The European Mentoring & Coaching Council (EMCC Global) provides the following definitions:
“Coaching is facilitating the client’s learning process by using professional methods and techniques to help the client to improve what is obstructive and nurture what is effective, in order to reach the client’s goals”.
“Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”
I don’t prescribe what the focus of your coaching should be. You may wish to be executive, business, life, therapeutic, or performance coaches, or not even know for sure at this point. You may want to work in corporate, private or public sectors. Whichever, this programme will give you the skills and practice, standards and credibility to enable you to be the coach you want to be.
A large part of the course is skills practice where you will be working one-to-one with your own coachees who will provide you not only with experience and learning, but also feedback, both general and specific. Practicing your skills is going to be essential, so we encourage participants to begin looking for potential clients as soon as they register for the course, in order to begin coaching with them after the first workshop of the training.
You need to complete 90 hours of practice hours outside of the programme delivery days. As an example, coaching sessions are usually a minimum of 1.5 hours (90 minutes) long, so on average this is 60 coaching sessions. For example, this equates to ten practice coachees during the programme, undertaking a minimum of six coaching sessions with each coachee.
‘Matching’ and contracting conversations are included in the hours and coaching sessions may last longer or take less time, and they may want more or less than six sessions – it is for you to agree with each coachee.
The learning from these sessions is shared and discussed in subsequent workshops, and the feedback sheets form part of your portfolio of evidence for your award. In total, you will need to complete 90 coaching practice hours outside of the taught elements of the course.
I cannot find the coachees for you, but we can recommend ways you might be able to seek them out. For example, you might try putting an offer for free or reduced cost coaching out on LinkedIn or through LinkedIn groups or speak to local voluntary and community groups to see if their staff or trustees would like coaching at minimal cost. People running their own business, school governors and members of the Parent Teacher Association or people on the parish council may all be interested once you tell them about it. Inviting people to have coaching is all part of having a coaching practice – don’t be afraid to ask!
No. I believe that your experience as a counsellor, therapist or psychologist has already given you many of the necessary skills. The course will provide you with all the additional knowledge, skills and tools that you need. It also doesn’t matter what ‘modality’ or approach you use for counselling or psychotherapy, as we will help you make links with your current practice and there will also be lively discussions about the similarities and differences.
Yes, however the full fee must be paid in full 30 days before the first workshop.
Participants are expected to complete 80% of the taught days of the course to satisfy the requirements of European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC Global).
It is therefore possible to miss up to one whole day on my course without it being too detrimental to your learning.
If for any reason you need to miss more than one day, then please discuss this with me as soon as possible.
Attendance at the workshop days is essential – they are not recorded, instead they are full of discussion, questions, observed skills practice, demonstrations and break-out rooms. The workshops are very much about your full engagement and in the moment learning.
Missing a whole workshop would mean you would not be able to complete the programme.
The trainer(s) will continually be informally assessing participants and providing valuable feedback. There is no exam. Instead, participants produce evidence of their competence to practice via a portfolio, which includes self-reflection, case studies, self-assessment and feedback from your coachees and reflection on your supervision. If for any reason we feel you have not met the necessary standards, we will work with you to explain what more is needed and provide you with help and support where appropriate. In the first instance, this usually involves a conversation with the assessors, much like a ‘viva’, and an opportunity for you to bring your practice to life.
External verifiers ensure that assessments are fair and consistent. The EMCC European Quality Award assures you that the course – and the assessment – is of a high quality.
I provide a recommended reading list, so you may want to borrow these books from your local library or buy them. A handbook is provided with all the materials I cover and I have uploaded information and links to the participant area of this website that I think might be helpful to you.
I have also recoded an extensive video library, with demonstrations, explanations and overviews of every element of the training.
The only entrance requirement is that you are qualified to diploma level in counselling or psychotherapy and an accredited or registered member of either the BACP and/or UKCP. Alternatively, you may be a chartered psychologist (BPS).
Members of other professional bodies can also apply, but may need to complete a form that maps their competencies against those of EMCC to Practitioner level. I can go through this with you if this is the case.
My programme requires participants to have a solid psychological/therapeutic foundation and substantial knowledge and experience of developing people and building trusting relationships with clients.
It is therefore only open to qualified and BACP or UKCP registered/accredited counsellors and psychotherapists, which means you will have successfully completed a minimum of 450 hours (i.e. one year full time or two years part time) counselling/psychotherapy qualification that included theory-based learning in at least one theoretical model, such as Gestalt, Psychoanalytic, Person Centred, Integrative etc., and guidance on skills practice as an integral part of the course.
Practitioners from other therapeutic and psychological professional bodies (such as BPS) are accepted providing they can evidence equivalence to these requirements.
Yes. The EMCC Global Code of Ethics requires that all members have regular supervision – a minimum of 1 hour a quarter or for every 35 hours of coaching.
Counsellors and psychotherapists are expected to have regular supervision, therefore this is something with which you will be very familiar. I provide two free coaching supervision sessions with an external master coach and supervisor, via telephone or video, to all participants. You will also have regular peer/co-supervision with a fellow participant. Further individual and group supervision sessions are also available at a discount for participants on the course.
You will be able to call yourself an EMCC Global qualified Senior Practitioner in Coaching.
You will also be able to apply to become a full member of EMCC Global and log your details on the ‘Find a coach’ facility. All the coaching practice hours and the portfolio must be completed before you can be awarded the qualification. Affiliate membership of EMCC is available for a 25% discount whilst on the training programme.
Upon successful completion of the programme, you will receive an advanced post-graduate diploma (level 7), which includes the EMCC Global EQA logo. If you should lose your certificate, an electronic copy will be available upon request up to 12 months after receipt of your initial certificate.
If you take up the fast-track accreditation option, then affiliate membership is included in the fee and you will be able to call yourself an EMCC Global Qualified and Accredited Senior Practitioner in Coaching.
Unlike counselling and psychotherapy, coaching is not currently a voluntarily regulated profession in the UK, which means that anyone can call themselves a coach, regardless of qualification or experience. Professional standards organisations like EMCC Global (the European Mentoring and Coaching Council) set a standard in terms of coaching qualification and amount of experience that their members must have in order to be accredited with their professional body.
The European Quality Award (EQA) is an independent quality kite mark awarded to providers of coaching training to make their qualifications and training widely and immediately recognisable. This is through linking them to recognised professional standards. It is an integral and essential step on the path to establishing the professional credibility and status of coaching.
With an EMCC accredited qualification you will be very well positioned with regard to professional credibility.
This is the same as when you wanted to select a counselling course – you likely chose one that was accredited by BACP or UKCP, so you could be assured of the quality and standards of the training and to give you credibility for completing it.
This is a hotly debated topic and, depending on your theoretical orientation and training as a counsellor or therapist, there are many similarities to be found between coaching and counselling.
However, there are some differences related to fees, focus, intention and (depending on the type of coaching you would like to do) client group and context. My training will enable you to explore where you are currently on the continuum of therapist to coach and to think about the potential niche market that is right for you.
I believe that if you are a counsellor or psychotherapist and meet the entry requirements, then you already have many of the skills of a coach. What I provide is the additional tools, information, expertise and – essentially – the qualification that gives you the knowledge, confidence and credibility to coach a range of clients in both a private and corporate setting.
When you successfully complete this programme, you will be qualified as a coach, which means you are considered to be competent to coach, according to research based competencies for coaching.
Accreditation with EMCC Global formally recognises your prior experience and expertise as a reflective practitioner over a period of years. My course provides a fast-track, significantly discounted option to become accredited at the same time as gaining your qualification – the European Individual Accreditation EIA. Click here for more info: https://www.emccouncil.org/accreditation/eia/
Yes, is the quick answer! The course is mapped against the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC Global) competency framework. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) and EMCC Global are the two leading professional standards bodies for coaching worldwide.
The new BACP coaching competency framework is very similar and therefore my course easily maps against it. If, in time, BACP becomes ready to accredit training programmes against that framework, I hope to be one of the first. I’ve already asked BACP, but not yet had a reply.
Here’s the EMCC Global competency framework, if you care to compare and contrast. My course is SP level
I understand that an urgent unforeseen circumstance may arise where you may need to cancel your booking. However, to ensure that my courses remain viable for other participants, I have a cancellation policy regarding the fees. You can read the cancellation policy in the terms and conditions – details can be found on the application form. NB: depending on when you cancel, you may lose some or all of your fees
If you do want to cancel your booking, please email me as soon as possible: trish@therapisttocoach.co.uk
Like with choosing a therapy course, you want to be assured of the quality and standards of training with a training provider that is accredited. EMCC is the equivalent of BACP or UKCP in the area of coaching.
I chose to become accredited by EMCC, rather than the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) or other coaching body, such as ICF (International Coaching Federation), as I felt that EMCC Global’s competency framework best matched those of therapists who want to coach and provides the flexibility you want for the clients you want.
EMCC exists to promote best practice in Coaching and Mentoring. They have developed the EMCC Competency Framework, which is based in extensive research and identifies the core competency requirements for those individuals working as Coaches.
A critical emphasis for any EMCC EQA programme is on how professional competence in application and practice is developed throughout the duration of the programme. This means that in addition to the exploration of underpinning theory, you will be supported to develop professional practice and competence in the application of the skills.
They have also established the European Quality Award (EQA) which recognises best practice and professional standards in the area of coaching and mentoring training. The emphasis of the award is to raise standards whilst acknowledging existing excellence.
By choosing a training provider which has achieved the EMCC EQA accreditation, you can be reassured that you are making the right choice. An EMCC EQA training provider has to submit their programme to a rigorous process of assessment. During this process the programme is benchmarked against the competency and capability indicators of researched based professional competence. Their programme will then be awarded recognition at one of the four award levels: Foundation – Practitioner – Senior Practitioner – Master Practitioner.
Senior Practitioner is the penultimate level of coaching qualifications.
There are four EMCC Global award levels: Foundation, Practitioner, Senior Practitioner and Master Practitioner. Being a qualified therapist is what sets you apart from other coaches. A Senior Practitioner level qualification reflects both the depth and breadth of the competency, skill, self-reflection and tools you will bring as a dual skilled practitioner. It is a postgraduate advanced diploma (level 7) programme.
Coaching is underpinned by several different theoretical, psychological and practical frameworks, some or many of which our participants will recognise as having links to various therapeutic modalities. I will support individuals to make those links to their own philosophies so that they can be integrated after the programme is completed, if required, or kept separate if preferred.
I believe it is best practice for a coach and or/counsellor to have professional liability insurance, even whilst training, if you are in private practice. I therefore recommend that you obtain insurance cover or add coaching to your existing counselling insurance. Many insurance companies provide discounts if you are a member of a professional body, such as the BACP or UKCP, and will sometimes reduce the costs for trainees and students. It is therefore worth mentioning this when searching for appropriate cover.
The EMCC Global code of ethics states a coach should have insurance to cover coaching for the “countries in which they operate and where such indemnity insurance is available.”
The programme has a total of 500 study hours over 12 months. Including the eight programme delivery days delivered in three blocks (60 hours), you are required to complete:
- 150 hours of reflective practice
- 150 hours theory/models
- 150 hours coaching practice (90 of which will be outside the programme delivery days with your coachees)
- 50 hours for planning, setting up, accessing the website etc
This comes to a total of 500 hours, equating to approximately 50 hours a month, plus attendance at workshops.
My belief is that people learn through doing and then reflecting on that practice. Reflective practice is a process by which you: stop and think about your practice, consciously analyse your decision making and draw on theory and relate it to what you do in practice. Critical analysis and evaluation refocuses your thinking on your existing knowledge and helps generate new knowledge and ideas. You will be expected to keep a reflective journal, complete self-evaluation sheets and logs of coaching practice, co-supervision and professional supervision, all of which will form part of your portfolio submitted at the end of the programme.
You will be expected to complete case studies which will include your personal philosophy, your theoretical model and a focus on your coaching practice with individual clients. You are also asked to complete a theory assignment analysing the strengths and limitations of your current therapeutic approach in a coaching context. Again, these will form part of your portfolio submitted at the end of the programme.
You will be given a Participant Training Pack with over 100 pages literally packed full of information, explanations, tools and resources which will be invaluable not just whilst on the programme, but into your future practice.
Underpinning the entire programme are the EMCC Global competences at Senior Practitioner level and the assessment of the portfolio is based on whether or not you have sufficiently evidenced meeting those competences.
Building your reflective portfolio starts immediately. Each time you read a coaching book or article, talk to a coachee, write up your reflections from a workshop, have some supervision or write a case study, it all goes in your portfolio and counts towards your 500 study hours. Breaking it down likes this makes it practical and manageable.
As you would expect, there is a free extension option for extenuating circumstances, such as a family bereavement. In addition, there is an option to take up to two six-month extensions (for a fee).
Of course! I’d love to hear from you and there is no pressure or hard sell. You can book directly into my diary for a video or phone chat at a mutually convenient time. Use this link: book here.
I like to have a group that is large enough to have an interesting mix of views, approaches and experience, but small enough to have meaningful conversations and an effective learning experience. There is a maximum of 16 participants. I may be joined by another trainer to ensure a good ratio of participants to trainers, particularly on days of skills practice.
At the moment, all my courses are delivered fully online. This enables more people to participate from around the world, it is more cost effective for you, as there are no travel or hotel costs (which also keeps the cost of the course down), and allows attendance regardless of any future covid 19 restrictions.
I’m sorry, at the moment, fees are paid by bank transfers.
There are a maximum of 500 study hours over 12 months. However, building your reflective practice portfolio starts immediately. Each time you read a coaching book or article, talk to a coachee, write up your reflections from a workshop, have some supervision or write a case study, it all goes in your portfolio and counts towards your 500 study hours. Breaking it down likes this makes it practical and manageable. It is possible to finish earlier, after the last workshop, providing you have done enough coaching hours and you can evidence your competence.
I believe it is currently the only course at this level specifically aimed at qualified therapists. This means you are not repeating content and, instead, get to explore how what you already know works in a coaching context. It also tops up your existing knowledge and skills with tools, techniques, approaches and information specific to coaching.
- I have mapped the competences of a BACP/UKCP therapist and a British Psychological Society (BPS) psychologist against those of a coach (according to the European Mentoring & Coaching Council (EMCC)), which means you start at a higher level than most individuals – Senior Practitioner – as it is recognised that you already have many transferable skills, but in a different context.
- On other Senior Practitioner level courses, this is the point at which you will be taught a deep level of listening, presence etc, whereas we recognise that this is already an area of strength for you. So rather than ‘teach you to suck eggs’, I fill in the gaps in your skills and competence.
I do not want my course to disadvantage you. I aim to make changes in order to best support your learning and development. For example, recording case studies and assignments rather than writing them, changing or setting additional deadlines to provide structure, materials in different formats, additional tutorials etc. let’s have a chat so I can bespoke my training to your needs.
You may also want to consider upgrading to EMCC Global Master Coach. In addition to meeting more sophisticated levels of competency, you will need to make your own individual contribution to professional standards and new learning in the field of coaching. This might involve research, writing a book or contributing to chapters, being a coach supervisor, teaching and volunteering for EMCC in your country or EMCC Global.
Many universities are happy to do formal recognition of both prior learning (RPL) and recognition of prior learning and experience (RPEL) for an EMCC Global Senior Practitioner programme to their masters (MSc), asking to see certificates and diplomas as evidence.