For more than a decade, divorce coaching has helped change the way individuals experience one of life’s most challenging transitions.
And the skills that help someone navigate divorce—communicating more effectively, clarifying interests and needs, preparing for difficult conversations, making thoughtful decisions, managing conflict, and moving toward resolution—do not stop being valuable when the divorce process ends.
They are dispute resolution skills.
And recognizing the broader application of the training that has been part of the CDC Certified Divorce Coach® program for years, CDC is taking an exciting next step.
The CDC Certified Divorce Coach® Training and Certification Program now includes dual certification:
Certified Divorce Coach® (CDC) and CADRC™ (Certified Alternative Dispute Resolution Coach).
Two professional credentials. One comprehensive training investment.
Divorce Coaching Has a Place in Dispute Resolution
The American Bar Association describes dispute resolution as encompassing a variety of processes that can be used to resolve conflicts, disputes, or claims. These approaches may also be referred to as alternative dispute resolution, appropriate dispute resolution, or ADR.
Divorce coaching has been recognized within this broader dispute resolution landscape for more than a decade.
The American Bar Association defines divorce coaching as a flexible, goal-oriented process designed to support, motivate, and guide people navigating divorce so they can make the best possible decisions for their futures based on their individual interests, needs, and concerns.
That definition captures something fundamental about effective divorce coaching:
The coach does not make the client’s decisions. The coach helps the client become better equipped to make them.
Supporting Clients Across Different Paths to Resolution
There is no single way to navigate divorce.
One client may participate in mediation.
Another may choose collaborative divorce.
Another may negotiate a settlement through attorneys.
Another may ultimately find themselves in litigation.
The CDC® approach recognizes that coaching can provide meaningful support before, during, and after these different processes.
A well-trained coach can help a client prepare for an important meeting, identify the issues that matter most, communicate more effectively, regulate reactions during difficult interactions, consider options, and remain focused on the decisions within their control.
The coach does not replace the attorney, mediator, therapist, financial professional, or other member of the client’s professional team.
Instead, effective coaching can help the client arrive better prepared to participate in the work those professionals are there to do.
The Skills Extend Beyond Divorce
Over the years, something else became increasingly apparent.
The communication structures, conflict-resolution approaches, decision-making tools, de-escalation techniques, and coaching frameworks taught through CDC® have applications far beyond a single divorce case.
Conflict is part of human relationships.
It appears between co-parents trying to make decisions after divorce.
It appears within families.
It appears in workplaces and professional relationships.
It appears whenever people with different needs, interests, expectations, or perspectives need to communicate and find a way forward.
The circumstances change.
The underlying need for productive communication and thoughtful resolution does not.
Recognizing What the Training Has Become
The CDC® program began in 2011 and has continued to develop its training based on the realities coaches and clients encounter.
Today, participants learn structured approaches that can help clients prepare for dispute resolution, communicate more effectively, de-escalate difficult interactions, clarify what matters, establish professional boundaries, and move from reaction toward thoughtful decision-making.
The introduction of the CADRC™ – Certified Alternative Dispute Resolution Coach credential recognizes this broader body of knowledge.
It does not diminish the specialization of the CDC Certified Divorce Coach® credential.
It expands the recognition of the skills behind it.
Why Dual Certification Matters
For professionals entering this field, the new dual certification represents an opportunity to develop expertise with both depth and breadth.
The CDC Certified Divorce Coach® credential recognizes specialized training for supporting individuals before, during, and after divorce.
The CADRC™ Certified Alternative Dispute Resolution Coach credential recognizes the broader application of coaching structures and frameworks designed to help people navigate disputed matters and work toward productive resolution.
Together, the credentials reflect a comprehensive understanding of something CDC® has long recognized:
Helping people navigate conflict effectively requires more than understanding the conflict itself. It requires understanding the person experiencing it.
Different Backgrounds. A Shared Skill Set.
One of the strengths of divorce coaching has always been the diversity of professionals who enter the field.
Attorneys.
Mediators.
Mental health professionals.
Financial professionals.
Experienced coaches.
Human resources and business professionals.
Nurses and Doctors.
Members of the Clergy.
Educators.
And people whose personal and professional experiences have inspired them to help others navigate difficult transitions.
The American Bar Association similarly notes that divorce coaches come from different professional backgrounds and may be selected according to a client’s particular needs.
That diversity brings valuable perspectives to the profession.
The training provides the structures, frameworks, competencies, ethical standards, and coaching practice that allow those different perspectives to be applied within a defined professional role.
One Comprehensive Training Experience
Beginning with the upcoming CDC Divorce Coaching Intensive, participants have the opportunity to earn both credentials through their CDC training:
CDC Certified Divorce Coach®
and
CADRC™ Certified Alternative Dispute Resolution Coach
The next intensive runs September 15/16 through December 10/11, 2026.
The live, interactive program combines education with coaching practice, giving participants opportunities to work with realistic scenarios rather than simply learning concepts in theory.
Participants also become part of the broader CDC® professional community, with access to ongoing continuing education, mentorship, professional resources, and opportunities to continue developing their skills after the intensive ends.
Expanding the Possibilities
The addition of the CADRC™ credential represents more than a change to a certification.
It recognizes the evolution of a body of work.
For years, CDC® training has helped coaches support clients as they communicate, prepare, make decisions, manage conflict, and participate more effectively in the processes shaping their futures.
Now the credentials reflect both sides of that expertise:
Specialized knowledge for the unique challenges of divorce.
Broader dispute resolution coaching skills that can help people navigate conflict wherever it occurs.
One training.
Two credentials.
And even more possibilities for professionals committed to helping people move through conflict with greater clarity, confidence, and courage.
Ready for What’s Next?
Registration is being prepared for the September 15 – December 11, 2026 CDC Divorce Coaching Intensive.
For those who have been considering becoming a professional divorce coach—or adding coaching and dispute resolution skills to the work they already do—the new dual certification makes this an especially exciting time to begin.
Become trained.
Become credentialed.
And become part of a professional community working to change the way people experience conflict, divorce, and the path toward resolution.
#CDCDivorceCoach #divorcecoach #divorcecoachtraining #certifieddivorcecoach
Find out more information and reserve your spot here:
Then set up a one-on-one call with one of the co-founders of the Divorce Coaching Intensive to have all your questions answered. We are happy to help you sort out whether this choice is likely to help you meet your professional and personal repurposing needs.
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