5th Annual International ADHD Coaches Conference

Atlanta, Georgia
March 23—March 25, 2012

Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia

Please note this new date!
Lock it in!

The Many Faces of ADHD

Make your commitment to attend the 2012 ACO Conference, The Many Faces of ADHD, where we will celebrate the rapid expansion of our ADHD Coaching profession.

In 27 creative workshops over two and one-half days, attendees will participate in stimulating presentations and learn about new, emerging client and niche opportunities for business building.

Non-traditional business growth opportunities will be explored for their value and viability as emerging business markets.

Come and stretch the concept of your practice boundaries and celebrate the opportunities with new eyes!

Join us for the Celebration!

Look for an early bird discount registration coming soon.

Mark your calendars now. This will be a conference you’ll talk about for years to come.

March 23—March 25, 2012

Don’t Miss This Opportunity!Two talks on credentialing for ADHD coaches
One each for IAAC and PAAC!

Both IAAC and PAAC will present their takes on the need for credentialing and how each organization helps guide you through the steps to become a credentialed ADHD Coach. This is an opportunity to listen to back-to-back speakers on a topic that is so very important to all of us.

To Credential or Not!

IAAC Member Coach Speakers:
Lynn Moran, MBA, ACC
Dee Crane, SCAC, ACC
Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 8:00pm eastern
Bridge: (919) 424-5871 PIN: 144 809#

ICF CCEU credit available for attendees
Sponsored by the ACO
To read more about this presentation and register your attendance.

Getting Certified as an ADHD Coach – What’s the Deal?

PAAC Member Coach Speakers:
Barbara Luther, MCC, EFT-ADV, MA
Jeff Copper, MBA, ACG, CPCC, PCC

Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 3:00pm eastern
Bridge: (212)457-9879 pin 176818#
ICF CCEU Credit available for attendees
Sponsored by the ICF ADHD SIG (open to ICF and ACO members)
To read more about this presentation and let us know you’re planning to attend.

Thank you,
ACO Programs Committee

Want to have a space to share info about your product or service?

$25 for one space… could be a half a 6-foot table or a similarly sized round table.

Spaces will be assigned.

Product sales must take place in the ACO Bookstore. For more information about sales, please contact Pat Wood

Please fill out this form so we have the right info about you and your class for our publicity.
Thanks

This is the first of TWO web pages you’ll complete for this class

When you submit this form, you will jump to a copy of our on line agreement/contract regarding your teaching of an ACCE class for the ACO.

You must fill out the form at the bottom and send that in.
You’ll get a copy of the agreement in a confirmation email.

Please read this agreement and fill out the format the bottom so we know you’re ready to give your ACCE class to paying participants.

When you submit this form, you will receive an email confirmation of your answers and this complete form. Thank you.

PLEASE NOTE: The signer recognizes and agrees that a copy of this agreement is acceptable and binding and will serve as an original in any instance. Additionally, the signer recognizes and agrees that should this form be emailed instead of posted or FAXed, the header information from their email address of record is acceptable and binding and will serve as a valid signature.

This is a letter of agreement between the undersigned speaker and the ADHD Coaches Organization (also known as ACO) and represented in this agreement by Joyce Kubik, ACO Programs Chair.

The speaker agrees to:

1. Provide the talk listed below on the dates listed below.
2. Notify the ACO immediately in the event that an emergency should prevent the speaker from meeting the obligation as a speaker.
3. Authorize the ACO to use his/her name, likeness, photograph and/or biographical data in connection with the use and promotion of the ACCE program.
4. Authorize the ACO to audio record this teleclass presentation.
5. Provide, not less than 30 days before the presentation, the following information:
   1. Short bio of the speaker: not to exceed 75 words to be used on the website and as an introduction to the session
   2. Short description of the talk: not to exceed 100 words
   3. Any books to be promoted must include the full title, author information and a direct link to its associated page in amazon.com

The ACO agrees to provide

1. Bridge line to conduct and record the teleclass
2. Publicity to the membership by
   1. announcements in Circle (the monthly newsletter of the ACO),
   2. in the members list serve and
   3. on the website
   4. MP3 recording of the teleclass for use by the speaker and also for download by class participants.
   5. Instructions on how to download a copy of the recorded teleclass when it is available, generally within about one week.

   The speaker further agrees the following:

   • I warrant and represent that, to the best of my knowledge, nothing in my presentation violates any proprietary or personal rights of others (including without limitation, copyright or privacy rights); is factually accurate, and contains nothing libelous or otherwise unlawful.
   • I am aware that I will be paid 75% of the total income derived from this class, to be paid in two installments. In addition, if I pay a fee to the ICF for CEU credits, the ACO will reimburse me for that fee.
   • I agree to indemnify the ACO and/or hold the ACO harmless in the event that the representations made by myself, either during or before said program(s) that is knowingly false, misleading or a departure from a generally accepted industry practice. I shall indemnify and hold the ACO harmless in the event any litigation arises from the content provided by the Speaker in the program(s) referenced herein.
   • I understand that the name ACO, its likeness, logo, materials, content are the exclusive intellectual property of the ACO and may only be used for the exclusive purpose of fulfilling its obligations pursuant to this agreement.
   • I understand that the database of participants, and the information contained therein is the exclusive property of the ACO and shall not be used, accessed, shared, leased, licensed or sold to any other entity, without the expressed written consent of the ACO.

   I hereby understand and agree to the above conditions as listed.
   
   The signer recognizes and agrees that a copy of this form is acceptable and binding and will serve as an original in any instance. The date of the submission will be captured by the software in place. Additionally, the signer recognizes and agrees that should this form be emailed instead of posted or FAXed, the header information from their email address of record is acceptable and binding and will serve as a valid signature.

If you choose leave the ACO: And we hope you won’t

Please fill out and send this form and we’ll stop the payments.  If it’s less than 15 days since you were charged, we’ll happily refund your last payment.

ADHD Awareness Week is September 14-20, 2009. This is a great opportunity for coaches to join our colleagues and other professionals in the ADHD community to inform and support our clients and communities about ADHD.

What can you do?

Here are some ideas:

• Offer to speak at your local business association about ADHD
• Partner with other professionals in your area
• Write an article or make an announcement in your own e-newsletters and blogs
• Include a brief announcement about ADHD Awareness Week in your e-signature
• Write an article for your local newspaper
• Hang fliers in your local coffee shops
• Offer a free coaching session

What are your ideas?

Use the comment form at the bottom to share your ideas.

Let’s band together to spread the word and increase the awareness and factual information about people with ADHD.

To learn more,visit Awareness Week Sections at:

• CHADD.org
• ADD.org

Frequently asked questions about ACO Professional Membership Criteria.

1. I graduated from ADDCA, OFI or some other ADHD coach training school. Do I have to have 12 MORE hours in ADHD training?
2. I don’t have a certificate from the workshops I attended.Can they still count?
3. I didn’t study in any specific coach school. Can I still be a professional member?
4. I didn’t actually attend a certain conference, but I listened to the sessions on CD or tape. Does that count?
5. What do I have to provide to show that I have an active practice?
6. What are the dues?

1. I graduated from ADDCA, OFI or some other ADHD coach training school. Do I have to have 12 MORE hours in ADHD training?ADHD Coach Training programs that are taught by MCC or PCC level ICF Coaches that include at least 72 hours of training will fulfill the requirement of 60 + 12 hours. Therefore, completion of ADDCA or OFI training programs would fulfill the full requirement.
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2. I don’t have a certificate from the workshops I attended. Can they still count?Yes. You will need to provide the name of the session, the instructor including appropriate credentials, sponsoring organization, if appropriate, the date of session and the length of the class.
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3. I didn’t study in any specific coach school. Can I still be a professional member?You may apply as a professional member of the ACO if you provide documentation outlining your training. That means you must show 60 hours of coach-specific training and an additional 12 hours of ADHD education. The training must be specifically provided for each category (coaching and ADHD education) and may not be part of some larger nonspecific coach training.This means, for example:
   • Coach training included in some larger course work in management training would not count because the class was not specifically provided as coach training.
   • Personal development courses such as Forum, Landmark, Lifespring, Life Training, Science of the Mind, etc., do not count as coach-specific training.
   • Likewise education in psychology, counseling, NLP, etc. does not count as coach-specific training.
   • ADHD training acquired as part of a college class in behavioral psychology would not count toward the 12 hours of ADHD education.

   So what counts?

   Specific training includes classroom work, direct observation and/or teleconferencing. It must be taught specifically for each category, coaching and ADHD education. Coach training must be provided by a PCC or MCC level ICF certified coach. ADHD education must be provided by a Masters or PhD level trainer with expertise in the field of ADHD. ADHD coach training must be provided by a PCC or MCC level ICF certified coach.

   There is space on the membership form to list the courses you completed including the instructor’s name and credentials, class description and training hours.

   If your training is not coach-specific, you may be an Associate Member of the ACO until you complete appropriate coach training.

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4. I didn’t actually attend a certain conference, but I listened to the sessions on CD or tape. Does that count?Yes. ACO members ascribe to the ICF code of ethics. As such they do not misrepresent themselves or their training. If you listened to the session on CD or tape, you may claim the training time.
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5. What do I have to provide to show that I have an active practice?The primary reason for this criteria is to insure that people visiting our site and searching our “Find a Coach” database will be directed toward coaches who are actively practicing. We ask that you provide the URL of your website or an email address which refers to your business. e.g. Coachmary@xxx.com at least sounds like a coach; mary123@xxx.com does not. You may also provide a scanned copy of your business card.
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6. What are the dues?
   Membership in the ACO is $120 per year for Professional members and $60 per year for Associates.
   Using a credit card for payment, members may choose to:
   • automatically renew membership annually—every 365 days or
   • to automatically renew membership quarterly—every 90 days, paying just 1/4 of the total yearly dues every three months. For professionals this is just $30. For Associates just $15!

If you elect any automatic payments, you will receive a receipt for your payment at the time that your card is charged. But currently we are unable to send a reminder before that date. If you decide to leave us, just let us know within 15 days after payment. We’ll happily refund your money.

Please note:

• Currently PayPal payments can not be use for recurring payments.
• The ACO is no longer accepting international checks as payment for services.
• And starting January 1, 2012 we will no longer accept any checks.

Further explanation of renewal options is available here.

If you have another question not listed here, please use the reply form to ask.

Thank you.

This information has been moved to the Members’ Site here

If you have questions about using the ACO logo, please use our Contact form here.

Announced June 1, 2006 by the ACO Board of Directors
Updated October 28, 2009

• What’s the difference between Professional and Associate members?

• How will the ACO figure out what kind of member I should be?

• What are the requirements for a Professional Member?

It’s not just ADHD coaches who are noticing the number of other professionals who are co-opting the title “coach.” Some management consultants, some therapists, some teachers and tutors, and a host of others in helping professions are calling themselves coaches.

According to the International Coach Federation (ICF)

Coaches are trained to listen, to observe and to customize their approach to individual client needs. They seek to elicit solutions and strategies from the client; they believe the client is naturally creative and resourceful. The coach’s job is to provide support to enhance the skills, resources, and creativity that the client already has.

Key in that definition is training: specific coach training.
The ACO supports the value of coach-specific training, as well as education in the field of ADHD and ADHD coaching, as critical to the effective practice of ADHD coaching.

Therefore, because ACO Coaches are, first and foremost, coaches who endorse and accept the coaching paradigm of the ICF, and who additionally have specific training and expertise in coaching people and/or groups affected by ADHD, the ACO is implementing specific criteria for Professional Membership.

It is not the intent of the ACO to credential or certify any member’s qualifications or skill level. However, it is important to our mission of promoting ADHD coaches and coaching worldwide that we protect the integrity of the “Professional Member” designation of the ACO.

What are the requirements for a professional member?

Therefore, beginning on July 1, 2006, in order to be listed as a Professional ACO Coach, new members will need to provide information declaring:

Evidence of an active coaching practice
and either

• 72 hours of ADHD coach specific training taught by an ICF credentialed MCC or PCC coach

OR

• Certification as a Professional ADHD Coach by the Institute for the Advancement of ADHD Coaches (This option was added by the Board of Directors on November
  15, 2007)
  OR
• 60 hours of coach specific training provided by an ICF approved school or taught by an ICF credentialed MCC or PCC coach,
  plus
• 12 hours of addition training about ADHD and/or ADHD Coaching provided by a Masters or PhD level expert or by an ICF credentialed MCC or PCC coach or by a specific source recognized by the ACO .

So what’s the difference between a Professional Member and an Associate Member?

The only difference in benefits between the two levels is that Professional Members only are listed in the publicly searchable “Find a Coach” directory.

The entire database is available to all members after logging into the members-only portion of the website.This way members looking for others with particular skills, training, or for other information can find members who might fill a specific need.

Associate Members who wish to become Professional Members will be supported and encouraged by the ACO and its membership in their efforts to do so.

How will the organization find out what level of coach I am?

During the sign-up process, prospective members must fill out a form which includes specific information about training, experience and business. The ACO expects ethical behavior from its members.  Therefore, we trust that the information you provide on the application will be accurate and correct.

If you are sure there is no question that you qualify for professional membership, you may complete the form and then pay dues.  If you are not sure, you may complete and submit the form and wait for approval from the ACO.  Generally this takes a few days, but should not be more than a week.  If you do not hear back, please use the contact form here to poke the office.

For complete information, please check the FAQ online here.