Personal Medicine is medicine, but it’s not a pharmaceutical and it’s not prescribed by a doctor or nurse. Personal Medicine is what we DO, not what we take. It comes from within us. It is part of our human resilience and inner wisdom. 

Pat says, “Personal Medicine is ‘medicine’ because the things we DO are as important to our recovery as any medication we may take. For instance, the quietness and the connectedness I feel when I'm out in nature walking each morning is very powerful medicine. If I'm not using that powerful Personal Medicine in my life, then things begin to get off track. The idea of Personal Medicine is all about reclaiming this word medicine and making it our own again.”

A Certified Personal Medicine Coach is an expert in supporting people as they discover and use Personal Medicine in their recovery.

Certified Personal Medicine Coaching disrupts messages of chronicity and hopelessness. Certified Personal Medicine Coaching infuses our work with hope and respect for the resilience of the individual.

Through an 11-week certification course, coaches become experts in all things Personal Medicine. Certified Personal Medicine Coaches learn about Personal Medicine tools, they discover their own Personal Medicine, and they practice five key coaching skills.

Once certified, CPMCs emerge into the workforce with increased skills and confidence to support people in their recovery.

Personal Medicine is a powerful and transformative practice. It not only disrupts how people see themselves in their recovery process, but it can also disrupt and transform business as usual for staff and agencies.

Personal Medicine amplifies the fact that human resilience does not stop at diagnosis. All of us have a natural resilience and a healer within.

Certified Personal Medicine Coaching is important because it helps spread the message that recovery is real and there are things we can do to help ourselves.

Certified Personal Medicine Coaches help to activate people in their own self-care, and this leads to better health outcomes so people can get on with living a great life.

I first coined the term Personal Medicine way back in 2004, and since then I've developed videos, workshops, Personal Medicine Cards, and Guides to help people connect with their own inner wisdom and resilience. We found that just providing the tools was sometimes not enough. So my team and I developed our Certified Personal Medicine Coaching course.

CPMCs develop a strong understanding of Personal Medicine and how to use the Personal Medicine tools. They learn to use five key coaching skills and they develop expertise in supporting people as they discover and use their Personal Medicine in everyday life and to support others in getting to the life they want.

Personal Medicine is an evidence-based practice.

Research shows:

• People who use Personal Medicine over time are more activated in their own self-care, which of course leads to better overall health outcomes.
• Once people get started with Personal Medicine, they continue to use it.
• People add to their Personal Medicine over time, increasing their skills in managing their distress or challenges.
• Following training, Certified Personal Medicine Coaches report an increase in confidence in supporting people who are experiencing tough challenges related to anger, anxious feelings, oppression, trouble with sleep, hearing distressing voices, troublesome beliefs, and the like

As a Certified Personal Medicine Coach, you are:

• Certified to use Personal Medicine in your work
• Provided with the Personal Medicine CPMC Manual
• Granted access to the Personal Medicine Worksheet, all Personal Medicine Cards, and all Personal Medicine Guides (digital versions)
• Given access to powerful recovery videos about Personal Medicine
• Given access to discounted Personal Medicine Guides (25% off)

• Able to use the Personal Medicine Workshop Toolkit
  • Includes a standard conference workshop template & gives you the ability to present on Personal Medicine at conferences
• Featured on our website
• Added to our Certified Personal Medicine Coach Community through our private Slack room and Facebook Group
• Provided individual access to Pat Deegan's Academy + Library for continued learning and extensive resources
• Given direct access to Pat Deegan & Associates

^{The annual fee of $60 per year occurs on the anniversary of your graduation date and includes continued access to all of the above.}

Becoming a Certified Personal Medicine Coach is open to anyone: Peer Specialists, Case Managers, Therapists, Psych Rehab Staff, ACT teams, Inpatient Staff, Addictions Counselors, Psychiatrists, Family Members, Friends etc. 

Candidates should:

• Possess basic coaching skills including: approaching challenges in a non-judgemental way, the ability to walk side-by-side with people, and active listening skills
• Have basic digital literacy skills that enable participation in online lessons, video calls, and online chat community
• Be prepared to proactively contribute to the class as a learning community
• Commit to the entire duration of the program
• Create a distraction-free learning environment remotely that enables them to be fully present and engaged

Our CPMC coach training is an 11-week course that involves self-paced e-learning and live coaching, designed to help you dive deeper into the practice of Personal Medicine Coaching and anyone can enroll in the course.

Each week, new e-learning gets unlocked, containing instructional videos, quizzes, and practice exercises designed to help candidates practice new skills in the real world. Once the practice is complete, candidates share their experiences in our interactive forum and learn from other candidates.

Throughout the course,  candidates meet with trainers on group video coaching calls. These interactive, discussion-based calls help candidates deepen their learning, practice their skills, and develop expertise in Personal Medicine Coaching.

To become certified, candidates have to complete all the e-learning modules, pass the weekly quizzes, and engage in practice and discussion posts around their practice. There's also a written final exam to assess your understanding of key Personal Medicine concepts as well as demonstrating your coaching skills.

PDA and all of our Certified Personal Medicine Coach Trainers are there to support you in becoming certified.

Most people need 2-3 hours per week to complete coursework, quizzes, practice and community postings.

We use a combination of E-Learning, Live Webinar Coaching and real-world practice. No travel is required.

The path to certification includes live webinars and e-learning courses. You will need reliable internet, a webcam and basic computer skills.

To become a Certified Personal Medicine Coach, you must:

• Attend all live Coaching Calls
• Complete all Assignments
• Pass final Examination 

If I don't meet all the requirements, can I get a refund?

Although we are unable to offer refunds, we do work closely with each candidate throughout the Certification process. If, for some reason, you are unable to meet all requirements, we are happy to explore additional steps/coursework to support you in reaching Certification.

The certification course includes 11 clock hours which can be submitted to peer and clinical certification boards. 

 The cost is $1250 per person with a $60 recertification fee (due annually on graduation date).

How can I pay for Certification?

You can pay by credit card or PayPal right on our site. Simply choose the cohort you would like to join, select "Register" and enter your payment information. If you'd prefer to pay via purchase order/invoice, send us a note and we will help you get started.

Can I pay monthly instead of all at once?

Sure. Choose the 12 monthly payments option at checkout.

What if I can't afford Certification?

We offer a free seat for each cohort (based on a lottery) as well as a number of partial scholarships.

Additionally, many folks reach out to local, county or state mental health authorities to request sponsorship.

Organizations or programs you work at may also be able to assist with funding. Check with your organization to see if they offer tuition reimbursement.  

Absolutely. An organization can request a custom cohort to sponsor multiple staff members in becoming Certified. With a custom cohort, organizations can set a cohort schedule that is most convenient for them.

Additionally, currently certified Personal Medicine Coaches are eligible to take our Train the Trainer course. A Certified Personal Medicine Coach Trainer (CPMC-T) enables individuals, organizations, and systems in delivering Personal Medicine Coaching in a more cost-effective way.

Send us a message to get started. 

Personal Medicine Coaches recertify each year to ensure a high standard of fidelity. Recertification grants continued license to use Personal Medicine in your work, access to the Certified Personal Medicine Coach community, consultation with PDA experts and access to the most up to date resources.

The process for recertification includes reviewing new Personal Medicine materials and submitting a Personal Medicine experience report.

There is an annual recertification fee of $60 (occurring on the anniversary of your graduation date).

No problem! In most cases, you can restore your Certification after a lapse. Send us an email at [email protected] to get started.