About Us
Vision, mission, valuesWhere we come fromOur team
Programs
CoachingMentoringSupervisionBusiness
Pricing
MembershipsPay-as-you-go
Library
Coaching ResearchBlog
Contact
FAQsHelp

I haven't heard from my mentor/mentee. What do I do?

These days, emails get lost easily. Often, they don't arrive at their destination. Don't rely solely on email to contact your mentor/mentee. If you haven't heard from them by email, send them a text message. If after a day or two you stilll don't have a reply to your text message, please contact ReciproCoach so we can help you get connected.

Can your mentoring be used for ICF certification?

Mentoring will certainly PREPARE you for ICF certification, but whether or not it counts for ICF certification depends on whether your mentor is certified or not.

What is the difference between mentoring and supervision?

There is a lot of debate about the difference between mentoring and supervision, however at ReciproCoach, we have clearly defined definitions that we use. Mentoring is when a coach actually hears you coach a client and gives you feedback on your coaching in that session. On the other hand, supervision does not necessarily mean another coach will hear you coach. Instead, it's mostly focused on talking about coaching process, theory and practice, as well as the progress of our clients (and ourselves as coaches) and what we can do to accelerate it.

I am only interested if I can be mentored by an MCC. Is there anyway to guarantee this?

The only way to guarantee that is to ask an MCC to join the round specifically under the agreement that they will mentor you. If you do find a mentor to do this (you can search for one via the members area search function), then just email the coordinator of the round once you both have registered and the coordinator will make sure the match happens. 

Does ReciproCoach Mentoring operate the same as ReciproCoach Coaching? i.e. do I get a mentor and mentee at the same time? I've never mentored before and find this a bit daunting.

The ReciproCoach mentoring system is different from the coaching system in that you get assigned a mentor and mentee sometimes at the same time, but often at different times. You can’t always be mentored first and in fact, even when we do assign both a mentor and mentee that doesn’t guarantee that you can be mentored first, as your mentor might feel exactly the same way as you do! 

Hours/years of experience is not really the purpose of the ReciproCoach mentoring system. We encourage learning not solely from the expert-novice position, but more-so learning from someone who has a different approach to coaching.  We also emphasize that people learn as much (and usually more) from mentoring someone, as they do from being mentored and therefore, both roles represent equal opportunities to learn.

I'm in the process of applying to the ICF for an ACC credential and I registered with ReciproCoach to get mentoring hours. I'm a little confused as you also have supervision. Is it supervision or mentoring I should be registering for?

You need to receive mentoring from an ICF credentialed coach with the same or higher credential as you are applying for. ReciproCoach provides group mentoring and individual mentoring. You can register for and participate in group mentoring any time, however to participate in our ICF Credential Mentoring Round, which gives you the minimum 3 hours of individual mentoring, you need have at least 6 hours of mentoring/group mentoring already accrued, so that the individual mentoring is just the last step before submitting your application. If you would like to start individual mentoring sooner in your journey, we recommend you check out our recommended mentors via this link: https://reciprocoach.com/recommended-mentors

I'm applying for my ACC. Can I get one-one-one PCC mentoring through ReciproCoach?

ReciproCoach offers one-on-one mentoring with a coach who has the same credential that you're about to apply for. That means that if you are applying for your ACC, then you'd receive an ACC mentor. Because of the program's reciprocal nature, we need you to be able to return the mentoring hours you receive at the same credential level. For this reason, we need to keep the PCC mentors for those who are applying for their PCC credentials. If you want PCC mentoring as an ACC applicant if you have at least 100 hours of experience, you can join the PCC group mentoring sessions. Alternatively, you could get individual PCC mentoring from one of our Recommended Mentors for a very affordable rate: https://reciprocoach.com/recommended-mentors

How do I get mentoring hours for my credential?

If you need mentoring hours to renew your ACC, then the best round for you to join is the ICF Credential Mentoring round, which is under the mentoring menu. Each round there will give you 3 mentoring hours (and 3 CCEs). Also, any ACC or PCC group mentoring rounds will also provide you with mentoring hours. The Peer Supervision Groups will not give you mentoring hours for your credential, but it will give you 3 CCEs.

What information do I need to keep in a mentoring hours log?

The ICF expects you simply to name your mentor in your log. If they confirm this, they will confirm with your mentor directly. You can also always print out the history in your ReciproCoach members area if you need to. We do send certificates to group mentoring participants, as we don't expect our group mentors to remember everyone if they were to be asked by the ICF and some people use them for CCEs rather than mentoring. Also, because the group mentoring/supervision history doesn't actually show if you turned up or not, we need to send certificates in this case.

Why am I ineligible to join the Credential Mentoring Round?

The reason you are ineligible is because you are yet to complete 100+ hours of client coaching sessions (or at least that's what your profile says). Once you have completed 100+ hours and update your profile accordingly, you will be able to register. However, please note the following conditions which we also require after registration: If you are applying for a new credential: - Which credential are you intending to apply for? - How many coach specific training hours have you completed? - How many coaching hours have you logged? - Have you completed an ACTP? If so, which one? If you have not completed an ACTP: - How many mentoring hours have you already logged? - Have you registered or participated in an ReciproCoach ICF credential supervision or group mentoring round? If yes, what was the name of the round? Basically, if you haven't completed an ACTP, then you need to have at least 6 mentoring hours already accrued. If you don't have that, you can get another 3 from another ReciproCoach group mentoring round.

I need 10 mentoring hours for the ICF. So am I understanding that I could use supervision to count towards these hours? Whilst I was being supervised with ReciproCoach I would presume and want to be coaching through ReciproCoach also.

Yes, up to 3 supervision hours can be used as mentoring, but only if your supervisor has the appropriate credential. You don't have to be involved in ReciproCoach coaching rounds to participate in mentoring or supervision. For both though, you do need to be coaching. Mentoring usually happens using recordings of sessions you make with clients. If you don't have any clients whose sessions you record, then the ReciproCoach round is a good way to start making these recordings.

I am targeting to renew my ACC credential and it requires 10 sessions of mentoring by end of this year, and to do that I have to achieve: 1. Three recordings for my mentor to feedback one-on-one with me 2. Seven sessions of group mentoring

Here's a link to the requirements for ACC renewal: http://www.coachfederation.org/credential/landing.cfm?ItemNumber=2207&navItemNumber=577 Also this link clarifies the mentoring requirement: https://coachfederation.org/icf-credential/professional-development So in the light of that, you need to complete your mentoring and this will give you the 3 individual hours you need. Then, by participating in two group mentoring rounds, you'll get another 6 group mentoring hours, making a total of 9. For the 10th, you can either join another round, or you can get the final session from one of our Recommended ACC mentors: https://reciprocoach.com/recommended-mentors/acc

My mentee is having trouble submitting their recorded coaching sessions so we can do the mentoring sessions. What can be done?

Quite a few people do have trouble getting and submitting a recording and can get permanently stuck there. So I recommend suggesting to your mentee that you book your first session in, and if they hasn't submitted a recording, then they should coach you for the first half hour and then you should give them feedback for the second half hour of the session. Of course, recordings work better in terms of feedback, but because people have such difficulty with the recordings, I really encourage everyone just to get some mentoring feedback, even if you have to coach your mentor to get that.

I have never made recordings of my sessions. Can the "recording" be something other than audio, like perhaps written notes? Are there other options to testing the skills of a coach who would like to pursue designation, like a mock coaching session with a master trainer/coach?

Mentoring cannot unfortunately be done without observing your actual coaching skills i.e. by hearing you coach. You can do this by submitting a recording of a session or by coaching someone live during the mentoring session. The latter is also possible withing ReciproCoach mentoring groups. I would however encourage you to consider joining a ReciproCoach recorded sessions round, as this would give you advance permission to record your sessions with your client. Also, it gives you multiple opportunities to listen to your own sessions back and even without a mentor, you will learn a great deal from this.

How do I download a certificate for a mentoring or supervision session/round I participated in?

ReciproCoach certificates for group mentoring and supervision are typically issued 1-2 weeks after a round has finished. To download your certificate/s, fill in the "Evaluation" form for the round you want a certificate for. To do this, select "Evaluation" from the Action list associated with the round on your dashboard. Once you have done this, you can then access your certificate via the History - Mentoring/Supervision - Certificates menus. If you have completed an individual mentoring round, you need to notify the coordinator, so that your Mentor Feedback record can be checked and certificate/s generated. You also need to complete feedback on your mentor/mentee in order to access your certificate/s via the above History menu.

What is my group mentoring or supervision session dial in number?

When you are registered for a group mentoring or supervision session, you can see the access details for the session at any time via the members area. Just select "Access details" from the Action list associated with this round on your dashboard.

When can I find mentoring resources?

All necessary mentoring resources can be found the preparation for any group mentoring or individual mentoring round.

Does the Mentor Coach Practice Round count towards the five mentees required for the MCS Credit for Prior Learning pathway?

In most cases, no. The five mentees used for the MCS Credit for Prior Learning pathway must have applied for and attained an ICF credential within the previous three years and named you as one of their mentors in their application. Mentor Coach Practice Rounds are primarily designed for coaches who have already attained a credential and are developing their mentor coaching skills, so most participants would not normally satisfy this requirement. It is possible that you may happen to mentor a coach who is subsequently applying for a higher credential, such as an ACC working towards a PCC, but this would be the exception rather than the norm.

When will the 41-hour synchronous mentor coach education required for the MCS Standard Pathway be available for coaches who do not have five eligible mentees for the Credit for Prior Learning pathway?

We now have CCE approval to deliver our current Mentor Coach Training program synchronously and are planning the first live cohort to begin in late August or September. The training will run over six weeks and will give you 10 hours in Foundations in Individual Mentor Coaching, which you can use towards St. You can register your interest and be among the first to be notified when registrations open here: https://reciprocoach.com/en/events/reciprocoach-mcs-mentor-coach-training-2026-live-training?type=mentoring

I registered for the UPDATED Mentor Coach Training in 2025. Must I enrol in the MCS training?

No. The UPDATED Mentor Coach Training released in 2025 was specifically designed in alignment with the Mentor Coaching Competencies and provides 10 hours of CCE-approved Core Competency training, which can be used to satisfy the mentor coach education requirements associated with the MCS Credit for Prior Learning pathway. If you completed Sessions 1-4 of the UPDATED Mentor Coach Training, together with the quizzes and workbook requirements, you do not need to enrol in the MCS training in order to satisfy the 10-hour mentor coach education requirement for the MCS Credit for Prior Learning pathway. However, we do recommend completing the additional MCS training covering the updated Minimum Skills Requirements and MCS processes and documentation requirements. The Minimum Skills Requirements training is already available here: https://reciprocoach.com/en/events/2025-icf-minimum-skills-requirements-training?type=mentoring and the MCS-specific training is expected to be available in the first week of July.

How long does it take for my Mentor Coach Training certificate to be issued so I can apply for my MCS?

Once you have completed all quizzes and submitted your workbook, we aim to review your workbook and issue your certificate within three business days. During busy periods, it may take slightly longer. If you are planning to submit your MCS application urgently, please let us know and we will do our best to prioritise your review and certificate issuance.

Does the UPDATED Mentor Coach Training count towards the 41 hours required for the MCS Standard Pathway?

Yes and no. First, it is important to understand that at least 50% of the 41 hours must be delivered synchronously, that is, live with an instructor. In addition, the relevant ICF evaluation training, namely ACC Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (ACC BARS), PCC Markers Training, or MCC Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (MCC BARS) Training (or equivalent), is required and, according to the ICF, counts as asynchronous education hours. This means that if you are seeking to complete the minimum 41 hours, much or all of your asynchronous training requirement will already be satisfied through these required ICF evaluation trainings, leaving approximately 20.5 hours of synchronous training still to be completed. For this reason, we generally recommend completing the required ICF evaluation training first and then focusing the remainder of your training on synchronous mentor coach education. To support this, we now have CCE approval to deliver our Mentor Coach Training synchronously and are planning the first live cohort to begin in late August or September. The training will run over six weeks and provide 10 hours of Foundations in Individual Mentor Coaching. You can register your interest and be among the first to be notified when registrations open here: https://reciprocoach.com/en/events/reciprocoach-mcs-mentor-coach-training-2026-live-training?type=mentoring

Does ReciproCoach have a program that helps me find the five mentees required for the MCS Credit for Prior Learning pathway?

Not specifically. The MCS Credit for Prior Learning pathway is intended for experienced mentor coaches who already have a track record of mentoring coaches who have subsequently applied for and attained an ICF credential within the previous three years. If you do not yet have five such mentees, then the Standard Pathway is likely to be the more appropriate route to the MCS designation.

How can I find coaches working towards their first ACC or PCC credential so that I can build the five mentees required for the MCS Credit for Prior Learning pathway?

The MCS Credit for Prior Learning pathway is intended for experienced mentor coaches who already have a track record of mentoring coaches who have subsequently applied for and attained an ICF credential within the previous three years. If you do not yet have five such mentees, then the Standard Pathway is likely to be the more appropriate route to the MCS designation.

Can I become a ReciproCoach Group Mentor to gain experience mentoring coaches applying for ACC or PCC credentials for my MCS application?

At present, we are only accepting new mentors into the ReciproCoach Group Mentoring Team who already hold the MCS designation. However, we plan to offer additional mentor coach development programs in the future to support coaches in developing the mentor coaching skills required to attain the MCS designation. These programs will also provide the primary pathway for joining the ReciproCoach Group Mentoring Team in the future.

How do I access my certificate from completing this program?

Once you have completed all sessions and quizzes, please email us your completed workbook. We will then review your workbook and confirm completion of the quizzes before issuing your certificate. This currently takes around a week. If you are planning to submit your MCS application urgently, please let us know and we will do our best to prioritise your review and certificate issuance.

I’ve registered for the MCS Mentor Coach Training, but I don’t know how to start.

You can access the training via your dashboard. Just click on your training round and then click on the Preparation icon. That’s where you’ll find all the training material, including the workbook, quizzes and supporting resources.

How do I know which MCS application pathway is right for me?

The ICF has provided an MCS Application Survey which acts as a diagnostic tool to help identify the most appropriate pathway based on your experience and education. For an overview of both pathways and their requirements, see our recent update here: https://reciprocoach.com/en/mcs-applications

What qualifies as mentor coach education for the MCS?

The ICF has provided detailed guidance on the types of education that may qualify as mentor coach education. For an overview of the key principles and what this means for ReciproCoach participants, see our recent update: https://reciprocoach.com/en/mcs-mentor-coach-education

Do observer sessions count towards the mentoring hours required for an ICF credential application or renewal?

No. Observer sessions are a learning and development activity only and do not count towards the mentor coaching hours required for an initial ICF credential application or credential renewal. Only mentor coaching sessions in which you participate as the mentee and engage in mentor coaching with an appropriately credentialed mentor coach can be counted towards these ICF requirements.

I am completing the Mentor Coach Training for the ICF Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS) designation. Is participation in Mentor Coach Practice a compulsory part of the training and required to receive a completion certificate?

No. Participation in Mentor Coach Practice is entirely optional. It is offered as an opportunity to further develop your mentor coaching skills through practical experience and feedback, but it is not a compulsory component of the ReciproCoach Mentor Coach Training or the ICF Mentor Coach Specialization (MCS) pathways. You do not need to participate in Mentor Coach Practice to complete the training or receive your training completion certificate.

Contact us

Coming Up Next