Advance your career with confidence

Gain crucial communication skills, including motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral coaching, to foster effective client-coach relationships and help clients reach their potential. Learn from prominent experts in the field of behavior change and elevate your profile as a fitness or health professional.

Make a difference in every client’s journey

Help clients of all backgrounds recognize and overcome counterproductive behaviors. Guide them in discovering strategies to move more, eat better, and make healthier decisions for themselves and their families.

Stand out from the competition

Human beings are capable of incredible transformations. With the right coaching approach and strategy, positive habits can be built to create a lifelong impact on health and well-being. As an ACE Behavior Change Specialist, you will help your clients discover their own paths to a healthy, happy lifestyle.

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  • In order to redeem a renewal voucher, ACE Professionals must meet all renewal requirements and still move through the purchase process required for renewal. Once they add a renewal to their virtual cart at ACEfitness.org, the voucher will be detected and the item discount will be recognized. This transaction must be separate from the original qualifying purchase.
  • Renewal vouchers are good for renewal of a single credential.
  • Renewal vouchers awarded to ACE Professionals who hold more than one credential will be automatically applied to the next on-time renewal processed, not necessarily the next credential up for renewal.
  • There is no limit to the number of renewal vouchers an ACE Professional may receive.
  • Renewal vouchers must be must be used within 30 months of purchase date of qualifying materials.
  • Renewal vouchers are only applicable for on-time renewals, and may not be applied to late renewals that incur additional fees.
  • Renewal vouchers are non-transferable and hold no cash value.
  • Renewal voucher promotions override all other discount programs and may not be used in conjunction with other discounts.
  • Refunds on materials will not be granted to those who have redeemed their renewal voucher.
  • Those who receive refunds on materials are not eligible to redeem their renewal voucher.
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RENEWAL VOUCHER TERMS & CONDITIONS

  • In order to redeem a renewal voucher, ACE Professionals must meet all renewal requirements and still move through the purchase process required for renewal. Once they add a renewal to their virtual cart at ACEfitness.org, the voucher will be detected and the item discount will be recognized. This transaction must be separate from the original qualifying purchase.
  • Renewal vouchers are good for renewal of a single credential.
  • Renewal vouchers awarded to ACE Professionals who hold more than one credential will be automatically applied to the next on-time renewal processed, not necessarily the next credential up for renewal.
  • There is no limit to the number of renewal vouchers an ACE Professional may receive.
  • Renewal vouchers must be must be used within 30 months of purchase date of qualifying materials.
  • Renewal vouchers are only applicable for on-time renewals, and may not be applied to late renewals that incur additional fees.
  • Renewal vouchers are non-transferable and hold no cash value.
  • Renewal voucher promotions override all other discount programs and may not be used in conjunction with other discounts.
  • Refunds on materials will not be granted to those who have redeemed their renewal voucher.
  • Those who receive refunds on materials are not eligible to redeem their renewal voucher.
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Designed for professionals like you, seeking to make a greater impact.

While anyone can purchase and complete this program, it was designed with the following professionals in mind:

How it works

To become an ACE Behavior Change Specialist, you must complete the full curriculum and pass all quizzes with a score of 70% or higher. No prerequisites required. You'll receive a certificate, and your credential will never expire or need renewal.

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Special skills require a special program

The ACE Behavior Change Specialist Program equips you with key tools to promote behavior change and establish a foundation for healthier lifestyles. You'll gain insights into common obstacles to behavior change and learn effective strategies to overcome them, such as motivational interviewing and setting SMART goals. These tools will enable you to help clients increase energy, prevent disease, and develop sustainable habits.

In this section, you'll learn the fundamentals of coaching, defined as the art of communication with individuals or groups to help them achieve a goal. Discover how to establish a client-coach relationship and coaching plan, increase competency in emotional intelligence, acquire skills in structuring a coaching program, and learn to approach coaching from a strengths-based perspective.

Coaching Behavior Change

In the first section, you will explore the coaching fundamentals portion of Coaching Behavior Change. The content, written by practicing physician and obesity medicine specialist Natalie Digate Muth, MD, MPH, RD, explores fundamentals of the client-coach relationship and how to create a coaching plan, increase competency in emotional intelligence, acquire skills in structuring a program, and learn to approach coaching from a strengths-based perspective through the use of positive psychology.

Scope of Practice Podcast

Our first in a series of interactive podcasts features ACE experts discussing scope of practice for coaches alongside Billie Frances, MA, Board-certified Life Coach, licensed therapist and founder of Guiding Mindful Change.

Insight from Experts Series

Experience video-based sessions with two leading experts in emotional intelligence and positive psychology, Dan Goleman, Ph.D., author of The New York Times best-sellers Emotional Intelligence and Focus; and Robert Biswas-Diener, Ph.D., positive psychology expert, author and managing director of Positive Acorn.

Roundtable Discussion

Experience an in-depth, video discussion between Dan Goleman, Ph.D., author of The New York Times best-sellers Emotional Intelligence and Focus, and ACE Certified Professionals on the subject of behavior change. Topics include the concept of emotional intelligence and its four domains, and how to approach the client-coach relationship with competency in each area.
eBook
Podcast
Recorded Video
Online Quiz

In this section, you'll discover the predictable, though nonlinear, cycle of change that clients and patients experience. Coaching through all of the stages — beginning with awareness — demands the utilization of strategies and communication techniques that help people better understand and explore present states and future visions. You'll also learn how to help identify a current stage of change, employ techniques to help continue progress, and help clients and patients recognize whether and how a change should occur.

Coaching Behavior Change

In this section, you'll explore the first stage in the ACE cycle of change, a model of behavior change in which a client or patient experiences a nonlinear cycle of raised Awareness, Choice and Execution. You'll learn more about identifying the stages of change in your clients and patients, and techniques you can utilize to help them progress. You'll also explore how to identify potential ambivalence to change and how to help others become more fully aware of what their lives will be like once they adopt lifestyle change.

Stages of Change Podcast

To continue the podcast series, ACE experts discuss stages of change with James O. Prochaska, professor of psychology, director of the Cancer Prevention Research Center at the University of Rhode Island, and developer of the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change.

Insight from Experts Series

Our video-based series continues with insight from William R. Miller, Ph.D., founder of motivational interviewing. Enhance your understanding of the concept of motivational interviewing, and how and when to use open-ended questions, affirmation, reflective listening and summarizing when communicating.

Roundtable Discussion

Experience an in-depth, video discussion between William R. Miller, Ph.D., founder of motivational interviewing, and ACE Certified Professionals on the subject of behavior change. Learn more about when to use motivational interviewing with your clients, and how to put the technique into practice.

Practical Application

In this practical application, Billie Frances, MA, Board-certified Life Coach, licensed therapist and founder of Guiding Mindful Change, will help you to improve your own mindfulness through integration of meditation. As a coach, engaging in these types of practices can help you maintain a nonjudgmental approach to clients or patients, and be more aware of their emotions, thoughts and sensations.
eBook
Podcast
Recorded Video
Online Quiz

Section 3 utilizes a number of learning opportunities aimed at helping you explore the choice stage of change, which occurs after an individual has come to recognize that a behavioral change is warranted. Coaching clients through this phase requires strategies and communication techniques that help them set goals, plan for challenges, and establish a positive mindset. You'll learn about cognitive behavioral coaching, identifying strengths and barriers, and how you can guide all types of clients to establish attainable goals.

Coaching Behavior Change

In this section, you'll explore the stage of choice in Coaching Behavior Change, content written by Billie Frances, MA, Board-certified Life Coach, licensed therapist and founder of Guiding Mindful Change; practicing physician Natalie Digate Muth, MD, MPH, RD; and other ACE experts. The coach's role in this stage is to help clients set the best goals to fuel and inspire change, recognize and rely on their own strengths, and maintain a positive tone as they prepare to embark on the journey to long-lasting behavioral change.

Cognitive Coaching Podcast

To continue the podcast series, ACE experts describe the concept of "the link is what you think" and its role in behavior change. The insight offers a straightforward method to understand the science and relationship between thought processes and behavior.

Roundtable Discussion

Learn more by experiencing an informative, video discussion between Robert Biswas-Diener, positive psychology expert, author and managing director of Positive Acorn, and an ACE Certified Professional. The discussion offers insight on how to apply the principles of positive psychology and strengths-based coaching to your sessions.

Practical Application

Our series of practical applications continue with an exercise led by Robert Biswas-Diener, positive psychology expert, author and managing director of Positive Acorn. Gain deeper insight by exploring the video, "What is Health?"
eBook
Podcast
Recorded Video
Online Quiz

Our learning experience continues with a section focused on helping you lead clients and patients through the execution stage of change, which occurs when they are ready to act. You'll learn how to develop strong plans through brainstorming, effective accountability techniques and how to respectfully and appropriately respond to reluctance. You'll also explore how to use adult learning techniques to fill knowledge gaps and how to evaluate plans.

Coaching Behavior Change

In this section, you'll explore the coach's role throughout the execution stage of change, which occurs when clients are ready to begin the challenging, yet rewarding task of making the changes necessary to achieve their goals. In Coaching Behavior Change, you'll explore more about how to prepare for action, and offer accountability, adult learning and evaluation, a valuable tool in ensuring your clients' actual behaviors are sustainable and match up to their desired behaviors.

Insight from Experts Series

Our video-based series continues with leading behavior scientist and founder of the Tiny Habits® program, B.J. Fogg, Ph.D., and professional coach Linda Fogg-Phillips. The two offer insight into how science and emotions affect the process of developing new habits, breaking bad habits, and coaching for successful behavioral change.

Roundtable Discussion

Experience an in-depth, video discussion between B.J. Fogg, Ph.D., and ACE Certified Professionals on the subject of behavior change. The discussion offers insight on the Tiny Habits program and how you can utilize it when leading all types of clients and patients to sustainable change.
eBook
Recorded Video
Online Quiz

Coaches work with clients in diverse settings, from workplaces to clinics, wellness or medical fitness centers to virtual forums like Facebook or Google+. They also come from diverse backgrounds, often incorporating their expertise into another professional role such as physician, nurse, dietitian, medical assistant, personal trainer or community health leader. In this section, you'll prepare to successfully apply the fundamental coaching principles to any number of diverse settings.

Coaching Behavior Change

In the final chapters of Coaching Behavior Change, you'll gain insight on how coaches fit into the patient-centered medical home, emerging workplace wellness programs and medical fitness centers, and payment models that can be incorporated into each of those settings. You'll also explore the emerging trends of virtual coaching and group coaching.

Case Study Podcast

To round out the podcast series, Linda Fogg-Phillips, MS, an expert in health behavior design, health coaching and the Tiny Habits®, shares a real-life virtual coaching example. You'll also review the CRAFT Model, used exclusively in virtual coaching. The method will help you systematically address specific areas with your client or patient at each meeting.
eBook
Podcast
Online Quiz

Our landmark Coaching Workshop series of videos offers live 15-20 minute coaching scenarios demonstrating client-centered coaching principles based on the International Coach Federation core competencies. Featuring ACE experts Natalie Digate Muth, MD, MPH, RD, and Billie Frances, MA, Board-certified Life Coach, licensed therapist and founder of Guiding Mindful Change, and several Behavior Change Specialists-in-training, the videos take an inside look into clients who want to quit smoking, reverse prediabetes, establish a workplace wellness program, lose weight and maintain a healthy diet.

Recorded Video

The Final Assessment will assess your knowledge of behavior change coaching. Each question will test your ability to select the most appropriate response to specific practical scenarios. You will be asked to evaluate spoken responses, written responses and visual cues.

The Final Assessment consists of 25 multiple choice questions. You will need to receive a score of 70% or higher to pass. You can take the test as many times as needed.

Online Quiz

Approved Providers

Approved by the following organizations for continuing education hours:

25.0 CECs
6.0 CEs

NBHWC CEC Approval

Provider Number: CEA-000259-1

7.0 CEUs
25.0 CECs

Meet the Experts

The ACE Behavior Change Specialist Program features expert instructors, including:

Renowned positive psychology expert.

Member of the Executive Committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Obesity.

National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach, licensed marriage and family therapist, and founder of Guiding Mindful Change.

Director of the Persuasive Tech Lab at Stanford University and founder of the Tiny Habits® program.

Author of the New York Times best-selling books, Emotional Intelligence and Focus.

One of the founders of motivational interviewing.

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Reviews

Ken (ACE Certified Professional)

Jeffrey

Very informative on “how” to actually coach a client to make the change they want to make. Knowing what to do and knowing how to do it is a major difference and this covers both extremely well!

Kai (ACE Certified Professional)

I highly recommend the ACE Behavioral Change Coach course for any fitness or wellness professional looking to elevate client results. This course is a game-changer—packed with proven strategies to inspire motivation, boost client success, and create lasting results that go far beyond exercise programming, equipping you with proven strategies to understand motivation, build stronger relationships, and guide clients through lasting lifestyle changes.

Valerie (ACE Certified Professional)

Everyone involved in coaching people should do this course. It will help them avoid a lifetime of mistakes and obtain better results.

Eva (ACE Certified Professional)

This was excellent choice for me. I will definitely be implementing the strategies and tools to help my clients achieve their goals. Thanks, ACE...you did it again.

Hailey

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