Become a certified Purpose Coach®
Our comprehensive 6-month coaching training in Switzerland – part-time in Zurich, Bern, St. Gallen and online – empowers you to professionally guide people in discovering their talents, values and calling. It is based on Gallup CliftonStrengths®, Profilingvalues and Positive Psychology and leads to the protected title Certified Purpose Coach®.
Start
Anytime
Duration
6 months
Location
Zurich, Bern, St. Gallen & Online
Certificate
Certified Purpose Coach
Trainers & Faculty
Your training is led by certified Gallup CliftonStrengths® and profilingvalues coaches with years of hands-on coaching practice.
Philipp Fuchs
Lead Trainer · Certified Purpose Coach®
Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and profilingvalues consultant. Founder of PurposeCoach® with 10+ years of leadership and coaching experience.
Peter Schiffhauer
Co-Trainer · Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach
Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and experienced career coach. Supports modules on positioning, client acquisition and supervision.
Daniel Arber
2nd Co-Trainer · Lead Coach
Lead Coach with broad experience in leadership, business and team coaching – supports practical training and supervision.
Modules & Content – Curriculum: 6 Months, Step by Step
From coaching fundamentals to your own certified practice – progressive, with live modules, supervision and real-world practice.
Download curriculum (PDF)- Month 1
Foundation & Coaching Identity
Build your coaching stance and learn the ethical principles of professional guidance.
Topics
- Coaching defined & distinguished from consulting/therapy
- ICF core competencies & code of ethics
- Active listening & powerful questions
- Contracting & engagement clarity
Methods
- Live tandem practice
- Reflection journal
Learning outcome: You confidently run structured 30-min coaching sessions.
- Month 2
Recognizing Strengths – Gallup CliftonStrengths®
Use the 34 CliftonStrengths® themes to make your clients' talents visible.
Topics
- Deep understanding of the 4 domains & 34 themes
- Reading Top-5 and Top-34 reports
- Strengths investment strategy
- Managing weaknesses through partnership
Methods
- Your own CliftonStrengths 34 assessment
- Strengths coaching demo
Learning outcome: You facilitate a full strengths debrief in 60 minutes.
- Month 3
Values & Profilingvalues
Work with the scientifically validated PAV values analysis for professional and personal clarity.
Topics
- Value dimensions per Robert S. Hartman
- Reading & mirroring the PAV report
- Recognizing & resolving values conflicts
- Values drift as an early burnout indicator
Methods
- Your own PAV analysis
- Values coaching in a live setting
Learning outcome: You recognize values conflicts as a coach and guide clients to clarity.
- Month 4
Positive Psychology & Purpose
Combine PERMA, flow and meaning research into a robust purpose coaching process.
Topics
- PERMA model (Seligman) & well-being diagnostics
- Creating flow conditions
- Ikigai & 5-question purpose frame
- Writing & visualization exercises
Methods
- Purpose discovery workshop
- Peer coaching in 90-min format
Learning outcome: You run a 90-min purpose session with a measurable aha-moment.
- Month 5
Change & Leadership Coaching
Guide leaders through transformations with models for sustainable behavior change.
Topics
- Transtheoretical model of change
- Immunity to Change (Kegan)
- Strengths-based team leadership
- Difficult conversations & feedback
Methods
- Leadership case studies
- Role-play in triads
Learning outcome: You structure a 6-session leadership coaching process.
- Month 6
Practice, Supervision & Certification
Integrate all methods into your own coaching practice and complete the certification assessment.
Topics
- Live coaching demo before a master coach
- Reflection on your own coaching cases
- Business model & client acquisition basics
- Coach marketing (LinkedIn, website)
Methods
- Individual supervision (3× 60 min)
- Final coaching demo
Learning outcome: You receive the «Certified Purpose Coach®» credential.
Learning & Practice Formats
Live online modules
Two 3-hour live sessions per month via Zoom – interactive with breakout exercises.
Hybrid in-person days (Zurich, Bern, St. Gallen)
3 in-person days during the program for deep practice, live coaching and community. By default in Zurich – on request also available in Bern and St. Gallen.
Peer coaching triads
Fixed learning triads between modules – weekly 60-min practice sessions.
1:1 supervision
3 individual supervision sessions with experienced master coaches during the practice phase.
Members area on CoachingLoft (self-paced)
The entire members area is delivered via the CoachingLoft platform: videos, scripts, tools, exercises and checklists – available anytime and without limits throughout the program.
Log in to CoachingLoftTraining venues
The in-person days take place in Zurich by default. The training can additionally be run in Bern and St. Gallen – and as a special in-house programme directly at companies.
Zurich
Main venue. Central location, easily reachable from Bern, Basel, Lucerne and St. Gallen. All regular in-person days take place here.
Bern
Available on request. Dedicated cohort in Bern with sufficient group size – ideal for participants from western Switzerland and the Mittelland.
St. Gallen
Available on request. Dedicated cohort in St. Gallen with sufficient group size – ideal for eastern Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Vorarlberg.
In-house at companies
As a special programme directly at your site: tailored curriculum, exclusively for your team or leadership level. Incl. needs analysis, stakeholder workshop and transfer support.
For Bern, St. Gallen and in-house formats: free initial call to clarify group size, dates and individual requirements.
Materials you will receive
All materials remain available in the members area on CoachingLoft – plus you receive printed materials at the in-person days.
Participant handbook (PDF & print)
Approx. 180 pages, structured around the 6 modules: theory, models, practice examples and reflection questions. Handed out as a printed copy on the first in-person day.
Module scripts & slide decks
Complete slide decks of all live modules as PDF – including speaker notes and further reading per chapter.
Coaching tool box (50+ tools)
Ready-to-use templates: contracting, values cards, strengths inventory, purpose discovery canvas, Wheel of Life, iceberg model and many more – as editable PDFs and Miro boards.
Worksheets & exercise templates
More than 40 client worksheets – print-ready and whitelabel-capable for use in your own coaching practice.
Coaching Canvas (checklists & process guides)
Visual one-page framework that maps the entire coaching process: request & context, current situation, resources & strengths, obstacles & inner drivers, goals & success criteria, interventions, next steps and reflection. Includes checklists per canvas field and process guides for first call, contracting, session structure and closing reflection.
Video library
All live modules are recorded (Zoom) and remain permanently available in the members area – ideal for review or scheduling conflicts.
Case vignettes & sample solutions
12 fully worked coaching cases with hypotheses, intervention options and sample analysis – the basis for your written case analyses.
ICF competency rubric & assessment sheets
Original ICF marker set (11 criteria) plus all internal assessment sheets for live exercises, video submissions and the final demo.
Certificate «Certified Purpose Coach®»
High-quality printed certificate (A4) plus digital PDF with verification link – upon successful completion of the assessment.
All digital materials remain permanently available in your CoachingLoft account after completion of the training.
Coaching Canvas glossary
The central Coaching Canvas terms at a glance – a compact reference for your coaching practice.
Assessment & Certification
The «Certified Purpose Coach®» credential is awarded when the following criteria are met:
- At least 80% attendance in live modules
- > 80% result in the learning assessment
- Completion of the 3 individual supervisions
- Successful live coaching demo (60 min) in front of a master coach
- Written reflection paper (10–15 pages) on your own coaching identity
Learning Objectives Assessment
How we make sure across the 6 months that you truly master every learning objective – not just understand it in theory, but apply it confidently in practice.
Module quizzes
After every module: 10 multiple-choice questions on theory and application. 80% pass mark, retake as often as needed – you never move on with knowledge gaps.
Live coaching practice
In every module you practice as coach AND coachee. Direct feedback from the master coach and peers based on the ICF competency markers – after every exercise, in writing.
Reflection journal
Guided weekly reflection prompts (max. 10 min/day). You make your learning explicit, spot patterns early and build your coaching identity intentionally.
Peer feedback triads
Weekly 60-min practice session in a fixed triad. Followed by 15-min structured feedback against a clear rubric – honest, appreciative, documented.
Mid-program check-in (Month 3)
30-min 1:1 with your master coach. We compare learning objectives against your current level, define concrete next steps and adjust where needed.
Final live coaching demo
60-min coaching session in front of the master coach, evaluated against 11 ICF marker criteria. Detailed rubric with a written rationale for the certification decision.
How the learning assessment is concretely carried out
The learning assessment is not a one-off exam but a continuous process across all 6 months. Each task format measures a different competence dimension (knowledge, application, reflection, live performance) and is weighted into the overall result.
Multiple-choice test
20%10 questions per module, online in the member area, 15-min time limit, automatic scoring, up to 3 attempts, pass mark 80%.
Written case analysis
20%Written work on a real coaching case vignette (2–3 pages) per main module: hypotheses, intervention plan, ethical reflection. Scored against a 5-point rubric by the master coach.
Live role-play exercises
15%At least 8 documented coach–coachee exercises with peers (30 min each). Rated by master coach or trained peer using the ICF competency rubric (8 markers, 1–5 points each).
Video submission with self-reflection
15%2 recorded coaching sessions (45 min each) with a practice client. Plus a 1-page self-reflection: what went well, what would you do differently, what hypothesis did you hold?
Reflection portfolio
10%Weekly journal entries (guided prompts) + 3 thematic deep-dive essays (1–2 pages each) on purpose, values & coaching identity. Qualitatively assessed, not quantitatively.
Final live coaching demo
20%60-min live coaching with an unknown client in front of a 2-person examination panel (master coach + external observer). Rated against 11 ICF markers, with written rationale.
All tasks are documented in a personal learning dossier. If results sit just below 80% there is a targeted catch-up task + 1:1 coaching with the master coach – so no one is certified with unresolved gaps.
Certification
The «Certified Purpose Coach®» certificate is awarded to every participant who meets the following two core criteria:
Learning assessment > 80%
Passing all module quizzes, the written reflection paper and the final live coaching demo with an overall score of at least 80%.
3 real-world coachings with high client satisfaction
Completion and documentation of at least 3 full coaching processes (3–5 sessions each) with real clients. After completion, every client fills in a standardised feedback form. Concrete metrics: average overall rating ≥ 4.5/5 stars, Net Promoter Score (NPS) ≥ 8/10, plus written agreement from the client with the statement «I would recommend this coach».
When both criteria are met, the «Certified Purpose Coach®» certificate is awarded – a binding quality endorsement of your coaching competence.
How we collect the feedback – transparent & traceable
To make sure the feedback score, NPS and recommendation rate are measured reliably and fairly, we follow a clearly defined, standardised process.
- 1
Micro feedback after every session
Directly after every coaching session the client receives a short link (2 questions, < 60 seconds): «How valuable was this session?» (1–5 stars) and «What was especially helpful / what would you change?».
- 2
Final survey after every coaching process
After the 3–5 sessions are completed, a standardised online form (8 questions, ~4 minutes) is sent out. It captures: overall rating (1–5 stars), the NPS question («How likely are you to recommend this coach?» 0–10), goal achievement and open text fields.
- 3
Anonymous & independent
The survey runs on an independent tool (Tally/Typeform). The client decides whether to provide their name. Raw data goes directly to academy management – not to the coach-in-training. This keeps the feedback honest and unbiased.
- 4
Verification by the academy
The academy checks every client relationship (contract basis, session notes) and cross-references the feedback data with the learning assessment. Only then is certification released.
- 5
Data protection & retention
All data is processed in line with GDPR/revFADP, stored in Switzerland and used solely for the certification. Clients can withdraw their consent at any time.
Schedule & Dates – Duration and timeline
The certification spans 6 months and follows a clear schedule: two 3-hour live online modules per month (Thursday evenings, 6–9 pm CET), three hybrid on-site days in Zurich (also bookable in Bern and St. Gallen on request) and weekly peer-coaching triads of 60 minutes between the modules. Start dates are flexible — new cohorts begin every 2 months. Between live modules you work self-paced in the CoachingLoft member area: video lessons, scripts, exercises and checklists are always available. On top of that you receive 3 individual 1:1 supervision sessions during the practice phase.
Total time investment is roughly 4–6 hours per week on average — fully compatible with a full-time job. The detailed dates for the next cohort are shared in your free 30-minute consultation.
Investment & Price – Course costs
The investment in your Certified Purpose Coach® training is positioned in the mid-price segment of the Swiss coaching-education market. It includes all 12 live online modules, three hybrid on-site days, 3 individual 1:1 supervision sessions, the full CoachingLoft member area, the printed participant handbook (approx. 180 pages), the complete coaching tool-box with 50+ templates, your personal Gallup CliftonStrengths® 34 and profilingvalues assessments, as well as the final certification with the seal «Certified Purpose Coach®».
Because the program is individually tailored to your prior experience (corporate training, HR, established coaching practice, career changer), we offer the exact price in your personal consultation. Flexible payment plans (3, 6 or 12 instalments at 0% interest) are available, as well as company invoicing including discount programs from 3 participants upwards.
Frequently asked questions about Purpose Coaching
Answers to the most important questions about method, process and investment.
Cost & pricing
How much does a coaching program cost?+
Reputable coaching programs typically cost between CHF 6,000 and 18,000, depending on length, methodology, live training share and certification. The Certified Purpose Coach® program (6 months, part-time) sits in the mid-range and includes Gallup CliftonStrengths®, profilingvalues, 12 live modules, 3 on-site days in Zurich and 3 individual supervisions. Exact pricing is shared in the free intro call.
How much does coach training cost in Switzerland specifically?+
Swiss certified coach programs typically range from CHF 8,000 to 18,000 for a 6–12-month program with live training. Pure online short formats start around CHF 3,000 but cover far less depth and rarely include validated diagnostics.
Are payment plans, grants or company discounts available?+
Yes. We offer 3-, 6- or 12-month payment plans at 0% interest, company discounts from 3 participants and we support you with applications for continuing-education grants (e.g. via your employer or professional association).
Which program is right for me?
Which coaching program is the best?+
There is no universal 'best'. What matters: a recognised methodology with a scientific base (not pure mindset), real live training with supervision, clear certification, transparent pricing and a realistic business model for what comes after. At Purpose Coach® we use Gallup CliftonStrengths® and profilingvalues — tools also used by HR teams of major Swiss companies.
Which coaching program is the right one for me?+
Depends on your goal: do you want to coach more effectively internally (HR, leadership), launch as a professional coach or extend your existing practice with validated diagnostics? In a free 30-min call we clarify which path fits — even when the honest answer is 'not us'.
What kinds of coaching programs even exist?+
Broadly four families: systemic coach training, NLP and mental-coach programs, business-coach programs, and specialised approaches like purpose, strengths or values coaching. They differ mainly in methodology (scientific vs. popular), length, live share and market recognition.
What does a coaching program deliver?
What does a coaching program actually deliver?+
Three concrete things: 1) a clear, repeatable coaching craft (conversation skills, diagnostics, process design), 2) strong personal development — almost all participants report new clarity on their strengths, values and purpose, 3) a new career option (side role, self-employment or visibly stronger impact in leadership and HR).
Why do a coaching program?+
Because it serves two levels at once: you expand your professional toolkit with a highly demanded skill while developing personally. Especially valuable for people aged 30–55 who already have impact at work but want to sharpen meaning and direction.
Is a coaching program worth it professionally?+
Yes, if you apply it strategically: as an added skill in HR or leadership (often direct salary impact), as a second income alongside your main job (typically CHF 180–350 per session) or as a stepping stone into self-employment with realistic annual revenues of CHF 80,000–150,000 after 2–3 years of consistent buildup.
More questions
What exactly is Purpose Coaching?+
Purpose Coaching is a science-based process that helps people clarify their personal purpose and apply it in work and life — based on strengths, values and motives.
How is Purpose Coaching different from classic life or business coaching?+
Classic coaching usually focuses on individual goals. Purpose Coaching starts one level deeper: we first clarify purpose, strengths and values — goals and decisions follow consistently from there.
Who is Purpose Coaching for?+
For people roughly 30–55 who are professionally successful but seek clarity, meaning or a new direction — and for leaders who want to develop their teams around strengths and purpose.
How long does a Purpose Coaching process take?+
A typical process spans 6–10 sessions over 3–6 months. Shorter orientation processes start at 3 sessions; longer career transitions can run up to 12 months.
Which tools do you use in Purpose Coaching?+
We work with Gallup CliftonStrengths® for top-5 talents, profilingvalues for values and motives, plus methods from Positive Psychology and meaning research (Viktor Frankl).
What does Purpose Coaching cost in Switzerland?+
Single sessions typically range from CHF 220 to 320 per hour, depending on coach and setting. Packages and corporate rates are discussed individually in a free first call.
Can Purpose Coaching happen online?+
Yes. We work hybrid — in person in Bern and Zurich or by video call across Switzerland, Germany, Austria and internationally. Quality is comparable in both settings.
How do I find out if Purpose Coaching fits me?+
Book a free 30-min consultation. We clarify your situation, answer questions and suggest a fitting path — no obligation, no sales pressure.
Related topics
Curated resources to deepen your understanding of Purpose Coaching.
Voices of our graduates – Alumni testimonials
These reviews come from certified Purpose Coach® graduates from Switzerland, Germany and Austria — HR professionals, career changers, executives and established coaches. They describe how the 6-month training reshaped their coaching practice, sharpened their positioning and gave them measurable confidence in working with Gallup CliftonStrengths® and profilingvalues with real clients. Each testimonial is verified and published after personal approval.
Client testimonials
Real Transformations
Over 750 satisfied clients in Switzerland and Europe trust our strengths-based coaching.
«The training completely changed my understanding of strengths-based coaching. The combination of theory and practice is unique.»
«Hands-on training with excellent mentoring. The small groups enable intensive learning and personal growth.»