Recovery Coach Essentials (RCE)

Become a Recovery Coach Professional With Our 5-Week Live Online Course

Engage in live sessions, practical exercises, and mentorship to prepare for certification and support individuals on their recovery journey.

New for 2026!

Recovery Coach Essentials (RCE) & Recovery Coach Mastery (RCM) Now delivered together — complete both courses in just 10 weeks

Beginning in January, 2026, we’ve designed a new option for how Recovery Coach Essentials (RCE) and Recovery Coach Mastery (RCM) are delivered to better support momentum, skill integration, and connection.

Participants now attend twice a week. We cover the learning content on Tuesday, followed up with live skills practice on Thursday. This allows for immediate application of the skills from the learning

Recovery Coach Essentials

5 Weeks Live Online
1 Hour Per Session
$850 CDN

You’ve already unlocked new possibilities for helping those who need it most through Recovery Coach Foundations, but this is just the beginning of your journey.

If you want a solid refresher or you’re prepping for certification, this course is for you.

  • This live online course runs for 5 weeks, twice a week for an hour, supported by home assignments submitted through our exclusive forum, where you will learn and share collaboratively with other recovery coaches

  • You will be paired with professional coaches who have served on the accreditation panels and are well-versed in identifying areas for improvement.

Commit to both Recovery Coach Essentials (RCE) and Recovery Coach Mastery (RCM) at the outset and take advantage of a package rate. When purchased together with Recovery Coach Mastery, the cost is $1,495 (CND) plus GST for both.

Weekly Schedule

Tuesdays — Learning Sessions
4:00–5:00 PM PST / 7:00–8:00 PM EST

Thursdays — Skills Practice (MI)
4:00–5:00 PM PST / 7:00–8:00 PM EST

→ Participants attend one Tuesday learning session and one Thursday skills practice each week. Practice sessions aligned with the week’s learning content

Prerequisite

Completing the Still Here Recovery Coach Training Program, CCAR RCA, or equivalent is a prerequisite for enrolment in this class.

Requirement for Completion

To obtain a certificate of completion, you must attend at least 80 per cent of the courses and at least 80 per cent of the home assignments.

Once complete, you will be eligible for the Recovery Coach Mastery course.

CEUs

This course is given CEUs from the The Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation (CACCF) and 14 CEUs from the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR).

Format

  1. Every week, we dive into Motivational Interviewing drills with an eye on the subject that preceded it.

  2. We use breakout rooms, each with a professional mentor coach, to ensure feedback is the best it can be.

  3. We do round robins in the bigger room, giving everyone a chance to experience a “real play”

  4. We use shorter and longer sessions so all experience real-world scenarios.

Topics Covered

  • Three-legged stool

  • Managing your stuff

  • Treating people as resourceful

  • Active listening

  • Asking open, evocative questions

This course is interlaced with practice in each of these topics.

Upon completing this course you will:

  • Detail the requirements of the 3-legged stool

  • Learn how to ask evocative, open-ended questions

  • Listen actively, with presence and without judgment or distraction

  • Manage your own stuff and know what it is through mindfulness

  • Treat people as resourceful, genuinely knowing their journey

  • BONUS: Recovery coaching structure

Recovery Coach Essentials (RCE) & Recovery Coach Mastery (RCM) Integration

How the New Format Works

The essential course content is the same, but the format changes to:

20 live sessions over 10 weeks

  • Two programs. Two Zoom rooms. One cohesive learning journey.

  • Tuesdays: Learning modules

  • Thursdays: Motivational Interviewing skills practice

  • RCE completed first, followed by RCM

  • Rolling enrolment — start at any point in the cycle

Weekly Schedule

  • Same as with the singular program except,

  • RCE and RCM offered at the same time in separate Zoom rooms

  • Participants attend one Tuesday learning session and one Thursday skills practice each week

  • Sessions run on a rolling cycle - join at any time and start from where you're at

Program Timeline

Weeks 1–5

  • Recovery Coach Essentials (RCE) learning sessions

  • Weekly MI skills practice

Weeks 6–10

  • Recovery Coach Mastery (RCM) learning sessions

  • Weekly MI skills practice

Testimonials

  • In the time I spent in college and university, I have never learned as much as I have since coming to Recovery Coach Mentorship. This information challenges our own values, beliefs, and attitudes towards the concept of helping people. I have learned so much in the past two assignments. Thank you for the honour and privilege.

    —Kimberly Quann, West Elgin, Ontario

  • Being mentored as a coach is critical in evolving my practice. Being mentored by Still Here has been an empowering and transformational experience.

    —Alan Frank, Calgary, Alberta

  • The Mentorship Program gave me the tools and resources I needed to actually launch my recovery coaching business. From finding my first client and developing an intake form to the initial consultation and subsequent sessions, I was supported and encouraged every step of the way. The program was developed in a very clear and sequential format which seemed to always be just one step ahead, and right on time! Thanks Kevin, Shelley and Rochelle!

    —Jamie Woodall, Bowen Island, BC

  • I had the privilege of being mentored by Kevin and Shelley in the recovery coach mentorship program, and I can't sing their praises enough. Their guidance was not just informative but deeply insightful, offering perspectives that enriched my understanding of the field. Kevin's wealth of experience and Shelley's compassionate approach created a dynamic learning environment that truly fostered growth. Their dedication to our development as recovery coaches was evident in every session, and I am immensely grateful for the wisdom they shared. I highly recommend this mentorship program to anyone seeking to excel in this vital role.

    — Mark Armour, Boston, Massachusetts

View More Testimonials

Your Facilitators

  • Kevin Diakiw RCPF, ARCC, CCRC

    Director, Recovery & Mindfulness Services

  • Shelley Shadow RCPF, ARCC, CCRC

    Recovery Coach & Mindfulness Coach Trainer

  • Casey Hrynkow

    Design Thinking Workshop Presenter

  • Kye Fox, ARCC, RCPF, CCRC, CCSAS

    Facilitator, Coach

  • Bob Ivanoff CCRC, RCP, RCPF

    Facilitator, Coach

Read Profiles

FAQ

Everything you need to know about our online training—what you’ll learn, who it’s for, and how it helps you grow as a certified recovery coach.

  • This course is designed for anyone interested in becoming a professional recovery coach—whether you're in long-term recovery, work in the helping professions, or are simply drawn to support others through change. No prior certification is required.

  • Rolling Enrollment

    Tuesdays, 4 pm PT

    More dates and times may be coming as the program grows.

    For those not trained by Still Here, complete the application below and return it to us to apply. Class sizes are limited. We will notify you upon acceptance.

  • This is a fully online program delivered live via Zoom over 10 consecutive weeks. Sessions include group learning, breakout practice, mentorship, and feedback.

  • 10 weeks total.

  • You’ll build core competencies in:

    • Active listening and communication

    • Motivational interviewing

    • Strength-based and trauma-informed approaches

    • Navigating ethical boundaries

    • Creating individualized recovery plans

    • Working across multiple pathways of recovery

    You’ll also develop your coaching voice and gain a lot of hands-on experience in real-time practice sessions.

  • No. You attend either RCE or RCM topic session you’re currently in, plus the Thursday skills practice. Once you complete the RCE topics and skills practice sessions, you can roll into the RCM sessions the following week.

  • Sessions run on a rolling cycle. Participants must attend at least 80% to receive a certificate.

  • Yes—you’re welcome to join us from anywhere in the U.S.

    If you've already completed a foundational recovery coach training through a recognized provider such as the Recovery Coach Academy (CCAR) or the International Association of Professional Recovery Coaches (IAPRC), you're fully eligible for our Recovery Coach Essentials course.

    This course is designed as an advanced next step, helping you deepen your coaching skills through live mentorship, peer feedback, and trauma-informed practice. It builds on your existing foundation and prepares you to grow into more confident, ethical, and effective recovery coaching work—no matter where you’re located.

    All sessions are delivered live online, making it easy for U.S.-based students to attend, connect, and participate from home.

  • You will receive a Certificate of Completion from Still Here Recovery Coach Training, which can count toward credentialing with recognized Canadian and international recovery coach certifying bodies. We’ll also guide you on next steps for pursuing your Recovery Coach Professional (RCP) designation if desired.

  • We go beyond the basics. Our Essentials course is grounded in ethical practice, inclusive approaches, and live mentorship—not just pre-recorded content. You’ll be coached as you learn, in a supportive, skill-building environment.

  • Visit still-here.ca/rc-essentials to view upcoming course dates, pricing, and registration details. If you have questions before signing up, contact us through the form on that page—we’d love to hear from you.

Apply Here

If you have any questions, please email us at rc@still-here.ca

Please Note: Mentorship Application not required for Still Here RCT grads.

Essentials Application