Become a Certified Values Coach
Help people reconnect with what matters most.
The Values Coach Certification is the applied layer of the work. The foundation already exists in Start With Values. Here, you learn what happens when a real person sits across from you and looks to you for help.
By the end of the course you will be able to help individuals identify their values clearly, see where those values are being lived and where they are being compromised, and support them in making decisions that reflect what actually matters. You will also be equipped to bring this work into organizations. Most importantly, you will be able to sit with someone in a moment of uncertainty and help them find clarity without taking that responsibility away from them.
What is a Values Coach?
A values coach helps individuals and organizations close the gap between what they say matters and how they actually live and lead. It’s some of the most meaningful coaching work there is — because values sit underneath everything: goals, decisions, relationships, performance, and purpose.
Most coaching approaches touch on values briefly. This certification puts them at the center. You’ll leave with a rigorous framework, a suite of practical tools, and the confidence to facilitate values work with individuals, teams, and organizations of any size.
Who is the Certification For?
This program is designed for people who are already doing meaningful work with others and want to add a rigorous, research-backed values methodology to their practice. That includes:
- Leaders and managers who want to lead with values and help their teams do the same
- Executive and life coaches who want a structured values framework to deepen client work
- HR and L&D professionals building values-based culture programs inside organizations
- Facilitators and trainers who run leadership development or team programs
- Therapists and counselors who use values-based approaches such as ACT
Benefits of Certification
Greater impact with clients. When people get clear on their values — truly clear, not just a ranked list — they make better decisions, build better relationships, and perform at a higher level. You’ll be the person who helped them get there.
A deeper coaching toolkit. You’ll move beyond surface-level values exercises and into a methodology that produces real, measurable change. You’ll know how to assess values, identify misalignment, and build action plans that stick.
A genuine competitive edge. Values-based coaching is one of the fastest-growing areas of professional development. Organizations are actively looking for practitioners who can do this work with rigor — not just warmth. This certification signals exactly that.
Course Overview — Eight Modules
36 video lessons. 6 practical assignments. One complete coaching system.
1. Foundations of Values Coaching
The role of a values coach. Trust, boundaries, and ethical clarity. The Values Pyramid and core models, used as diagnostic instruments rather than abstract theory.
2. Discovering Values
Four pathways into values discovery: fulfillment, stories, friction, and admiration. Using and debriefing the Values Assessment. Refining and ranking values into a usable hierarchy.
3. Interpreting Patterns
Values vs. goals, beliefs, needs, and purpose. Identity. Motivation styles, archetypes, and well-being insights. Plus a dedicated session on means vs. end values — one of the most transformative distinctions in coaching.
4. Turning Values into Action
Decisions, trade-offs, habits, rhythms, and boundaries. Coaching through competing values and inner conflict. Recognizing the three ways values become distorted.
5. Coaching the Survival Layer
Recognizing survival mode. Coaching through stress and overload. Recovery, sleep, and capacity as coaching territory. The outward-only values trap and how to surface it gently.
6. Case Studies
Three detailed cases drawn from real coaching engagements: service without self (a senior legal professional), misaligned priorities (a deputy principal), and performance pressure (a professional fighter).
7. The Coaching Process
Structuring a values coaching journey using the Values Alignment Method™. Sustaining change and preventing drift over time.
8. Values in Organizations
Why company values fail. Stated vs. real values and the three scenarios you’ll encounter. Reading organizational signals. Running the right session for the situation. Turning values into behavior.
The Methodology: The Values Alignment Method™
A complete, repeatable four-stage coaching process for guiding individuals and teams from values discovery through to sustained alignment. The framework gives you a clear structure for any engagement, from a single conversation to a multi-month organizational program.
- Discovery — Surface what genuinely matters, using the four pathways and the Values Assessment.
- Activation — Translate values into decisions, habits, and behaviors that hold in real life.
- Sustaining — Hold alignment over time. Recognize and prevent the drift that pulls people off course.
- Review — Refine, deepen, and evolve the work as the client grows.
The Core Diagnostic: The Values Pyramid
At the heart of this certification is a simple but powerful model of human motivation.
The Values Pyramid maps how people and teams operate — from survival to fulfillment:
- Survival — security, stability, fear-driven decisions
- Belonging — connection, family, respect, inclusion
- Growth — learning, courage, mastery
- Impact — purpose in action, leadership, autonomy
- Fulfillment — legacy, meaning, contribution beyond self
When people are stuck at the base, they become reactive. When they move upward, they become intentional. As a coach, you learn how to guide that shift.
What’s Included
Everything you need to start coaching immediately.
Certification & Platform
- Certified Values Coach credential and logo
- Pro access to the Values Assessment platform
- Pay-per-use team assessments with group reporting
- Monthly live coach calls with Brad Hook
Learning & Assessment
- 36 video lessons across 8 modules
- 6 practical assignments with rubrics
- Three detailed coaching case studies
- The Values Alignment Method™
Format
Fully self-paced, online. Learn at your own pace, with:
- Quizzes for integration
- Six practical assignments
- Monthly live community calls
Professional Coaching Toolkit
Includes ready-to-use tools, such as:
- Coaching session guides
- Decision-making frameworks
- Values ranking and articulation exercises
- Habit and rhythm builders
- Team workshop guides
Your Facilitator
Led by Brad Hook, author of Start With Values (Penguin), speaker, researcher, and founder of the Values Institute.
Brad also created the FLAME Method framework and wrote Resilience Mastery (2020), based on over a decade leading the Resilience Institute’s Resilience Lab.
Connect with Brad on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Certification Investment
$995 USD (one-time). No ongoing fees.
What This Unlocks
You don’t just learn about values. You gain a system to:
- Create meaningful, sustainable change
- Help people make better decisions
- Reduce internal conflict and burnout
- Build aligned, high-performing teams
Next Step: FLAME Instructor Pathway
Certified Values Coaches receive a $995 discount on the next level:
The FLAME Instructor Certification — the complete human performance and culture change program, built for leaders and teams in the age of intelligence. It goes beyond values to encompass five dimensions of sustainable high performance:
- Fellowship — Belonging
- Legacy — Purpose & Values
- Agility — Change & Regulation
- Mindset — Cognition & Flow
- Energy — Vitality & Recovery
Ready to Begin?
Become a Certified Values Coach and help people live in alignment with what truly matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Values Coach?
A Values Coach helps individuals and teams identify their core values and align their decisions, behaviors, and goals with those values. This leads to greater clarity, reduced stress, and more meaningful performance.
Who is this certification for?
This program is designed for coaches, consultants, leaders, HR professionals, and anyone who wants to help others live and work in alignment with their values—whether in 1:1 coaching or team environments.
Do I need prior coaching experience?
No. The program is designed for both experienced coaches and beginners. You’ll learn a complete, structured coaching process you can apply immediately.
How long does the certification take?
The program includes 36 video lessons across 8 modules, plus six practical assignments. Most people complete it within a few weeks to a few months, depending on their pace.
Is the program live or self-paced?
It is fully self-paced, with optional monthly live community calls for ongoing support and development.
What certification do I receive?
On successful completion of all modules and assignments, you receive the Certified Values Coach credential, including a logo you can use on your website and marketing materials.
How much does it cost?
The investment is a one-time fee of $995 USD.
What can I do after becoming a Certified Values Coach?
You can:
• Coach individuals using the Values Alignment Method™
• Run values workshops for teams and organizations
• Use the Values Assessment as a diagnostic tool
• Integrate values into leadership, culture, and performance programs
Can I use this in my existing coaching or consulting practice?
Yes. The framework is designed to integrate seamlessly into existing methodologies, enhancing your current offering rather than replacing it.
How is this different from tools like MBTI or DISC?
MBTI and DISC describe personality and behavior.
Values work focuses on what truly matters—the deeper drivers of decision-making, motivation, and fulfillment.
Will I get tools I can use with clients immediately?
Yes. You’ll receive professional coaching tools, including session guides, worksheets, and frameworks you can apply right away.
Can I charge for values coaching after certification?
Yes. The program includes guidance on positioning, pricing, and client acquisition, so you can confidently offer paid services.
How do I get clients as a Values Coach?
You’ll learn how to use the Values Assessment as a powerful entry point for conversations, lead generation, and client engagement.
Is there ongoing support after certification?
Yes. You’ll have access to a monthly community call and an ongoing network of certified coaches.
Do I get access to the Values Assessment platform?
Yes. You’ll receive professional access, including the ability to use assessments with clients and teams.
Is there a payment plan?
Currently, the program is offered as a one-time payment. Payment plans may be introduced in the future. If you are experiencing financial hardship or would like to apply for a scholarship, please contact us.
Is there a refund policy?
We offer a 30-day refund policy. If the program isn’t right for you, simply reach out within 30 days of purchase for a full refund.
What is the Values Alignment Method™?
It’s a structured coaching process that guides clients through four stages: Discovery, Activation, Sustaining, and Review—turning values into daily action.
What is the Values Pyramid?
A five-level model of human motivation—from survival to fulfillment—that helps diagnose where individuals or teams are operating and how to move them upward.
Is there an advanced certification?
Yes. Certified Values Coaches can progress to the FLAME Instructor Certification, expanding into a full human performance and culture change program. Certified Values Coaches receive a $995 discount on the FLAME Instructor Certification.
