Coaching Certification for Therapists and Counselors: Which One Fits?

For therapists and counselors, the two coaching credentials to consider are the Board Certified Coach (BCC) from the Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE) and an International Coaching Federation (ICF) credential, the ACC or PCC. Training that counts toward both keeps your options open. iPEC®'s Coach Training Program is approved for 120 hours of BCC training and is ICF Level 2 accredited.

The Two Credentials to Consider

Credential	Issued by	Training and experience	Best for
BCC (Board Certified Coach)	Center for Credentialing & Education (CCE)	CCE-approved coach training. The hours depend on your degree, so check CCE's current requirements	Licensed clinicians adding coaching to their practice
ACC (Associate Certified Coach)	International Coaching Federation (ICF)	60+ hours of ICF-accredited training and 100+ hours of client coaching	Clinicians starting a coaching practice
PCC (Professional Certified Coach)	International Coaching Federation (ICF)	125+ hours of ICF-accredited training and 500+ hours of client coaching	Executive, leadership and corporate coaching

Each credential has its own experience, mentoring and assessment requirements, so check with CCE and ICF before you apply.

How Coaching Differs From Therapy

Therapy and counseling often explore the past to heal and treat. Coaching looks forward: you partner with clients to set goals, move past what's in their way and take action. A coaching credential doesn't change your clinical license or scope of practice, and many clinicians keep their coaching clients separate from their therapy clients.

For a closer look, see life coach vs. therapist vs. counselor.

What Clinicians Should Look For

Training that teaches the shift from therapist to coach, not just a review of what you already know.
Clear teaching on ethics and on the line between coaching and therapy.
Live practice where you coach real people and get feedback.
Mentor coaching from credentialed coaches.
Support for building a coaching practice, since clinical training rarely covers private-pay business.

Where iPEC® Fits

iPEC®'s Coach Training Program is ICF Level 2 accredited, with 160 training hours covering the education for the ACC and PCC, and it's approved for 120 hours of BCC training. Tuition includes 10 hours of mentor coaching and your final performance evaluation. You earn two certifications: the Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and the Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner (ELI-MP). For help building your practice, you can add our optional Lead & Launch course.

"Therapy is very process-oriented, which I think is important and I believe in it, but coaching made so much more sense to me."

Lisa Kaplin, psychologist, Certified Professional Coach and ICF-credentialed iPEC Lead Trainer

iPEC® produces the most powerful coaches in the world. See how iPEC®'s ICF-accredited program works, or which coaching certifications employers and clients respect most.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best coaching certification for therapists?

For most licensed clinicians, it's the BCC or an ICF credential. The BCC comes from CCE, an affiliate of the National Board for Certified Counselors, and an ICF credential is the most widely recognized in coaching. iPEC®'s Coach Training Program counts toward both.

Can I earn the BCC through iPEC?

iPEC® is a CCE-approved BCC training provider, and the Coach Training Program is approved for 120 hours of BCC training. CCE sets the other requirements, so check its current rules for your degree.

Does a coaching certification change my scope of practice?

No. Coach training doesn't change your clinical license or what it allows. Keep coaching and therapy clearly separate in your client agreements and records.

Do my clinical hours count toward an ICF credential?

No. ICF requires coach-specific training and logged coaching hours. An ICF Level 2 program like iPEC®'s covers the training for both the ACC and the PCC in one program.