Co-Active Training Institute (CTI)
Coach training organization founded in 1992 in San Rafael, California; developer of the Co-Active model and the CPCC credential, with ICF Level 2 accreditation and programs delivered in over 16 countries.
- Type
- Coach Training Organization
- Founded
- 1992
- Headquarters
- United States
About
Founded in 1992 by Laura Whitworth, Karen Kimsey-House, and Henry Kimsey-House, the Co-Active Training Institute (CTI), originally named The Coaches Training Institute, is one of the oldest and most widely recognized coach training organizations in the world. Headquartered in San Rafael, California, CTI developed the Co-Active coaching model, which has become one of the most taught coaching methodologies globally. The organization rebranded to its current name to more explicitly reflect the methodology at the center of its work.
CTI publishes its foundational text, Co-Active Coaching, now in its fourth edition, which is widely used as a reference in coach training programs beyond CTI itself. The organization holds ICF Level 2 accreditation. ICF accredits coaching education at three program levels: Level 1 for the ACC pathway, Level 2 for the PCC pathway, and Level 3 for the MCC pathway. Level 2 accreditation means graduates are eligible to apply directly for the ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential. CTI also offers pathways accredited at ICF Level 1 for the ACC credential. CTI describes itself as having been among the first coach training programs to receive ICF recognition, and it delivers programs in more than 16 countries and through global delivery partners across Europe and beyond.
For a coach, holding a CTI credential means completing a structured, experiential program assessed by CTI-certified faculty against the Co-Active competency standard, with the full CPCC pathway meeting the education requirements to apply for an ICF credential.
The Co-Active Model
The Co-Active model is organized around a set of foundational cornerstones, the most central being that "people are naturally creative, resourceful, and whole." From this premise, the model holds that effective coaching attends to the whole person across three dimensions: Fulfillment (what matters most), Balance (choice and perspective), and Process (working with emotion and experience as they arise).
A key pedagogical element is CTI's framework of three Listening Levels. Level One describes listening filtered through the coach's own internal agenda, useful for self-awareness but insufficient for coaching. Level Two is attention fully trained on the client, on their words, tone, and what is left unsaid. Level Three extends beyond the immediate exchange to the broader field, the energy, emotion, and underlying shifts in the conversation. CTI teaches coaches to move fluidly between levels, particularly emphasizing Level Two and Three as the basis of deep coaching presence.
The model also centers on what CTI calls the Designed Alliance, an explicit, ongoing agreement between coach and client about how they will work together, what the client needs from the relationship, and how accountability will function. Rather than a one-time intake conversation, the Designed Alliance is treated as a living structure revisited throughout the engagement.
Training Path and the CPCC Credential
CTI's certification pathway, the Co-Active Coach Training Program, is modular and builds progressively toward the Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) credential, CTI's flagship certification. The full pathway of Foundations, Ignite the Practice, and Deepen the Work totals 146.5 or more ICF training hours.
Co-Active Foundations
Co-Active Foundations is the entry point: an 8-hour ICF-accredited experience priced at $490. It offers a first encounter with the Co-Active model and serves as the prerequisite for everything that follows.
Ignite the Practice
Ignite the Practice leads to the Co-Active Practitioner (CAP) credential and carries 52 ACC-level hours, 35 synchronous and 17 asynchronous. An optional track adds 11 mentor coaching hours for an ACC application.
Deepen the Work
Deepen the Work leads to the CPCC credential. It comprises five live modules totalling 96.5 training hours, including 10.5 mentor coaching hours, and is offered either as a five-month Fast Track cohort or a Flex Track running up to 18 months. Certification combines a live examination with a recorded coaching session. The bundle is priced at $8,490. Weekly practice pods are kept to nine or ten practitioners so that peer learning and faculty feedback stay close.
Master the Art
Master the Art, CTI's Co-Active Master Coach Certification on the MCC pathway, is announced for 2026.
Legacy Coach Training
CTI's earlier Fundamentals and Intermediate module structure is no longer the current pathway. It is now offered under CTI's Legacy Coach Training. Coaches who trained before the present structure launched will have completed those modules rather than Ignite the Practice and Deepen the Work.
ICF Accreditation and Methodology
CTI's full CPCC pathway is accredited by the ICF at Level 2, which requires substantial student contact hours, mandatory mentor coaching, and a formal performance evaluation, standards that go beyond Level 1 accreditation. CTI notes it was among the first coach training programs to receive ICF recognition, predating the current three-level accreditation structure that replaced the older ACTP designation.
The pedagogy is explicitly experiential. Rather than lecture-and-read instruction, programs are organized around live coaching practice, role play, peer feedback, and cohort reflection. The organization publishes its training philosophy on the basis that skill in coaching is developed through repeated, supervised practice, not through conceptual study alone.
Where CTI Sits in the Coaching Field
CTI occupies a distinctive position as both a methodology originator and a training provider. The Co-Active model predates most current coaching frameworks and has influenced the curriculum of other training programs. Unlike newer, more modular or self-paced training platforms, CTI's pathway is cohort-intensive, relatively long, and comparatively expensive, a deliberate trade-off in favor of depth and supervised practice over accessibility and speed.
Among ICF-accredited Level 2 providers, CTI sits alongside programs from organizations like EMCC-affiliated schools and other established institutes. Its closest peers in model-ownership are Newfield Network (Ontological Coaching) and iPEC (Energy Leadership), both of which similarly combine a proprietary methodology with an end-to-end certification pathway. CTI's broader cultural footprint, built through the Co-Active Coaching book and decades of alumni, gives it name recognition that most training providers do not have.
CTI has in recent years expanded its leadership development offering alongside coach training, targeting organizational buyers with a Leadership Program aimed at embedding Co-Active skills in teams and internal coaches rather than just credentialing professional coaches.
What This Means for You
If your coach holds a CPCC, they completed a substantial, assessor-evaluated training program grounded in one of the profession's most established methodologies. The Co-Active model's emphasis on the whole person, and on evoking the client's own resourcefulness rather than advising, means a CPCC-trained coach will tend to ask more than tell, and to follow the client's agenda rather than impose a framework. That makes it a strong fit for personal growth, life transitions, and leadership development work where the client's own clarity is the primary output. It is less differentiated for highly structured, goal-tracking engagements where a directive or tool-based coach might be a better fit. Ask your coach how they apply the Co-Active model specifically, and whether they hold an ICF credential in addition to the CPCC; many do.
The Co-Active model begins with a single premise: that people are naturally creative, resourceful, and whole. The coach's job is to evoke the thinking, clarity, and agency that are already there rather than to fix or advise.
Approaches coaches use
1 Co-Active Training Institute (CTI) training programs
Challenges our Co-Active Training Institute (CTI) coaches help clients through
Co-Active Training Institute (CTI) coaches on Dream Coach Match
Through coaching, my clients create the kind of Life Rhythm that enables them to build profitable businesses, raise thriving families, and live wildly fulfilling lives.
Kim Cavalcante is an ICF PCC-certified executive and leadership coach with 17+ years of corporate leadership experience at Siemens, Schneider Electric, and Medtronic. She helps senior leaders navigate complexity, strengthen influence, and lead with greater clarity and confidence through candid, practical, action-oriented coaching.
With a background in Geology/Geophysics and certification as a CPCC, I bring a unique perspective to coaching. I will empower you to exceed your goals and make bold moves in your career and personal life. My coaching is designed to help you navigate your path with clarity and conviction.
With a background in HR and certification from CTI, I blend practical experience with proven coaching methodologies. My approach centers on empowering you to identify your strengths, overcome challenges, and create a fulfilling career path. Together, we'll design personalized strategies that align with your unique goals and aspirations, ensuring sustainable growth and lasting change.
Questions about Co-Active Training Institute (CTI)
Q.01What is the CPCC credential and who awards it?
What is the CPCC credential and who awards it?
CPCC stands for Certified Professional Co-Active Coach. It is awarded by CTI upon successful completion of their full certification pathway, which includes the Co-Active coaching curriculum, mandatory mentor coaching, and a performance evaluation conducted by CTI-certified assessors. It is a proprietary credential; it belongs to CTI, not to an independent accrediting body like the ICF.
Q.02Is CTI's program accredited by the ICF?
Is CTI's program accredited by the ICF?
Yes. CTI's CPCC pathway holds ICF Level 2 accreditation. ICF accredits coaching education at three program levels: Level 1 for the ACC pathway, Level 2 for the PCC pathway, and Level 3 for the MCC pathway. Level 2 accreditation means graduates are eligible to apply directly for the ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential. CTI also offers pathways accredited at ICF Level 1 for the ACC credential. CTI was among the first coach training programs to receive ICF recognition.
Q.03How long does the full CTI certification pathway take?
How long does the full CTI certification pathway take?
The full CPCC pathway totals 146.5 or more ICF training hours and typically takes one to two years, depending on the pace and format chosen. Deepen the Work alone runs either as a five-month Fast Track cohort or as a Flex Track spread over up to 18 months. Co-Active Foundations and Ignite the Practice can be completed at the student's own pace before entering Deepen the Work.
Q.04What is the Co-Active model?
What is the Co-Active model?
The Co-Active model is CTI's proprietary coaching framework, developed in the early 1990s and detailed in the book Co-Active Coaching (now in its fourth edition). It is organized around the premise that clients are naturally creative, resourceful, and whole, and structures coaching across three dimensions: Fulfillment, Balance, and Process. It also teaches three Listening Levels and the concept of the Designed Alliance, an explicit, ongoing working agreement between coach and client.
Q.05How does the CPCC differ from an ICF credential?
How does the CPCC differ from an ICF credential?
The CPCC is a training credential awarded by CTI on completion of their specific program. An ICF credential (ACC, PCC, MCC) is awarded by an independent professional body and recognizes coaching competence regardless of which training program the coach attended. Many CPCC holders also hold ICF credentials; the two are complementary, not interchangeable. The ICF credential requires demonstrated client hours in addition to training hours.
Q.06Can I take individual CTI modules without committing to the full CPCC?
Can I take individual CTI modules without committing to the full CPCC?
Yes. CTI offers a modular structure. The one-day Co-Active Foundations course is an ICF-accredited standalone. Completing Foundations plus the Ignite the Practice module earns the Co-Active Practitioner (CAP) designation. Students can enter and pause the pathway at various points, though Deepen the Work requires the prerequisite programs to be completed first.
Q.07Where is CTI based and how are programs delivered?
Where is CTI based and how are programs delivered?
CTI is headquartered in San Rafael, California. Programs are delivered in-person, online, and in hybrid cohort formats. CTI operates direct delivery in over 16 countries and works with global delivery partners across Europe and other regions. Deepen the Work is available in both virtual and in-person formats.
Q.08How much does CTI's certification pathway cost?
How much does CTI's certification pathway cost?
Co-Active Foundations is $490 for 8 ICF hours. The Deepen the Work CPCC bundle is $8,490. CTI lists the complete PCC pathway, meaning Foundations plus Ignite the Practice plus Deepen the Work, at $12,470, and an ACC package of Foundations plus Practitioner at $5,770. Regional pricing and VAT differences apply outside the United States.
Q.09What kind of coaching is the Co-Active approach best suited for?
What kind of coaching is the Co-Active approach best suited for?
The Co-Active model emphasizes evoking the client's own clarity and resourcefulness rather than advising, directing, or delivering structured tools. It tends to suit personal growth, leadership development, life transitions, and work where the client's inner perspective is the primary focus. It is less differentiated for engagements that call for a highly structured, skills-transfer, or directive coaching style.
Q.10Does CTI have a global scale, and how many coaches has it trained?
Does CTI have a global scale, and how many coaches has it trained?
CTI delivers programs directly in 16+ countries and 13+ languages, working with global delivery partners to extend reach into additional markets. CTI's own materials cite over 150,000 Co-Active practitioners, coaches, and leaders worldwide. That total includes leadership program participants alongside certified coaches, not solely CPCC holders. Prospective students should treat the headline figure as covering the full Co-Active ecosystem rather than as a count of certified professional coaches.
Q.11What does a CPCC tell me about a coach?
What does a CPCC tell me about a coach?
A coach holding the CPCC credential completed CTI's full certification pathway, 146.5 or more hours of training, a mentor coaching requirement, and a performance evaluation assessed by CTI-certified faculty against the Co-Active competency standard. That's a substantial credential with a real evaluation component. The coach wasn't assessed on coursework completion alone but on live coaching performance. The CPCC is CTI's own designation; it doesn't replace an ICF credential, but many CPCC holders carry an ICF ACC, PCC, or MCC as well. Coaching is not therapy. A CPCC-trained coach works within a non-clinical scope, focused on goals, transitions, and development. The Co-Active model's emphasis on the client's own resourcefulness means sessions tend toward listening and powerful questioning rather than directing, which suits some clients and contexts better than others.
Q.12What should I ask a CPCC-trained coach before hiring them?
What should I ask a CPCC-trained coach before hiring them?
Before hiring a Co-Active-trained coach, ask: Do you also hold an ICF credential, and at which level (ACC, PCC, or MCC)? How many paid coaching hours have you accumulated since completing your training? What client contexts, from personal growth and career transition to leadership and teams, do you have the most experience in? And what does a typical engagement with you actually look like in practice? The Co-Active model performs best when a client's work centers on self-directed clarity and insight; it's less suited to highly structured, tool-heavy, or directive formats. If your needs include processing significant emotional difficulty or past trauma, a therapist is the right first step. Knowing how a coach recognizes that boundary and handles referrals tells you a great deal about their professional maturity.