Earn Unlimited ICF Reciprocal Coaching as You Coach Each Other, Grow Together, and Gain the Coaching Experience and Confidence You Need to Succeed.
Coaching truly comes alive when you can put what you learned in your coaching training into practice smoothly and intuitively with confidence. Building up coaching experience is an essential component for your path to becoming an effective coach. There is no substitute. Just as musicians and athletes rehearse, practice, and perform to hone their craft, coaches can benefit from practicing and as often as possible, grow coaching skills, and build confidence.
Our Coaching Buddies Program is a platform where you can build coaching experience hours in a safe and supportive community of fellow coaches.
Here are some of the many ways our ICF reciprocal coaching program can benefit you and your practice:
- Practice coaching in a supportive environment
- Get coached
- Build your ICF reciprocal coaching experience hours (the exchanged hours can be logged towards ‘paid hours’ for ICF application)
- Learn new coaching skills from each other
- Expand your professional network
- Build coaching confidence
- Grow as a coach and as an individual!
Three Easy Steps to Earn ICF Reciprocal Coaching Hours :
Decide which enrollment level you’d like.
• You choose to participate for one year or for an unlimited time. Once enrolled, you’ll have access to our Coaching Buddies reciprocal coaching program where you can complete your buddy form to be matched. You can begin at any round during the year. (See the Enrollment tab for round dates.)
Choose to be matched with up to 3 coaching buddies per round (That is up to 12 buddies a year!)
• Each round lasts for 3 months, and you and your buddies can decide when and how often to meet.
• The matching is done based on your time zone, availability, and experience.
• The number of practice hours you request per week equals the number of buddies you get. For example, if you request 1 hour of coaching buddy practice time a week, you will be matched with 1 buddy. If you request 3 hours of practice per week, you’ll get 3 buddies.
Start exchanging coaching services. Build your hours, grow coaching skills, and boost your confidence!
• You and your partner can exchange coaching sessions with each other as a coach and/or a coachee as many times as you both wish within the round.
• Regardless of the subscription level, you submit your matching preference for each round to be enrolled in the round.
Who can join our Coaching Buddies Program?
Anyone who is currently enrolled in a Life Coach Training or has completed a Life Coach Training can participate.
Please be aware that before you participate, you must agree to our rules of conduct:
We are all here to actively learn and grow together as coaches and practitioners. By enrolling in the program, you agree to the following to create a successful experience for each other.
- You confirm that you will work within the limits of your current training. This means that you will only practice your Coaching Exercise assignments with your buddy/s if you have not completed your Life Coach Training.
- You understand what coaching is and isn’t (as opposed to therapy, counseling, mentoring, etc.) 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.”
- You agree to communicate with each other in a timely manner when you are unable to make a scheduled session or when you are no longer available to participate in the program (you should also report the change to the program coordinator).
- You give permission for your buddy/s to include your details in their client coaching hours log.
- You understand that this is a place of learning and agree to treat each other kindly and respectfully.
- You have read and agree to the Code of Ethics set forth by the International NLP Association (https://internationalnlpassociation.org/code-of-ethics/) and International Coaching Federation (https://coachfederation.org/icf-ethics).
- If you have complaints or concerns about your coaching buddy, you will contact iNLP Center for resolution.
- If we receive complaints from your coaching buddies, you may lose your access to the Coaching Buddies program and no refund will be given.
- You understand that you may lose full or partial access to the Coaching Buddies Program if you breach any of the terms listed above and will not be entitled to a refund.
How to get started earning your ICF reciprocal coaching hours
To get started, choose the plan you would like – One Year Access or Lifetime Access:
One Year Access includes 4 rounds: (February – April) • (May – July ) • (August – October) • (November – January)
Lifetime Access allows you to participate in all rounds for as long as you like. This means you can earn unlimited reciprocal coaching hours to meet all ICF credential levels for as long as you need.
Questions about Reciprocal Coaching and our Coaching Buddies Program
What is reciprocal coaching?
Reciprocal coaching is where you coach someone in exchange for them coaching you.
How do I get coaching hours for ICF?
You can get coaching hours for ICF by coaching volunteers (pro-bono), being paid or compensated for your coaching services, or by exchanging coaching services with another coach (reciprocal coaching).
How many coaching practice hours do I need for an ICF credential?
ICF requires 100 coaching practice hours for the ACC credential.
ICF requires 500 coaching practice hours for the PCC credential.
ICF requires 2500 coaching practice hours for the MCC credential.
Roughly 75% of those hours must be paid or reciprocal coaching hours. The remaining hours can be pro-bono (unpaid).
Can I earn coach practice hours during my life coach training?
You can earn life coach practice hours during your life coach training and after by participating in our Coaching Buddies reciprocal coaching program. Our ICF reciprocal coaching hours program is included with our NLP-Integrated Life Coach Training, our ICF Mentor Coaching Program, and our NLP Combo Training.
How can I get free reciprocal coaching?
You can get free reciprocal coaching by enrolling in one of our Life Coach or NLP training programs. If enrolled in one of our trainings, you will also be eligible to particpate in our Practice Partners reciprocal coaching group where you can find your own matches as well.
What if I don’t like my matches?
If you are not satisfied with your matches, we will rematch you, no questions asked 🙂