The International Coaching Federation offers three main levels of individual coaching credentials: Associate Certified Coach (ACC), Professional Certified Coach (PCC), and Master Certified Coach (MCC). These represent a progressive pathway, signifying increasing levels of coach-specific education, coaching experience, and demonstrated competence.

The primary distinctions lie in the minimum thresholds for training and experience hours:

• ACC (Associate Certified Coach): This is the foundational credential, ideal for coaches early in their careers or professionals integrating coaching skills into their work. It requires at least 60 hours of coach-specific education and a minimum of 100 hours of client coaching experience.
• PCC (Professional Certified Coach): This credential signifies a more established coaching practice and deeper skill integration. It requires at least 125 hours of coach-specific education and a minimum of 500 hours of client coaching experience.
• MCC (Master Certified Coach): Representing the highest level of credentialing, the MCC denotes mastery in coaching. It requires holding or having held a PCC credential, completing at least 200 hours of coach-specific education, and accumulating a minimum of 2,500 hours of client coaching experience.

This tiered structure serves multiple functions. Internally, it provides a clear developmental roadmap for coaches seeking continuous growth. Externally, it acts as a signaling mechanism to the market. Clients and organizations often look for ICF credentials as a mark of quality and professionalism, and the specific level (ACC, PCC, MCC) helps them gauge a coach's depth of experience and investment in the profession. The ACC provides that crucial first level of recognized credibility.

For visual clarity, the core differences are summarized below:

Table 1: ICF Credential Levels at a Glance

While the path may lead towards PCC and MCC in the future, the focus of dedicated ACC mentoring programs is to provide the targeted support needed to successfully achieve the ACC credential milestone. Viewing the ACC as a powerful first step on this ladder builds a strong foundation for continued professional development. Comprehensive details comparing the credentials can be found on the ICF website.

Achieving the ICF ACC credential involves meeting several key requirements, demonstrating a commitment to professional standards. While the candidate undertakes the core activities, specialized mentoring provides critical support in specific areas. The main requirements for the ACC credential include:

1. Coach-Specific Education: A minimum of 60 hours of coach-specific education is required. This training must come from an ICF-accredited program (Level 1, Level 2, ACTP, or ACSTH designations) or meet the criteria for the Portfolio path, ensuring alignment with ICF's definition of coaching, Core Competencies, and Code of Ethics.
2. Coaching Experience: Applicants must log a minimum of 100 hours of coaching experience with at least 8 different clients. This experience must begin after the start of their coach-specific training. Of these 100 hours, at least 75 hours must be paid coaching engagements. Additionally, at least 25 hours of the total experience must have occurred within the 18 months immediately preceding the submission of the credential application.
3. Mentor Coaching: As detailed previously, completion of 10 hours of mentor coaching over a minimum of three months with a qualified ICF Credential-holder is mandatory for most application paths.
4. Assessment (ACC Exam): Candidates must successfully pass the ICF ACC Exam. This exam assesses the applicant's knowledge and understanding of the ICF definition of coaching, the ICF Core Competencies, and the ICF Code of Ethics.

These multi-faceted requirements create a holistic evaluation framework. They assess not just theoretical knowledge (Training, Exam) but also practical application (Experience), and the capacity for reflection and refinement against professional standards (Mentor Coaching). This comprehensive approach ensures that ACC credential-holders possess a well-rounded foundation in coaching, strengthening the credential's value and credibility.

Personalized mentoring programs play a crucial role by focusing intensely on specific components of this framework. While the aspiring coach is responsible for completing the training hours and accumulating client experience, expert mentoring provides dedicated support for the Mentor Coaching requirement itself and, significantly, prepares the candidate to confidently navigate the ACC Exam. Depending on the application path, some training programs include performance evaluations assessed internally; if direct submission of recordings to ICF were required (less common for ACC paths compared to PCC/MCC Portfolio paths), mentoring would also focus on preparing for that. The requirements should be viewed not as hurdles, but as essential building blocks for professional competence. Partnering with a mentor ensures the critical phases of competency refinement and assessment preparation are navigated effectively and successfully. Detailed ACC requirements are available on the ICF website, and information on how specific mentoring programs address these components can be found on provider websites.

The timeline for achieving the ICF ACC credential is not fixed and can vary significantly based on individual circumstances. Factors influencing the duration include the structure and schedule of the chosen coach-specific training program, the pace at which the required 100 coaching experience hours are accumulated, and the availability of a suitable mentor coach.

However, a general timeframe often cited is between 6 to 12 months. Some training programs themselves span 4-6 months or longer. It is crucial to remember the mandatory minimum three-month duration for the 10 hours of mentor coaching. Additionally, once an application is approved and an invitation to test is received, candidates typically have a 60-day window to schedule and complete the ACC Exam.

This 6-12 month estimate reflects more than just the time needed to complete tasks. It encompasses the period necessary for meaningful learning, skill integration through practice with diverse clients, and the essential reflective cycle built into the mentor coaching requirement. Attempting to rush the process might compromise the intended developmental benefits.

Engaging in structured, personalized mentor coaching can significantly contribute to streamlining this journey. By providing focused feedback, clarifying the application of competencies, offering practice opportunities, and helping prepare effectively for the assessment, mentorship builds confidence and enhances readiness, potentially making the path to application more efficient. Proactive planning, diligent tracking of coaching hours , and active engagement in both training and mentoring are key to navigating the process effectively. This timeframe represents an investment in building a robust foundation for a successful coaching career, and partnering with a mentor can make this investment journey more focused, insightful, and rewarding.

Definitely! I suggest arranging a 30-minute chemistry call before purchasing a program. This will enable us to optimize the chances for success in our partnership.

Please schedule a 30-minute chemistry session with me through the link provided on this page.

No! You can reserve as many hours as you need; there is no minimum. However, keep in mind that only the hours spent in direct, face-to-face interactions will count toward your credentialing application for Mentor Coaching hours. 

The time the Mentor spends reviewing session recordings cannot be counted for this purpose. The ICF has set this rule!

Yes! You have six months to use the Mentor Coaching hours you buy.

That's a great question!

When we agree to review a session recording, I charge 1 hour and 15 minutes of mentoring time for recordings up to 40 minutes long and 1 hour and 30 minutes for those longer than 40 minutes but not exceeding 1 hour. 

I don't recommend sending recordings for review that exceed one hour unless we've discussed it beforehand. 

The written review we agree upon will provide feedback that highlights strengths and suggests areas for further growth.

Refunds are processed as follows: 

Cancellations made before the program's start date are eligible for a full refund. For cancellations made after the program begins, a pro-rata refund will be issued within six months from the purchase date. No refund is available for cancellations made more than six months after the purchase. Refunds will be processed after deducting any applicable payment processing fees.

Preparation for the ACC assessment component requires a focused approach. It is important to note that the primary assessment for ACC applicants is now the ICF ACC Exam. This is a knowledge-based, multiple-choice exam focusing on three key domains: Coaching Ethics (approx. 30%), Definition and Boundaries of Coaching (approx. 30%), and Coaching Competencies, Strategies, and Techniques (approx. 40%). The previous "ICF Credentialing Exam," which uses situational judgment questions, is now primarily utilized for PCC and MCC applications, although ACC candidates may have a transitional option to take it until March 2025.

If required as a separate engagement, we will design a personalized mentoring approach to prepare you for the ACC Exam through several integrated strategies:

• Deep Dive into Competencies: Mentoring sessions intensely focus on ensuring a thorough understanding and the ability to demonstrate positive evidence of all ICF Core Competencies. Since competencies form a significant portion of the exam content, this rigorous work to align skills with ICF standards provides a strong foundation.
• Targeted Feedback on Recordings: Reviewing actual coaching session recordings is central to the process. Detailed written and verbal feedback may be provided, pinpointing strengths and development areas specifically linked to the competencies being tested. This practical application solidifies understanding in a way that theoretical study alone cannot. Grounding the knowledge in practical skill and self-awareness is key, even for a knowledge-based exam.
• Practice and Refinement: One-on-one mentoring offers invaluable opportunities to practice coaching in a safe, supportive environment, receiving immediate, actionable feedback to hone skills and address gaps.
• Understanding Ethical Boundaries: Dedicated attention is given to ensuring clarity on the ICF Code of Ethics and the crucial distinctions between coaching and other professions (therapy, consulting, mentoring), which are major domains of the ACC Exam. This aligns with a mentoring philosophy centered on quality and ethical practice.
• Leveraging Learning Resources: Depending on the specific mentoring program chosen, access may be provided to supplementary resources like the EASIER Framework learning compendium or an audio/video library featuring coaching demonstrations and commentaries, further embedding understanding of the competencies.
• Building Confidence: A supportive yet direct mentoring style aims to demystify the ICF standards, reinforce capabilities, and build the your confidence, ensuring you approach the exam feeling prepared and capable. The goal is to make the implicit requirements explicit, facilitating the demonstration of knowledge.

Through this active partnership, mentoring helps decode the competencies, refine practical application through targeted feedback, and build the confidence needed to successfully demonstrate knowledge on the ACC Exam. Details on specific services like recording reviews are available on this website, alongside the overarching philosophy. Official exam content outlines are available from ICF.

It is natural to consider all possibilities when undertaking a significant goal like the ACC credential. Should you not pass the ACC Exam on your first attempt, it is important to know that this does not signify the end of the journey. The commitment within a personalized mentoring relationship extends to providing support throughout the entire process, including navigating potential setbacks.

Our personalized, tailored mentoring implies continued support. Steps we will consider pursuing in such a scenario would involve:

1. Review and Strategize: Carefully examining the score report provided by ICF/Pearson VUE to understand the specific knowledge domains or competency areas that require further development.
2. Targeted Mentoring: Resuming the mentoring engagement with a renewed focus on strengthening those identified gaps. This could involve additional recording reviews, focused practice sessions, discussions clarifying ethical scenarios or competency applications, tailored specifically to address the areas highlighted by the exam results.
3. Additional Support: Candidates would typically have the option to arrange for additional mentoring hours specifically geared towards retake preparation, ensuring the support matches their evolving needs.

The core principle is partnership towards success. The mentor works collaboratively with the candidate to analyze the situation, develop a targeted improvement plan, and rebuild confidence for a subsequent attempt. This contrasts with standardized programs where support might conclude at a set point. The value of this personalized model lies in its adaptability and commitment to the mentee's ultimate achievement, offering resilience-building support rather than just a one-time service. Any setback can be framed as a valuable learning opportunity, and with dedicated support and focused effort, achieving the ACC credential remains absolutely attainable.

If you need further details, feel free to get in touch via the contact form accessible through the Contact link in the menu.