Being a coach or having previous coaching experience is not a prerequisite for this course. It is open to all those who desire to learn what it takes to create and hold powerful spaces for growth, deeper awareness, transformative growth and healing.

We have had therapists, counselors, yoga teachers, parents, holistic practitioners, care givers, facilitators, leaders, and others from many walks of life participate. All that is needed is an open mind and heart.

Both courses are based on the work of founder Leon VanderPol, and in that sense the overall perspective is similar, however the Deep Coaching Intensive is 6-month comprehensive coach training program which encompasses all ICF coaching competencies in its curriculum. Holding Space is 8-weeks (20 classroom hours), and is focused on developing your capacity with three competencies core to transformational work, in any context:

1. Cultivating Trust and Safety
2. Maintaining Presence
3. Evoking Awareness

It is the quality and nature of your presence, and the level of trust and safety that you create, that creates a truly transformative space and experience for others.

Holding Space has also been designed with the context of our times in mind. We are living in uncertain times, and the capacity to hold space (vs. the need to fix problems or resolve issues) is an exceptional means for enabling people to open up about their struggles, stresses, worries, and fears, and shift into higher realms of awareness and possibility as they do.

The focus of this course is to teach coaches and other helping professionals to learn how to better support people in that way, without themselves becoming overwhelmed, drained or burnt out by the emotions and energies that can accompany the work.

If you are interested in learning Deep Transformational Coaching as well as holding space, please check out the Deep Coaching Intensive.

No, there is no specific religion or teachings that underpin this course. The work draws from a wide range of sources, all which are understood to support people to access the deepest part of themselves. People come to the Center from all around the world, from many different faiths and paths.

We are committed to creating a platform for learning where all are respected and appreciated for who they are and what they bring. What this course aims to do is teach universal principles and practices that apply to all of us as human beings, regardless of our personal background or beliefs.

Yes. With the 20 CCEUs you receive for completing Holding Space you can apply them towards your ICF ACC or PCC credential application.

However, when putting CCEUs toward a credential, either an ACC or PCC, you are required to follow ICF's Portfolio Path.

It's no problem at all to miss a few classes throughout the course. All missed classes can be made up by listening to the recording and submitting your learnings.

If you are in situation which prevents you from attending most of or all the weekly classes, consider 'auditing' the course instead. Auditing means you take the course as do all participants, the only difference is that you listen to the weekly class recording rather than attending in person. Learnings and take-aways are then sent to your learning leader afterwards in order to get credit for attending that class.

Yes! Experience is the greatest teacher.

Holding Space has a 'peer practice' component designed to put the concepts you are learning into practice. The course requires a minimum of 2 hours of peer practice, but your are encouraged to do as much as possible to augment your learning.