What does it take to be(come) a good coach/counsellor? What are your talents and how can you develop and apply them to guide others in their process?
In this training programme you will learn to recognise personal patterns as the root of certain issues, and will get acquainted with methodologies that can be applied during sessions with your client. You will discover which coaching methods suit you best, and how to deal with themes that are personally important to you.
This programme is suitable both as a basic coaching training programme, for people starting out in the coaching profession, and for people who are already a counsellor or psychologist and want to learn the skills of coaching and counselling in order to work more effectively with their clients.
Discover who you are as a coach/counsellor
As a coach or counsellor you can be the most important factor in your client’s changing process. For that reason, it is very important to first know yourself, both as a person and as a professional, and to know where your specific skills and knowledge lie to guide others. In this training course you will learn theory and methodologies, as well as gain practical tools for personal and professional growth.
The training programme is based on 3 pillars: theory, practice and personal development.
- Theory: you will be studying the compulsory literature and the study syllabus.
- Practice: you will exercise and practice methods with fellow students during class days and work with test clients in between class days.
- Personal development: throughout the programme, you will receive feedback from your teacher and fellow students, and reflect on your own progress and personal themes/patterns. Since you will take on the role of both coach and client during class days, you will be able to experience both sides and gain new insights. You keep track of your personal learning process in your portfolio.
Over the course of the training sessions, your initial ideas of the work you want to do as a coach/counsellor are likely to change or fluctuate. It is a journey of discovering who you are, where your experience lies, what methodologies suit you best, and which specialisation and client demographic attract you most. A beautiful and inspiring journey that you and your fellow students will make in a safe environment.
Is this course suitable for you?
The course is suitable for anyone who wants to learn the basics of coaching and counselling. This can for example be someone who wants to set up their own practice as a coach/counsellor, but also professionals who want to apply the skills in their job. If you already coach or counsel others in your current profession, and you want to acquire more skills, this course can be very suitable for you.
What is the purpose of the programme?
After completing this programme, you will be able to coach people in both personal and business settings. In addition, you will learn the basics of counselling. After this training programme you can use the acquired skills as an independent coach, in your current job (for example as a manager) and in your personal life. However, if you want to work as an (independent) counsellor, it is required to follow the training programme Coaching and Counselling Year 2 after completing Coaching and Counselling Year 1.
If you have previously gained a people-oriented HBO (Higher Vocational Education) or University degree* and you already have experience in guiding people, then you could work as an (independent) counsellor after completing Coaching and Counselling Year 1. However, it is always recommended to continue developing yourself as a coach/counsellor by following the second year programme (Coaching and Counselling Year 2) after the first year.
* You can view the list of people-oriented studies here (page in Dutch). All the studies mentioned in this list, both the left and the right column, are considered to be people oriented education.
What will you learn in the programme?
After successfully completing the training programme Coaching and Counselling Year 1 you will be able to:
- Coach people with various issues.
- Use counselling skills in coaching sessions with clients.
- Guide people to discover and develop their talents.
- Use different methodologies to guide people in their process.
- Recognise underlying issues and themes, discern what falls within your field of expertise and when to refer your client to other professionals.
- Make a sound decision on who you want to be(come) as a coach/counsellor and choose a specific direction to develop yourself.
During the training programme, you will go through a personal development process yourself. In order to become a good coach/counsellor, it is very important that you have a proper understanding of your own life themes and issues and that you have previously worked/dealt with them.
Who are your fellow students?
The students in this course are mostly people who want to learn how to coach/counsel others and acquire the basic techniques and tools to do so. There will also be students who would like to apply the taught skills in their current job.
Course schedule
The programme consists of 10 days of class, in which the following themes and subjects will be covered:
Day 1: Attitude of the coach/counsellor
- The principles of coaching and counselling
- Who are you as a coach?
- Building rapport
- Basic coaching skills
- The boundaries of the coaching profession
- Reflection and intervision
Day 2: Communication and conversation skills
- Types of questions and the role of verbal and non-verbal communication
- Listening, summarizing, deeper questioning
- Formulating learning questions with a client
- Giving and receiving feedback
Day 3: Stages of coaching and counselling
- Different process models for coaching and counselling
- The phases of coaching and counselling (the coaching process from intake until completion)
Day 4: Biographical work: inner child, attachment styles and coping styles
- Coping and attachment styles
- Discussing the life story
- Transactional analysis
- Behavioural patterns
Day 5: Systemic work and family constellations
- Systemic principles
- Systemic questioning
- Family constellations
- Circle of concern and influence
Day 6: Body, mind and soul
- Feelings, emotions and intuition
- Coaching with games: The Feelings Game
- Non-violent communication
- Coaching with stress and burn-out related issues
- Knowledge of psychological disorders
Day 7: Meaning and well-being
- Meaning and flow
- Dealing with different life philosophies in coaching
- Culturally sensitive coaching
- The logical levels of Bateson and Dilts
- Coaching with games: Values Game
- The wheel of life
- Body-oriented exercises (breathing exercises, body scan)
Day 8: Trauma, mourning and loss
- The stages of grief
- Theories on grief and grief recovery
- Talking about grief
- Trauma: what is it, how do you recognise it and what can you do with it as a coach?
- The drama triangle (and you as a coach)
- Referral (how and to whom)
Day 9: Coaching and the 6 coaching positions
- Different roles as coach (e.g. manager as coach, expert as coach)
- What is your role, place and mandate. Who pays for the sessions?
- The 6 coaching attitudes
- Coachability and learning styles of the client
- Giving homework assignments to clients
- Completing sessions and anchoring the results (how can you make the process most effective in the long run)
Day 10: Dealing with disruptions in the coaching process
- Dealing with resistance or evasive behaviour
- The drama triangle (working with clients)
- Dealing with difficult situations in coaching
Throughout the programme, you will work on developing your own portfolio. This portfolio will contain reflection reports, homework assignments, reports of intervision meetings with your fellow students, and reports of coaching sessions with test clients.
The training programme contains both a theoretical and a practical exam. The theoretical exam takes place online. During the practical exam, you will demonstrate your acquired skills and coaching attitude during a coaching/counselling session with a (mock) client.
Classroom and online programme
Coaching and Counselling Year 1 is available as a classroom programme and as a Live Online programme. You can find more information about the online programme here.
The study load for this training programme is approximately 8 to 10 hours per week.
Coaching and Counselling Year 1 Details
Programme:
Coaching and Counselling Year 1
Programme language:
English
Duration:
11 months
Extent:
10 days of class
Study load:
8 – 10 hours per week
Group size:
Classroom Programme: 12 – 18 participants
Online Programme: 6 – 10 participants
Educational level:
Bachelor-level (post bachelor / post-HBO)
Pre-education:
Minimum of Secondary Vocational Education (Dutch MBO level 4) and/or sufficient life experience and motivation. Click here for the possibilities if you do not meet this requirement.
Teachers:
Diploma:
Students will receive the Coaching and Counselling Year 1 diploma when:
- The portfolio and all exams (theoretical and practical) have a sufficient result/mark.
- A positive trainer’s assessment has been obtained.
- The minimum attendance rule of 90% has been met.
- All course fees have been fully paid.
Portfolio:
During the training programme you work on your portfolio, which includes reports on your learning process, the sessions with your practice clients, intervision and practised methodologies. A minimum of 12 hours of working with practice clients is required. The student will need to arrange the practice clients themselves.
Attendance requirements:
Students are required to attend at least 90% of classes to able to receive a diploma, with mandatory attendance for the first and last day of class.
Certification:
This training programme is certified by the LVSC. If you also successfully complete the Coaching and Counselling English Year 2 programme you can register with the LVSC as a Register Coach. In the meantime, as a student it is possible to register as a student-member and as a ‘Aspirant-Registercoach’.
The ACC is also recognized by the International Association for Counselling (IAC). This means that our institute has the IAC quality mark and you, as an ACC student, can join the IAC as a member.
Click here for more information on certification and recognition of the ACC.
Accreditation:
From the 1st of March 2022, our training programme Coaching and Counselling Year 1 is accredited by the SNRO. If your previous education was at least on Higher Vocational Education (Dutch HBO) level, you will receive a Coaching and Counselling Year 1 diploma with SNRO accreditation logo after graduating for the programme (this applies only to programmes that started from the spring of 2022 onwards). Click here for more information about SNRO accreditation.
As of May 2024, our training programme Coaching and Counselling Year 1 has been accredited by the SKB. Click here for more information about this SKB accreditation.
EC credits:
22.09
Literature list:
Download the literature list for this training programme here.
Prices
Start March 2025:
Total amount € 3597,-. Payment in 3 instalments: € 1199,- per term.*
*Payment in instalments is possible (max. 3). However, the full tuition needs to be paid before the start of the course.
All amounts include administration costs (of € 50), the study syllabus (of € 50) and examination costs. Literature/books and potential resits of exams (€ 100,- per exam) are excluded.
NB: The study syllabus is issued once per student. Only in exceptional cases is it possible to request a reprint of the syllabus. If a reprint is approved by the ACC, the costs will be € 100,- (including administration costs and shipping costs within the Netherlands).
The Academy for Coaching and Counselling is registered with the CRKBO, which means that our training courses are exempt from btw (Dutch VAT).
If the table below is not shown on your mobile phone or tablet, please rotate your screen (one-quarter turn).
Starting date | End date | Day | Class times | Trainer | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
21-03-2025 | 23-01-2026 | Friday | 10.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. | Margarita Bernal | Utrecht | |
22-03-2025 | 07-02-2026 | Saturday | 10.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. | Betty Bonnema | Amstelveen | |
22-03-2025 | 24-01-2026 | Saturday | 10.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. | Lya Young-Afat | Rotterdam |
If the table below is not shown on your mobile phone or tablet, please rotate your screen (one-quarter turn).
Starting date | End date | Day | Class times | Trainer | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
21-03-2025 | 16-01-2026 | Friday | 10.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. | Judith Wolterink | Online | |
22-03-2025 | 31-01-2026 | Saturday | 10.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. | Margarita Bernal | Online |
The classroom programme will start when a minimum of 12 students have enrolled and will be considered full with 18 participants. The online programme will start when a minimum of 6 students have enrolled and will be considered full with 10 participants. As soon as we have sufficient applicants (at the latest 2 weeks before the start of the course) we will confirm the start. In case of too little students, or if a course is full, we will always try to find a solution, for example by postponing the start date a little or by creating a new group (if possible).
Students are required to attend at least 90% of classes to able to receive a diploma, with mandatory attendance for the first and last day of class.
Depending on how many English programmes will run simultaneously to your course, there might be an option to make up for a missed class in a different group. This is however up to the discretion of the ACC and our teacher(s) and cannot be guaranteed.
This is a very comprehensive training, full of theory and practice, well supported with a very good teacher. I was surprised by the level of training and information that was provided and how we were all supported and encouraged through the whole process.
I did a lot of courses and training programmes like NLP, alternative medicine or other courses about communication and psychology. And I have to say that I found this ACC course really complete. This programme gives you a complete knowledge about the field and this is amazing. Probably people spend money for other courses but with a programme like this you have everything in one and that is powerful.
I would definitely recommend the ACC and the training programme in particular, since I liked the professional attitude and very much applicable knowledge that was shared. I appreciated the strong theoretical base combined with the intensive hands-on experience of practicing the learnings – on myself, with peer students and test clients. Also, I was able to get a real feel of what coaching and counselling is about and understand better for myself what I want to do with that in the future. The ACC is definitely the right place for someone interested in personal and professional development in a safe and warm atmosphere.
I like this programme because it covers lots of good and useful topics. It was very interesting and educational to learn in a group. It still gives freedom to explore and learn in individual pace.
I think the ACC’s programme is one of the best coaching programmes out there that I could’ve chosen from. The length, the content and the assignments of the programme really guarantees a transformative experience both professionally and personally. The first year for me was a personal transformation. I grew as human so much and I owe it to my teacher (Lya) and classmates for helping me throughout my journey. The second year was also very transformative for me, this time my transformation was around my profession as a coach/counsellor. I am again grateful for my teacher (Arjan) and classmates to help me with my journey. Overall, I recommend this programme to anyone looking to grow both professionally and personally among like-minded people.
I am already working in the field of coaching and I must admit that I was really impressed by the quality of the programme given by ACC. The trainers are highly qualified and always available to reply to your questions. The learning process gave me the opportunity to develop further my coaching skills with my clients but also my creativity and self-growth. I would highly recommend this course to anyone willing to become a coach/counsellor or to strengthen their existing professional competences.
My experience of Coaching and Counselling Year 1 was extremely positive. This interactive, theoretical and practical study exceeded my curiosity and desire to learn more about counselling and how suitable a career this might be for me. It benefitted me in fundamental ways I hadn’t anticipated, such as practicing key communication skills, which I realise I took for granted. It helped me to work on myself, in order to work well with others. Whether it’s to benefit you in your existing career, or prepare you for a career in coaching and counselling – I’d highly recommend this course!
I have recently completed my first year of the Coaching and Counselling course with ACC and was so impressed I decided to sign up for Year 2. The programme exceeded my expectations and our trainer, Arjan van Dijk, was extremely knowledgeable and supportive throughout the learning process, offering just the right balance between theory, interaction and feedback. I already feel that I have grown both professionally and personally and am looking forward to enhancing my coaching skills in Year 2. The owners and trainers are very hands on and there to support you on your journey. I would highly recommended ACC to anyone interested in becoming a coach or looking to strengthen their professional coaching skills.
From beginning to end my experiences with the ACC have been positive. I relocated from the UK to complete Year 1 of the programme and the school were instantly warm and welcoming, answering any questions that I had. Throughout the year I have developed many new skills, having the chance to put these into practice with clients to support them in their coaching journey. This year has also been an opportunity for self-growth and development and the ACC has provided a safe space to do that in. If you are looking to explore Coaching and Counselling, or develop existing skills that you already have, this course comes highly recommended.
The Live Online – Coaching and Counselling Year 1 course is the online version of the classroom course Coaching and Counselling Year 1. More information about the content of this course can be found here. Below you will find what it means to follow live online courses and how to register for this course.
How does the Live Online Training work?
You will follow the classes from the convenience of your own home via Zoom. You can even attend class from other locations, wherever you are in the world, as long as you have a computer with webcam available. The online lessons will be taught live on camera by a teacher, while all students are visible onscreen and can interact as needed. Throughout the session, the teacher can separate the students in smaller groups to practice the different techniques and methodologies. This means that the online lessons offer very similar possibilities as the classroom lessons.
We allow between 6 and 10 participants per group, to achieve the best possible learning environment. The group consists of 10 class days of 7 hours each. Outside class-hours, so in your own time, you will meet (online) with your fellow students to practice and have so called ‘intervision’ meetings. You will find your own coaching clients for practice sessions, which can be done online as well, or in real life, as you please.
Overall, this online training programme gives you the opportunity to learn proper coaching and counselling skills from anywhere in the world, while still interacting with a teacher and fellow students.
When is the Live Online training programme scheduled?
The Live Online Coaching and Counselling Year 1 training programme will be offered in the spring of 2025 on Fridays or Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
How can I register for this programme?
On the locations and dates tab, you can register for the Live Online training programme. Below the classroom programme, you will find the option to register for the online programme of Coaching and Counselling Year 1.
