curious accountability.
  • We are honored to witness the liberation of individuals who have identified and 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 each client learns to self-advocate, grow in independence, and know themself as the leader of their life journey.
Vision Statement

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

Inclusion & Diversity Statement

Our mission and vision statements speak to our commitment to inclusion, diversity and healing. Pease 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:

CAT-IAC 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 context of others is also critical. From this grounding, 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 for, make space for, provide support for, 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 if they cannot.
  • A coach’s cultural and contextual competence is demonstrated by an informed acknowledgement that there are differences (race, class, gender, brain-based differences, health abilities, etc.) in each individuals’ 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 coach abilities which 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 which 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 to make our program more accessible.

Emergency and Illness Policy

In order to earn the required training for certification, it is important to attend and participate in all classes. If you become ill or have an emergency and are unable to attend a class, contact your instructor immediately. 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 covered material and reflection.

Participants must be present at all Skills Building Group meetings.

Unless a delay would interfere with the learning of other participants, extensions on assignments may be requested. 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.

Any scheduled mentor coach session (group or individual) must be attended in full or it will not be claimed as mentor coaching.

See also: WITHDRAWAL AND REFUND POLICIES (below).

Privacy Policy

CAT-IAC does not sell, trade or rent your personal information to any other companies, ever.   We are committed to providing you and your clients as much privacy as possible, considering that:  

  • We reach out to potential and past students and publicize our courses and training program with our WordPress website; MailChimp email notices of upcoming courses; communication with individual prospective students through email exchanges – and online appointment reservations (Time Trade), follow-up up by telephone or Zoom conversations.
  • We receive payments for course fees and credentialing application fees via e-commerce sites (SquareUp 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 at an on-line learning centers (Coaches Learning Lab) using Moodle software; 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 (but not yet) for marketing purposes.  Except within the organization, we have not and will never use a recording with a person’s name or voice on it without their written permission.  
  • We save most course forum posts and reserve the right to use excerpts for training and educational purposes.  We will never use direct quotes made by you unless we receive your written permission.  We will either credit you or not at your request.   
  • Upon the completion of each coach training course, students are required to complete course evaluations  via survey software (e.g., Survey Monkey).  These are anonymous unless the individual choses to type in their name with 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 are required to submit one or two coaching session recordings (for performance evaluation) as well as client coaching logs.  We require that you maintain records of clients’ name, contact info, and permissions.  For the client coaching log, you are required to code the clients name and contact info within your records and to formally stipulate that you have those records and that permission.  If we need to verify this submitted information we will contact you for that information.
  • Upon request from a recognized coaching industry organization we will confirm your connection with CAT-IAC.  This comes up if you enroll in a peer coaching program or apply for a credential using training received at CAT-IAC.
Registration-Related Financial Policies
Payment & Fees

It is not an option to pay for the entire program in advance.  Our training is intensive and we want participants to be clear that 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). Payments may be made in full or in monthly instalments.

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 withing the US via SquareUp, our ecommerce site which is linked from the course description pages on our website. International registrations are made via PayPal.

In the event of hardship or emergencies, individuals may request an extended payment schedule.

At this time, we do not have scholarships or training grants, although we cooperate with participants who have secured grants for themselves. We are open to exploring a match between our needs and a prospective participant’s skills in lieu of registration fees. This arrangement has been successful in the past..

Withdrawal and Refund Policies

If you’ve registered for a course and an situation arises which 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 date 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. 

Alternately, 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.

Registration-Related Enrollment Policies
Partial Completion of an Individual Course

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 a participant on extensions of assignment due dates.

Partial Completion of a Program of Study

The CAT Foundation 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 Courses are all taken à la carte (individually). None of them are pre-requisites for others. So, 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.

Transfer of Credit from Another Coach Training Program

If you have a minimum of 60 hours of comprehensive coach training from another coach training program and 75 paid client hours, you may enroll in our advanced courses. This is not a formal transfer of training credits, but it is an acknowledgement of completion of a basic level of training and experience.

The motivation for taking CAT-IAC advanced courses is to gain CCE hours, to take advantage of our unique training on organizing/productivity coaching topics – and to access training to coach people who are neurodiverse (often specifically people who live with ADHD).

We require information from you on the training you have and we confirm your completion.  Upon registration, documents outlining our basic coaching models will be provided to the registrant.  The option to discuss them with a trainer or the director of training will be offered.  

Note: 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 to be eligible to apply for one of our coach credentials without having to begin with the CAT-IAC foundation coach training program. 

A specific process is followed for consideration of training credit within CAT for previous coach training. It begins with an email inquiry and exchange, followed by a telephone conversation with the director of training.

After initial approval from the director of training, the formal request process can begin. It is outlined below and in this document: Securing CAT Coach Training Credit and IAC Credentials for Coaches Trained Outside CAT-IAC.

  1. The applicant must submit the following: training completion documents; information on completed courses and their content; the program website and contact information; and a US $250 fee. ;
  2. The evaluation of the request and submitted information by the director of training, plus internet research. 
  3. A written report is created by the director of training on the path forward. It will define how many credit hours will be accepted — and which CAT courses can be considered complete. The report will detail what CAT 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. After the applicant has a chance to review the report on the designed path forward, another email or conversation finalizes the students’ options – and we move forward — or not.
Unmet Expectations & Grievances

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 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 (see below). 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 small training company (approximately 12 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 training is advised with a request for guidance, support or intervention.

The path we invite students to follow begins (as appropriate and comfortable) 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 training, 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 telephone and email contact info for the trainers in the course overview.

We also require students to complete an anonymous on-line evaluation after each course. (Students can identify themselves if they’d like.) It covers feedback on the value of different elements and delivery formats in the course — and feedback on the trainers. The evaluations are first reviewed by the director of training, then shared with the trainers with an eye to strengthening their efforts and revising the course.

Outreach to the director of training can be by phone or email — and be initiated by students or trainers. Director of training response includes scheduling a conversation within 48 hours, listening carefully to all parties, finding additional education if useful, and collaborating to create 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 training; and 3) Strengthening of organization-wide policies, revision of communication, and deepening of training for the director of training, trainers and staff.

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

  • Withdrawal from the training and a refund of registration fees (based on the timing and provisions in the Refund Policy at the discretion of the director of training.
  • 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).
  • Completion of the course with a mentor trainer, as available.

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

Understanding & Agreements

Before beginning their first CAT course, each registered student must sign and return the U&A document. This agreement stays in force for each individual throughout their CAT training.

ADD LINK TO U&A PDF.

IAC Code of Ethical Standards

The Institute for Applied Coaching is the credentialing half of the CAT-IAC organization. The Institute for Applied Coaching 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 (with, for example, organizing, productivity and/or neurodiversity challenges) by coaching, rather than advising. The IAC Code of Ethical Standards reflects the dual nature of these credentials by requiring adherence to ethical standards of the industries they operate within.

IAC CODE OF ETHICAL STANDARDS

  1. I will respect the needs and processing styles of my clients.
  2. I will strive for excellence as an IAC 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, or 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 or share proprietary information without permission.
  8. I will safeguard these ethical standards and report violations to the IAC.
  9. I acknowledge that a breach of the IAC Code of Ethical Standards will result in sanctions, including a revocation of my certification 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, as well as those of any organizing, productivity and/or coaching institutions of which I am a member (e.g., NAPO, BCPO, POC, AAPO, ICD and/or PAAC).