The Coaching Crowd® Podcast with Jo Wheatley & Zoe Hawkins

Re-accreditation Checklist:
At the start of this episode, we laid out everything you need to have in place for a smooth, stress-free re-accreditation process. Here's the full checklist to guide you:
Know your accreditation renewal period (e.g. 3 years for ICF, 5 years for EMCC)
Track your re-accreditation deadline well in advance
Complete the required number of CPD hours
Ensure your CPD meets the criteria of your accrediting body
Budget for re-accreditation costs and ongoing CPD investment
Keep your coaching log accurate and up to date
Record coaching hours clearly and ethically
Maintain structured notes for potential case studies
Understand requirements for supervision or mentor coaching
Ensure supervision or mentor coaching aligns with accreditation standards
Stay active in coaching practice to meet hour requirements
Prepare for potential audits or verification checks
Clarify requirements if progressing to the next accreditation level
Plan ahead for recordings or evidence submissions if required
Align your CPD with your professional development goals
Regularly review your progress rather than leaving it to the deadline
 
Have you ever felt that quiet pressure when an accreditation deadline starts creeping closer, knowing you might not have everything in place?
In this episode, we unpack what re-accreditation really involves and why it often catches coaches off guard. We move beyond the surface-level requirements and into the reality of maintaining professional coaching standards over time.
As we talk through this, we found ourselves reflecting on how easy it is to assume accreditation is a one-time milestone. In reality, it is an ongoing commitment to growth, ethics, and professional integrity. Re-accreditation is not simply about ticking boxes. It is about demonstrating that you are actively developing, learning, and showing up responsibly for your clients.
We explore the practical side of re-accreditation, including CPD requirements, coaching logs, supervision, and the financial investment involved. One of the biggest insights that stood out for me is how important it is to understand what actually counts as valid CPD, especially when different bodies like the International Coach Federation, European Mentoring and Coaching Council, and Association for Coaching all have different expectations.
There is also a deeper layer to this conversation. Re-accreditation invites reflection. It creates a moment to pause and ask: who have I become as a coach since I started? What have I learned? Where am I heading next?
We also talk about the reality that many coaches leave things too late. Trying to pull together dozens of CPD hours or reconstruct coaching logs at the last minute creates unnecessary stress. A more strategic, forward-thinking approach transforms re-accreditation into something far more valuable. It becomes a structured pathway for continuous professional development.
What we felt strongly during this conversation is that re-accreditation should not feel like a burden. When approached intentionally, it becomes a powerful tool for growth, clarity, and confidence in your coaching practice.
 
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to re-accreditation
00:28 Why accreditation is not a one-time achievement
01:26 The reality of CPD requirements and time pressure
02:22 The responsibility of being an accredited coach
04:35 Understanding renewal periods across coaching bodies
06:21 CPD requirements and what counts
08:49 Budgeting and financial planning for re-accreditation
09:19 Coaching logs and why most coaches struggle with them
10:24 Reflection and growth through re-accreditation
11:22 Progressing to higher accreditation levels
13:00 Case studies and record keeping
16:18 Supervision and mentor coaching requirements
18:14 Ethical coaching beyond the accreditation process
19:31 Building a proactive re-accreditation plan
 
Key Lessons Learned
Re-accreditation is a continuous professional commitment, not a one-off milestone
Planning ahead removes stress and improves the quality of your development
Not all CPD is equal, understanding what counts is critical
Coaching logs are essential and should be maintained consistently
Supervision and mentor coaching are foundational to ethical practice
Re-accreditation is an opportunity for reflection, not only compliance
Aligning CPD with your long-term goals accelerates your growth as a coach
 
Keywords:
coaching re-accreditation, CPD for coaches, coach accreditation requirements, ICF re-accreditation, EMCC accreditation renewal, coaching supervision requirements, professional coaching development, coaching log requirements, mentor coaching, continuous professional development coaching,
 
Links & Resources:
IG Company website: https://www.igcompany.com 
Coaching course quiz: https://www.mycoachingcourse.com

What if the way someone shows up today is shaped by something they don't even fully understand yet?
In this episode, we explored a topic that is gaining real traction in the coaching space and beyond: trauma-informed coaching.
We sat down to unpack what this actually means in practice, not from a theoretical standpoint, but from the lived reality of working with people. Because the truth is, whether you are a coach, leader, or simply someone supporting others, you are already in the presence of trauma more often than you realise.
We reflected on how trauma is not defined by the event itself, but by the impact it leaves behind. Two people can experience the same situation and carry entirely different imprints from it. That insight alone shifts how we approach conversations, relationships, and growth.
Throughout the conversation, we explored how trauma can show up in coaching. Sometimes it is obvious through emotional responses, avoidance, or disconnection. Other times it is subtle, sitting beneath behaviours like self-criticism or hesitation. What stood out most for us is that coaching often surfaces self-awareness, and with that, past experiences can naturally come into view.
We shared our own reflections on moments where unexpected responses emerged, reminding us that trauma is not always something we consciously recognise. It can live in the body, revealing itself in ways that catch us off guard.
A key theme in this episode is responsibility. As coaches, we are not there to process trauma. Our role is to create a space of safety, choice, and autonomy. That means recognising when a client is present and reflective, versus when they may be re-experiencing something overwhelming. In those moments, our focus shifts to regulation, grounding, and support.
We also challenged the idea that there is a clear-cut boundary in coaching between what is acceptable and what is not. The reality is more nuanced. It comes down to self-awareness, competence, and understanding where your role begins and ends.
This episode is not about turning coaches into therapists. It is about raising awareness, deepening compassion, and equipping you to hold space in a way that is ethical, grounded, and human.
Whether you are a coach, a leader, or someone navigating your own growth, this conversation invites you to consider how trauma awareness shapes the way you show up for yourself and others.
 
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to trauma-informed coaching
00:29 Why trauma awareness is rising
01:25 What trauma-informed coaching really means
02:10 Understanding the prevalence of trauma
03:07 Big T vs little t trauma explained
04:25 How trauma develops and repeats
05:22 How trauma shows up in coaching conversations
06:40 Boundaries in coaching and trauma
08:01 When trauma appears in coaching sessions
08:59 The role of safety and compassion
10:23 Client awareness and unconscious trauma
11:40 Is trauma-informed coaching different?
13:05 Training, knowledge, and coach capability
14:31 Control, contracting, and client safety
15:56 Self-awareness and professional boundaries
17:17 Real-life example of a trauma response
18:30 Somatic awareness and working with the body
19:25 Co-regulation and present moment awareness
20:18 Holding space when unexpected memories arise
22:08 Supporting clients through choice and autonomy
23:31 Real-world coaching scenarios
25:09 Coaching vs therapy boundaries
26:05 Final reflections and next steps
 
Key Lessons Learned:
Trauma is not defined by the event, but by the impact it leaves on the individual
You are likely interacting with people carrying trauma every day, whether visible or not
Coaching can surface past experiences through increased self-awareness
The role of a coach is to create safety, not to process trauma
Recognising the difference between reflection and re-experiencing is critical
Regulation and grounding are essential tools in trauma-informed practice
There is no fixed boundary list, self-awareness and competence guide decisions
Somatic awareness helps identify responses that are not cognitive
Clients must always remain at choice in how they proceed
Trauma-informed coaching starts with understanding your own experiences and limits
Keywords:
trauma informed coaching, what is trauma informed coaching, trauma awareness in coaching, coaching and trauma, emotional safety in coaching, somatic coaching techniques, coaching boundaries and trauma, trauma response in coaching, coaching vs therapy, ethical coaching practice, nervous system in coaching, trauma informed leadership,
 
Links & Resources:
IG Company website: https://www.igcompany.com 
Coaching course quiz: https://www.mycoachingcourse.com

Are you making decisions that truly align with what matters most to you, or are you operating on autopilot without realising it?
In this episode, we explore one of the most powerful yet often overlooked elements of coaching and personal development: values. As coaches, we have seen time and time again how uncovering values can transform the way people think, feel, and act. This conversation goes beyond theory and into the lived experience of what happens when someone finally understands what is driving their decisions.
We reflect on how values operate like internal guidance systems, quietly influencing behaviour, priorities, and emotional responses. Many people move through life without consciously recognising their values, yet they feel the consequences when those values are either fulfilled or ignored. Through coaching, we create space for people to bring these unconscious drivers into awareness, allowing them to make more intentional and aligned choices.
During this conversation, we unpack what values really are and why they are essential in effective coaching. We explore how values are not simply words, but deeply personal meanings shaped by life experiences. Two people may share the same value, such as freedom or connection, yet interpret and live it in completely different ways. That distinction is where real coaching insight begins.
We also reflect on the emotional impact of discovering values. There is often a moment where everything clicks into place, where confusion turns into clarity. It is not uncommon for people to feel a physical response when they uncover a core value, as though they have found a missing piece of themselves. This is where coaching becomes transformational rather than transactional.
A key theme we explore is the link between values and decision making. Many people feel stuck or conflicted without understanding why. Through a values lens, that tension becomes clearer. For example, a desire for creativity may be in conflict with a need for security. Rather than forcing change, coaching allows individuals to honour both values and find a way forward that feels aligned.
We also discuss how values influence motivation, particularly the difference between moving towards something meaningful versus moving away from something uncomfortable. This distinction can have a significant impact on energy, resilience, and long term sustainability.
Throughout the episode, we share practical ways to begin exploring values in coaching conversations, from simple reflective questions to deeper exploration of meaning and behaviour. We also touch on how values are shaped through early life experiences and how they can evolve or come into awareness at different stages of life.
Ultimately, this episode is about helping people reconnect with what truly matters. When values are understood and honoured, decision making becomes clearer, confidence grows, and people are able to live and lead with greater purpose and intention.
 
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to coaching values
00:29 Why values shape decisions and fulfilment
01:25 What values are and how they influence behaviour
02:46 Values and self-understanding in coaching
03:42 Examples of common values and their meaning
05:02 Hidden values and deeper layers
06:20 Values, goals, and personal alignment
08:13 Values and internal conflict
10:07 Using values to unlock stuckness
11:06 Simple ways to explore values in coaching
12:25 Towards vs away from values
13:46 Energy, burnout, and value alignment
15:07 Linking values to behaviour and decision making
16:29 How values are formed
17:19 Do values change over time?
18:13 Life events and shifting values
19:03 Values as a foundation for resilience
20:19 Final reflections and next steps
 
Key Lessons Learned:
Values act as internal drivers that shape decisions, behaviour, and emotional responses
Awareness of values enables more intentional and aligned life choices
Values are deeply personal and go beyond surface level words
Internal conflict often stems from competing values rather than lack of clarity
Moving towards values creates sustainable motivation, while moving away can drain energy
Values provide a powerful framework for coaching conversations and personal growth
Understanding values helps individuals move from feeling stuck to feeling empowered
Values are influenced by early experiences but can evolve or come into awareness over time
 
Keywords:
coaching values, values in coaching, personal values coaching, decision making coaching, coaching for personal growth, understanding values, values and behaviour, coaching techniques, mindset coaching, emotional intelligence coaching, leadership coaching values, overcoming internal conflict, motivation and values
 
Links & Resources:
IG Company website: https://www.igcompany.com 
Coaching course quiz: https://www.mycoachingcourse.com

What if the reason your client is stuck is not a lack of motivation or clarity, but the way their executive functioning is wired? 

In this episode, we explore eight powerful lenses that can completely transform the way you coach neurodivergent clients and, in truth, the way you coach all clients. Executive functioning sits at the heart of how we plan, start, organise, regulate emotions, manage impulses and adapt to change. When we understand it, coaching becomes more inclusive, more compassionate and far more effective. 

We begin with a simple but important reframe. Executive functioning is not only relevant for clients who identify as neurodivergent. Many people remain undiagnosed, and every human being has a unique profile of strengths and challenges across these functions. When we bring this awareness into our practice, we move away from labelling behaviours as procrastination, lack of focus or resistance and instead start working with the real barrier. 

As we walk through each of the eight areas, we share how easily traditional coaching approaches can unintentionally create shame. Asking a client how to get motivated when the real challenge is task initiation creates a completely different experience from recognising what is actually happening in their brain. That moment of being seen and understood often unlocks progress faster than any strategy. 

We talk about organisation and the importance of helping clients design systems that work with their brain rather than forcing themselves into methods that were never built for them. We explore planning and prioritisation through the lens of demand avoidance and spontaneity, recognising that for some clients the plan itself is the obstacle. 

Working memory brings a powerful reflection on coaching style. Keeping questions simple, using visual anchors and contracting around how to hold the thread of the conversation makes coaching more accessible and more effective. 

Self monitoring and emotional regulation reveal the deep emotional impact of executive functioning challenges. Many clients carry a lifetime of self criticism without realising that what they are experiencing is a difference in processing rather than a personal failure. Coaching becomes a space for self acceptance as much as progress. 

Impulse control and flexible thinking invite us to move beyond deficit based models. Impulsivity can be a source of energy, creativity and connection. Rigidity often signals a need for safety. Our role is not to fix these traits but to help clients use their strengths and create support structures that allow them to thrive. 

Throughout this conversation, what stands out is that neurodivergent inclusive coaching is not about having the answers. It is about having the lens. When we understand executive functioning, we accelerate trust, deepen our coaching relationships and enable clients to achieve their goals in ways that are aligned with who they truly are. 

This is coaching that replaces judgement with curiosity, removes shame and gives clients practical levers for change. It is inclusive, ethical and deeply human. 

 

Timestamps: 

00:00 Introduction to coaching neurodivergent clients through executive functioning 00:31 What executive functioning means in coaching 01:24 Inclusivity for diagnosed and undiagnosed clients 02:21 The executive functioning wheel as a coaching tool 04:18 Task initiation and removing the shame of procrastination 07:10 Organisation and creating brain aligned systems 08:59 Body doubling and in session action 10:24 Planning and prioritisation with demand avoidance 13:29 Working memory and adapting your coaching style 16:17 Practical ways to support working memory in sessions 16:46 Self monitoring and the emotional impact of over analysis 18:41 Emotional regulation and accessing resourceful states 22:55 Why emotions coaching and neurodivergent coaching fit together 23:25 Impulse control as strength and challenge 24:48 Moving beyond the imposter syndrome label 25:35 Flexible thinking and creating safety in change 27:52 Using strengths to support flexibility 28:47 Why executive functioning matters for all clients 29:17 How to continue your learning 

 

Key Lessons Learned: 

Executive functioning provides a powerful lens for inclusive coaching. 



Many behaviours labelled as procrastination or resistance are task initiation challenges. 


Brain aligned systems are more effective than forcing traditional productivity methods. 


Coaching style must adapt to support working memory and accessibility. 


Self compassion is a critical outcome of neurodivergent inclusive coaching. 


Impulsivity and flexibility can be strengths when understood and supported. 


Awareness of executive functioning accelerates trust and progress in coaching. 


 

Keywords: 

coaching neurodivergent clients, executive functioning in coaching, ADHD coaching strategies neurodivergent inclusive coaching, task initiation procrastination coaching, working memory coaching techniques, emotional regulation for neurodivergent clients, flexible thinking coaching strength based neurodiversity coaching, ICF neurodivergent coaching training, 

 

Links & Resources: 

Neurodivergent Inclusive Coaching programme: https://www.igcompany.com/nd

What if the reason your client cannot access clarity, action or decision making has nothing to do with their mindset and everything to do with their nervous system?
In this episode, we explore a dimension of coaching that sits beneath the questions, the goals and the models. Every coaching conversation is not only a meeting of minds. It is a meeting of two nervous systems. When a client arrives in a state of urgency, overwhelm or shutdown, the most powerful coaching move is often not another question. It is the creation of safety.
We reflect on moments in our own coaching and supervision where dysregulation was present and how quickly everything shifted when the focus moved from performance to regulation. A single breath. A slowing of pace. A gentle acknowledgement of what was happening in the body. These are the moments that allow a client to return to themselves and re access their thinking, their resourcefulness and their learning.
What becomes clear is that dysregulation does not only appear in the big life events. It can show up in the everyday pressure of a full diary, the urgency before a holiday, a difficult conversation that happened that morning or the weight of time and responsibility. Without the ability to recognise and work with these states, a coaching session can remain on the surface, even when the client is highly capable and committed.
We talk about co regulation and the role of the coach as a steady nervous system anchor. When we are grounded, calm and present, we invite our clients back into their own window of tolerance. From this place, curiosity returns. Reflection becomes possible. Decision making becomes clearer. Action becomes meaningful.
We also explore the different ways dysregulation can present. It may look like anxiety, restlessness and pressure. It may look like fogginess, disconnection and a lack of motivation that could easily be mislabelled as resistance. With awareness, we stop pushing for progress and instead resource the client so that progress becomes possible.
This work sits firmly within the role of a coach. If a dysregulated nervous system is the obstacle to a client's goal, then supporting regulation is part of working in the gap between where they are and where they want to be. It is ethical, it is powerful and it is deeply human.
We also turn the lens towards ourselves as coaches. Our own nervous system is part of the coaching relationship. Noticing when we become activated, understanding our triggers and knowing how to return to regulation is essential if we are to hold safe, effective spaces for our clients.
Ultimately, this episode is about presence. It is about recognising that transformation does not happen when a client is in survival mode. It happens when they feel safe enough to think, feel and choose. And sometimes the most valuable coaching session is the one where the goal is not achieved, but the client leaves regulated, resourced and reconnected to themselves.
 
Timestamps:
00:00 Coaching as a meeting of two nervous systems
00:27 Why dysregulation blocks progress
00:56 A supervision example of co regulation in action
02:24 Coaching happens in the body as well as the mind
02:51 The coach as a nervous system anchor
03:19 How to help clients arrive in safety
04:44 Everyday examples of nervous system activation
06:09 When coaching feels like an interruption for the client
07:07 Resourcing before support and challenge
08:27 Simple regulation invitations and awareness
09:50 When past experiences are triggered in coaching
11:12 Dysregulation is not doing harm
12:09 Window of tolerance explained simply
13:36 Fight, flight and shutdown in coaching sessions
15:24 Working ethically with regulation as the goal
16:23 Coaching in the gap between goal and obstacle
17:49 Nervous system awareness for trauma and neurodivergence
18:44 Connection before progress
19:39 When clients cannot access future thinking
20:31 Powerful regulation focused coaching questions
21:39 Holding safety until the client can return to themselves
23:07 How quickly regulation can restore clarity
24:33 The coach's own nervous system in the relationship
25:28 Further learning through neurodivergent inclusive coaching
 
Key Lessons Learned:
Coaching effectiveness depends on the client's nervous system state.
Co regulation is a core coaching capability, not an optional extra.
Dysregulation often appears in everyday pressure, not only major events.
Shutdown can be misinterpreted as resistance without nervous system awareness.
Regulation is sometimes the most valuable outcome of a session.
The coach's own regulation directly impacts the quality of the space held.
Nervous system literacy is essential for trauma informed and neurodivergent inclusive coaching.
 
Keywords:
coaching the nervous system, nervous system regulation in coaching, trauma informed coaching skills, window of tolerance coaching, co regulation in coaching sessions, neurodivergent inclusive coaching, somatic coaching awareness, how to help clients feel safe in coaching, executive functioning and coaching, advanced coaching presence,
 
Links & Resources:
Neurodivergent Inclusive Coaching programme: https://www.igcompany.com/nd