Shift & Grow: 

Looking back on six months of networking, inspiration & connection

 

We’re already well past the halfway mark of 2024. Time really does fly when you enjoy the work you do every day. That also means we are six months into our Shift & Grow community. A perfect moment to look back on a wonderful first half of the year—and to look ahead to even more inspiration to come!

• What Is Shift & Grow?
• Looking Back on a Strong Start
• What’s Still on the Agenda?
• Open Doors: Last Chance to Join in 2024!

What Is Shift & Grow?

Shift & Grow is a community for and by professional coaches. After training more than 100 people as professional coaches and team coaches, we regularly received requests from alumni for a follow-up program. Because we strongly believe in the power of connection and knowledge sharing, we launched the Shift & Grow community in 2024.

Coaching is a beautiful journey of discovery—one you no longer have to walk alone. Within the Shift & Grow network, you connect with like-minded coaches and actively work with a wide range of coaching techniques, questions, and challenges.

The Shift & Grow Formula

The Shift & Grow community offers a diverse program designed to continuously enrich, inspire, and connect coaches at every level.

• Shift & Connect
  Live training days and networking events where our Master Coaches guide you through advanced coaching methods in an inspiring setting.
• Shift & Discover
  Discover new coaching techniques and expand your knowledge during interactive webinars with external experts and guest speakers.
• Intervision & Peer Reflection Groups
  Discuss coaching-related challenges and real-life cases in a safe environment with peers and fellow professionals.
• Offline Library
  Access our book-sharing system with over 100 books on coaching, development, and leadership.
• Online Library
  (Re)watch or listen to workshops with external experts.
• WhatsApp Group
  Stay connected with us and with each other. Ask questions, share insights, and support one another.
• Member Listing
  Boost your visibility within and beyond the community through our member database.

We work with a subscription model. You can join on a yearly basis or sign up for a pro rata fee. Several times a year, we open our doors to a limited number of new members.

Discover more about the Shift & Grow Community!

“Working as a freelance team coach offers a lot of freedom and independence—choosing your own assignments and how you approach them. The flip side is that you are fully responsible for your own development and often reflect on the right approach and methodology for your client’s needs. However, self-reflection also has its limits. That’s where a network of passionate colleagues, guided by two excellent MCC coaches, becomes a source of warm connection and deep inspiration—along with the opportunity to gain new insights and tools.”
— Els Schrauwen

Looking Back on a Strong Start

The first half of our year was shaped by new relationships, techniques, and perspectives in the world of coaching. We explored creative coaching techniques, embodied coaching, expression, and coaching at the level of identity.

We also welcomed two experts who strengthened our coaches’ resilience and professionalism in challenging situations—focusing on recognizing signals of psychological distress and coaching clients dealing with stress and burnout.

Connect: Exploring Creative Coaching

Creative coaching with body and mind—that was the focus of our first live session of the year. From sound to imagery to movement, our members were invited into action using poetry, metaphors, and storytelling to (re)discover the power of creative expression.

We also officially opened the Shift & Grow Library, featuring a curated selection of books on coaching, development, psychology, and leadership. The perfect first session to spark inspiration and generate new ideas, connections, and creative insights!

“It was incredibly refreshing to meet like-minded coaches and to connect on a deeper level by experimenting with creative coaching techniques. I can’t wait to apply these in my own practice!”
— Heidi Kempenaers

Discover: Recognizing the Signals of Psychological Distress — with Rebekka Rogiest

During our very first Shift & Discover session, therapist and coach Rebekka Rogiest enriched us with a powerful session on psychoanalysis and how to deal with psychological distress as a coach.
Which signals should you be attentive to—and when is it best to refer someone on?

It became a session full of insights and reflection. When have you, as a coach, doubted yourself? Was this a signal of something more serious? And is coaching always the right answer?

Sounds interesting? As a community member, you can rewatch this session at any time!

“As a professional coach, it is crucial to have knowledge of essential psychodiagnostic patterns that may occur in people. Having this knowledge readily available allows us to respond more effectively to the diverse challenges and needs of our clients, in line with the ethical codes of our profession and our professional integrity. Further developing this foundational knowledge contributes 100% to building trust, safety, and strengthening a professional relationship between ourselves and our clients.”
— Eva

Connect: Identity and Working with Parts

The live Shift & Connect session on June 4 focused on the theme of identity, specifically working with parts. As usual, we began with a grounding check-in to arrive fully. This time, we used an expressive voice exercise.

For many, this exercise stretched well beyond their comfort zone. What started with hesitation—and sometimes even a bit of embarrassment—gradually evolved into an intimate sense of joy, openness, and connection.

Next, we worked with our internal parts. Which aspects of our personality have we split off, and with which parts are we fully fused? For some, this exploration came more easily than for others, but it undoubtedly surfaced powerful insights for everyone. From interactive exercises to live coaching demonstrations, it became a deep, healing session filled with genuine connection.

We wrapped up with informal conversation over a drink and a bite to eat. At the end of the session, members were once again able to take home a book to stay inspired between sessions. A true learning circle—and definitely one that leaves us wanting more!

“On June 4, we practiced Voice Dialogue. After a successful check-in to fully arrive in our bodies and an excellent demo, I was able to step into the role of coach—with a coachee I didn’t know beforehand. It became a wonderful learning experience, followed by valuable feedback from an observer. Continuing the conversation over a drink and a bite to eat, we also had the chance to hear about the experiences of the other groups and learn from them as well. The openness and willingness to genuinely share insights truly moved me. It’s amazing to be given such opportunities to deepen your own development.”
— Els Schrauwen

Discover: “From Stress and Burnout Complaints to Engagement!” — with Annita Rogier

Annita Rogier is a leading expert in stress and burnout coaching. She is the founder and director of the Erkende Stress en Burn-outcoaches and the author of, among others, Handboek Coachen bij Stress en Burn-out and Van Uitgeblust naar Energiek.

On May 23, she joined our community to share insights into the foundations of stress and burnout coaching. Central to the session was the question: How do you work with coachees experiencing stress-related complaints or recovering from burnout in an ethical and professional way?

The session was filled with powerful insights on topics such as What is stress? and What are the signals of burnout? Annita also shared practical tools for coaches working in organizational contexts—ranging from awareness-building and psychoeducation to developing key skills such as resilience and adaptability.

Interested in learning more? As a community member, you can rewatch this session at any time!

“It is a socio-societal reality we can no longer ignore. For every coach, it is therefore extremely valuable to develop strong discernment around this broad topic. This enables you as a coach to propose the most appropriate interventions—or to refer on when needed. Annita’s expert explanations and stories were highly recognizable and very insightful. The Q&A afterward was also incredibly enriching. I will definitely integrate this into my own coaching approach!”

What’s Still on the Program?

Well begun is half done—but there is still so much to look forward to in the coming months. Here’s a preview of the Shift & Grow calendar:

• 26 September – Live session with our Master Coaches on Trauma, association and dissociation, and shifting perspectives
• 16 October – Jef Cumps, expert in organizational coaching and author of Sociocracy 3.0, guides us through decision-making processes and how to share power and leadership in organizations
• 21 November – Live session on the three brains and their impact on decision-making with our Master Coaches + invite-only experience
• 5 December – Body language expert Tom Versée dives into the 9 types of non-verbal communication, so you won’t miss a single micro-expression
• Intervision sessions – Check the Doodle in our community and join a peer reflection group with professional coaches

Discover the full program!

Open Doors: Last Chance to Join in 2024!

We are opening our doors for the final time in 2024. Would you like to join the Shift & Grow community and take part in the remainder of the program? Then sign up now for the waiting list!

How it works:

1. Sign up for the Shift & Grow waiting list
2. We review your application and invite you for an intake conversation
3. We evaluate your motivation and fit
4. Join with a pro rata fee and renew your membership at a reduced rate in 2025

Welcome to the community!

Expand your horizons and become part of an exclusive network for professional coaches. By joining now, you don’t just gain access to the rest of the 2024 program—you also benefit from a favorable renewal for 2025. Don’t miss this opportunity—submit your application today!

Join the waiting list now and connect with a community of like-minded professionals!

“Shift & Grow is a unique program filled with inspiration and valuable knowledge. It helps us stay sharp as coaches and continue to challenge and stimulate ourselves in an environment of like-minded professionals. Highly recommended!”
— Christine