The CCI eating disorder coaching curriculum is a comprehensive course containing 12 modules that students do at their own pace. In addition to the modules, described below, coaching students also get a handbook containing several items such as:

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• Carolyn’s core principles and philosophical tenets that she has used for over three decades to successfully treat people with eating disorders

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• Information on how to deal with common challenging situations in both individual and group settings

• How to set and maintain boundaries

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• Assignments to use with clients

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• How to stay within the coaching scope of practice

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• And much more....

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​The handbook, along with the modules, will help prepare coaching students for the unique situations and circumstances that come with coaching eating disorder clients.

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Module 1: Introductory Module

Introduction to The Carolyn Costin Institute's Eating Disorder Coach Training Certification Program. In this module, you will learn about Carolyn and what she has contributed to the field of eating disorders. You will also learn what eating disorder coaching is and will get a general overview of the concepts presented in later modules.

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Module 2: Use of Self and Self-Disclosure

There are two options for the Use of Self and Self-Disclosure module. One is customized for recovered coaches and the other is tailored to coaches without an eating disorder history.

Both groups learn to use their background and their own experiences in their work with clients. Coaches are taught how to thoughtfully self-disclose and how to respond to questions or comments from clients that might make them uncomfortable. For example, if a client asks about the coach’s exercise habits, eating habits or other information that eating disorder clients are often curious about when it comes to members of their treatment team.

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Module 3: Motivation, Patience and Hope

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Module 3 discusses the various levels of motivation for change that coaches are likely to encounter with clients. You will learn strategies for dealing with resistance and lack of motivation as well as other important information about helping clients make lasting changes.

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Module 4: The Healthy Self Will Heal the Eating Disorder Self

We believe that every client has a healthy self and an eating disorder self and that the goal of a coach is to strengthen the client’s healthy self. The concept of eating disorder self vs. healthy self is discussed in detail and coaches will be given techniques and strategies for working with the two parts of self. Coaches will also learn the tools to help clients strengthen their healthy self and ultimately integrate both parts of self into one whole.

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Module 5: It’s Not About the Food

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Module 5 discusses the various genetic, cultural and other factors that can contribute to the development of an eating disorder. Although coaches do not provide therapy so they do not work in helping clients with underlying issues, it is important for them to understand the various risk factors that cause and or contribute to eating disorders. Training is provided in this module for coaches to help take the traits that clients have that often manifest as liabilities and learn to use them as an asset.

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Module 6: Feel Your Feelings, Challenge Your Thoughts

Eating disorder clients often do not know how to deal with feelings and are often caught up in unverifiable and/or destructive thoughts. Module 6 discusses the importance of teaching clients how to feel their feelings, and challenge their thoughts. Included are ways to help clients identify feelings, explore their emotions and separate both their thoughts and feelings from their inner core essence or witnessing self.

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Module 7: it Is About the Food

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In Module 7, we discussed how eating disorders are not about the food. In this module, we will discuss ways that eating disorders ARE about the food. Included in this module are the principles of conscious eating, helping clients change their relationship with food and strategies they can be taught to help facilitate this. Specific comprehensive instructions are given for having meals with clients and handouts are provided for coaches to use with their clients.

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Module 8: Changing Behaviors

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In this module, you will learn steps for helping clients change their current overt eating disorder behaviors as well as other behaviors that may sabotage their recovery. You will discover new, healthier ways to relate to the world around them. Along with other behavior change strategies, you will learn the importance of visualization and how to use this technique with your clients.

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Module 9: Reaching Out to Other People

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In this module, you will learn the importance of teaching clients to reach out to other people (including you) and ways to help them effectively do so. You will also learn some common challenges clients face when reaching out and how to help them overcome these, to ultimately allow the clients use those relationships to put the eating disorder out of a job.

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Module 10: Finding Meaning and Purpose

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In this module, you will learn four fundamental principles of living, how to use them in your work with clients and ways to teach clients how to use them in their own daily lives. You will also learn ways to help clients get more in touch with their soul selves (vs. their ego selves) and important changes you can help them make to find more meaning and purpose in their lives.

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Module 11: Management

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This module contains valuable information about managing your coaching business and the coach/client relationship. You will learn important aspects to consider when running a coaching business as well as common challenges and strategies for how to approach and deal with them.

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Module 12: Supervision

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In this module, you will work with clients in order to practice the skills you have learned while receiving feedback from your supervisor. CCI provides the supervisors and the cost is included in tuition, so students do not need to find their own supervisors or pay any additional fees for this part of the course.

Most students prefer to find their own clients for this portion, but if a student is having trouble obtaining clients, CCI is happy to provide resources and assistance.