Mentor coaching is a high quality professional and personal growth experience and an important part of a coach’s ongoing development. Coaching can be a lonely profession. Connecting with experienced coaches specifically trained to guide and support coaches by offering a framework for reflection on their practice is a vital professional growth tool. Participating in quality mentor coaching over time while a coach engages with clients strengthens their practice by enriching their perspectives and enhancing their skills.
Mentor coaching is a requirement for ICF coach accreditation and renewal at all three levels of coaching practice (ACC, PCC, MCC.) Mentor coaching offers a strong focus on developing a coach’s skills in alignment with the ICF coaching competencies. The supportive structure offered within coach mentoring allows coaches to explore, improve and experiment with their own applications and understandings of ICF coaching competencies. The ongoing, structured reflection that occurs during a mentor coaching experience helps practitioners apply coaching competencies more directly and consistently to both their clients and them. Coach Catherine is currently accepting and scheduling new mentor coaching clients aspiring to the ICF ACC and PCC accreditation levels for 2025.
Mentor coaching offers a framework for learning designed to support a coach in preparing tapes for submission to ICF in partial fulfillment of accreditation requirements at their level of aspiration. Session tapes can be submitted to Coach Catherine for review and subsequent mentor coaching sessions will include explorations with competency mapping relative to the taped session(s.) While the goal of mentor coaching is, in part, to prepare the client coach to successfully prepare and submit tapes that will pass at the coach’s desired accreditation level, participating in a mentor coach experience does not guarantee that submitted tapes will pass at the ICF level of aspiration. Non-ICF coaches find the client taping and review process extremely beneficial as well. The practice of taping and reviewing coaching sessions with a trained, experienced colleague yields rich professional development—regardless of the coach’s interest in the accreditation process.
Mentor coaching includes a focus on the entirety of the client coach—and not just the skill development aspects of the mentor coach experience. Mentor coaching respects and invites the “self” of the coach and purposes to support the coach in terms of who they are and how they show up as a coach. Coaching is an intimate art, relying on the strength of the partnership built between the client and the coach over time. Mentor coaching provides an external perspective on a coach’s habits and experiences with clients and carves out a judgement free zone for reflection and collegial conversation around best practices and possibilities.
Mentor Coaching provides a safe space that fosters deep exploration and reflection. Coach Catherine invites client coaches to come to the coaching conversation in their integrity—a “come as you are” opportunity for reflection and growth. Creating safety though clear alliances and professional standards bearing allows coaches the freedom to share their strengths and confess their fears.
Mentor Coaching can be a transformative, and resource rich experience. Sometimes all a mentor coach need offer is space and the warmth of a climate of curiosity for the client coach to revel in the freedom of full expression without judgement or attachment. Being able to “wonder out loud” about issues or practices with spaciousness while being deeply listened to without interruption is a powerful experience. Coach Catherine will partner with you to share or co-construct resources and opportunities in support of mentor coaching journey.
Your mentor coaching journey begins with a phone call to review your goals and determine if the Catherine’s Mentor Coaching process is right for you. As a trained professional coach adhering to the International Coaching Federation code of ethics and the European Mentoring and Coaching Council competencies, Catherine provides clients with individualized options while maintaining confidentiality. Most clients prefer to meet a few times each month, with phone and email support available as needed. Three and six-month mentor coaching packages are currently available for 2025. Ready to Learn More? Schedule a 30-Minute Free Consultation
