Frequently Asked Questions

1) If I am already certified as a coach - why should I certify with Strozzi Institute? The Strozzi Institute Somatic Coaching Program will not be a repeat of your current coaching certification. Our program is not about teaching basic coaching skills. The Strozzi Institute Somatic Coaching Program trains coaches in the relevance of the body. This is the only coaching program to do so. Why is that important? Because the body is the domain in which new actions can occur, and if you are missing that domain as a coach, you are missing huge possibilities for yourself and your clients. In addition working through the domain of the body enables you to develop practices with your clients that allow them to achieve sustainable change. Strozzi Institute certification in Somatic Methodology will enhance your offer as a coach.

2) What is Somatic Coaching? The following passage is a quote from an article written by Richard Strozzi-Heckler Ph.D., in which he describes his Somatic Coaching work:

“The body is central to my coaching practice. When I say body I use it in the somatic sense of the word, which from the ancient Greek means the living body in its wholeness. This is not the sleek, airbrushed body on magazine covers or the Cartesian notion of body as beast of burden that ferries a disembodied mind to its intellectual appointments. Nor is it the mechanical, physiological body of modern medicine or the religious formula of flesh as sin. The body, in the somatic sense, expresses our history, commitments, dignity, authenticity, identity, roles, moral strength, moods, and aspirations as a unique quality of aliveness we call the ‘self’. In this interpretation the body and the self are indistinguishable. In my coaching I work with the self, the whole person, through the body. I ask my clients to commit to practices that allow them to embody new skills and behaviors; this is entirely different than having an insight or a cognitive understanding.”

Download the full article here:

3) Is Strozzi Institute certified by the ICF? The Strozzi Institute is not certified as an Accredited Coach Training Program with the ICF. This is because we do not train people how to coach; rather, we train coaches how to coach somatically.

4) Will I get any continuing education credits by attending a course with Strozzi Institute? Strozzi Institute is currently approved for participants of our Leadeship in Action course to receive continuing education units with ICF.

For therapists, we are not able to offer continuing education credits.

5) How long will it take me to become certified with Strozzi Institute? The shortest possible time would be within one year; however our program also has been designed with the flexibility to meet your timing and schedule.

6) What is the cost of the program?

The cost of the full schedule of courses and fees for SI’s Certification Program is as follows:

When you complete your certification with Strozzi Institute you will come away with:

• Skills and distinctions required for Somatic Coaching.
• The ability to create sustainable change within your coaching clients
• The ability to apply the Strozzi Institute methodology in working with individuals and small groups Certification as a Strozzi Institute Somatic Coach
• Membership in a community of somatic coaches around the country
• Opportunity of referrals from the above network or from Strozzi Institute

8) Are there people I can speak with who have been certified by Strozzi Institute? On the ‘Associates’ page of our website you may contact directly any associate who has provided their contact information. Alternatively you may phone or e-mail the office and ask to be placed in contact with someone with a specific background close to your own.

9) Is there any ongoing training or commitment that I need to complete in order to maintain my qualification as a Strozzi Institute Somatic Coach? There are ongoing trainings throughout the year, but there is no formal requirement to continue training in order to keep your certification.

10) Is completion of the program a guarantee of certification as a Somatic Coach? Strozzi Institute has a requisite level of quality that we expect in our Somatic Coaches and certification is never taken for granted. During the entire certification process there is an ongoing conversation that will take place between yourself as student and Strozzi Institute. We work out of a commitment to your learning and development. Through that conversation and our ongoing coaching we work with our students to achieve the level of competency that we expect in our certified coaches.

11) I haven’t completed a coach training program, but am interested in becoming a Somatic Coach. Is this possible? Yes. We have no requirement that you are a certified coach or currently in a certification program for you to learn this work. We have trained therapists, teachers, psychologists, counsellors, physical trainers and group leaders. As long as you understand that our offer is the certification in Somatic methodology and not a certification as a coach, you are welcome to apply.
 

For answers to general questions about coaching, please see the International Coaching Federation website:  (http://www.coachfederation.org/ICF/).

• What is coaching?
• How is coaching different from consulting? Therapy? Sports coaching? A best friend?
• What is the basic philosophy of coaching?
• Who hires a coach and why?
• What happens when you hire a coach?
• Does the coach work on personal goals or business/professional goals?
• Where does the coach focus with an average client?
• Why does coaching work?
• Why is coaching becoming so popular?
• Please, give me some context about coaching... What about people who are already doing great in their lives. Why would they need a coach?
• Can a dependency be created between coach and client?
• Can coaching hurt someone?
• Can I hire a coach just for a short-term, special project? How long must I commit if I start working with a coach?
• What does it cost to hire a coach?