Professional Accreditation

As a prospective client, how can you be sure that your coach or therapist is skilled, professional and trustworthy? What helps you feel safe enough to share difficult feelings and situations with them? Which one will offer good value for your time and money?

‘Coach’ and ‘therapist’ are not terms that are protected by law in the UK, USA or other countries. This means anyone can set up a practice and give themselves these titles, even if they have only taken a short course, watched a few YouTube videos or just claim relevant life experience!

Of course, a portion of these unqualified all-comers may be quite capable and successful in their work. But that can be difficult to assess upfront when you’re choosing someone to work with.

Increasingly, and understandably, people are looking for some markers of professional accreditation or certification. This is something I take seriously and have invested in throughout my career as a way of: offering my clients more peace of mind; building my own confidence in my skills; and boosting the credibility of my occupation and industry.

IAPC&M Accreditation

The International Authority for Professional Coaching and Mentoring is one of the top coaching accreditation bodies, recognised and respected worldwide.

Accreditation is generally seen as a higher-level quality assurance than certification, especially as it’s awarded by an independent body. It assesses capability – a broader combination of multiple skills, behaviours and experiences. Certification is more often awarded by a training provider, and it assesses competence, a proven ability to perform a defined task to the required standard. Independent accreditation bodies also tend to provide professional oversight, acting as an authority for formal complaints procedures against accredited individuals or organisations.

The IAPC&M came into existence because its founders believed that existing accreditation bodies – while enjoying a relatively high profile – were not setting the bar high enough in terms of their professional quality control. It was established in 2004 (and rebranded to its current name in 2017). Its mission is to increase public confidence and raise industry standards by enforcing a rigorous accreditation process that ensures the quality of professional coaches, mentors and training providers.

From the IAPC&M website:

The IAPC&M awards different levels of accreditation based on training and experience. The ‘Master Coach’ accreditation that I hold is a progression from the Practitioner Coach and Senior Coach levels, and it includes the following criteria:

• At least 180 total hours of approved training, as well as a minimum of 30 hours of Continuing Professional Development every 12 months;

• At least 1500 logged hours of coaching experience (I have logged over 3000 hours as of April 2026);

• Interviews to explore coaching knowledge and to demonstrate adherence to professional standards;

• Skills assessment conducted via a live coaching session with the IAPC&M assessor, marked against a matrix of capability criteria (pass mark of 80%);

• Self-reflection report following the skills assessment and feedback given.

Accreditation is renewed every three years, following submission of evidence that the coach continues to deliver services at the highest levels expected.

IFS Certification

The Internal Family Systems Institute describes its certification process as “[A] globally applicable gold-standard for IFS expertise. Certification adds a measure of consistency in the practice of IFS by providing a way to recognize those who have effectively demonstrated advanced skills of the model and begins after completion of a Level 1 Training.”

For those who choose to add certification status to their training experience, it’s an intensive process that involves a significant further investment of time, money and learning. The requirements for certification include:

• Further training in IFS, e.g. Levels 2 and 3 and/or other IFS Continuing Education;

• IFS Consultation (supervision) hours to seek feedback and advice on client work;

• At least 200 hours of direct IFS practice since completion of Level 1 training;

• A recording of a full-length IFS client session — evaluated by a senior Certification Reviewer, based on a series of essential competencies to be demonstrated during the session;

• Self-evaluation of the recorded session and specific competencies, highlighting the ways in which Self-leadership is maintained, as well as any ‘growing edges’.

Recertification is required every two years, with evidence provided of IFS Continuing Education and/or Consultation hours during that time.

“An IFS TM Certified Practitioner designation demonstrates the practitioner’s commitment to meeting the standards of consultation, practice and ongoing education required for integrating IFS into the individual’s established professional scope of practice.

An IFS Certified Practitioner is dedicated to upholding ethical standards of their professional scope and staying engaged in continuing education.”

Zen Coaching Certification

Certification is offered as an optional extra after completing the four Zen Coaching modules. It requires evidence of hours spent on various forms of practical experience and deeper inquiry, including:

• One-to-one practice in deep listening, mindful sharing and self-inquiry;

• Receiving and offering a minimum number of Zen Coaching sessions, plus feedback on skills by a Coach Trainer acting as client;

• Studying and reflecting on key texts from a required reading list; completing a detailed report of learnings taken away from the training modules and practice process.

Code of Professional Conduct

As an accredited member of the IAPC&M, I have signed an agreement to follow their Code of Professional Conduct. This is an “obligation to raise and maintain the standards of the profession of Coaching and Mentoring to ensure that we have the highest levels of client satisfaction, the best outcomes for clients and we can uphold public trust and confidence in the industry.”

Here’s a summary of some key points set out in the Code of Professional Conduct. (Please click here for full details of what the Code requires):