Yes, attendance in person is required for Levels 2-4 of our certification. Currently, only our Level 1 training is available online. Due to the deeply personal and embodied nature of trauma-informed coaching work, Levels 2-4 must be experienced in person. This means you’ll need to travel to Lake Zurich, IL, for these trainings.

The training cost covers only the program itself and does not include travel or lodging expenses. However, Freedom Movement provides a community page via the Band app, accessible only to enrolled students. This space allows students to connect and coordinate shared costs for hotels, rental cars, and other travel arrangements if desired.

For travel arrangements to attend our certification program training, you have two airport options: O'Hare International Airport (ORD) or Midway International Airport (MDW). O’Hare is somewhat closer to the venue, but given its size, the time required for car rental, baggage claim, and security can be longer. Midway, while slightly farther, tends to be more efficient for these processes. We recommend comparing flight options and choosing whichever provides the best value and convenience for you.

We recommend planning to arrive the day before training begins, allowing ample time to rest and be fully present for the program. For return flights, please consider the one-hour drive to the airport, and schedule your departure accordingly after the training concludes.

Additionally, if you plan to stay an extra day, we invite you to join us for a Sunday service at The Hope Collective at either 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM. It’s a wonderful way to connect with others, worship, and reflect on your experience before returning home.

For convenient lodging near the training location, we recommend the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Lake Zurich-Barrington, located at 197 S. Rand Road, Lake Zurich, Illinois 60047. This hotel is the closest to the church, providing easy access to the training venue.

A rental car will be necessary and more cost effective as Lake Zurich is approximately an hour from either airport, and our training location is a 10-minute drive from the recommended hotel.

If you would like to share the cost of a rental car with other students in our program, you can coordinate with the other students through our 2025 certification community in the band app. 

All three days of our certification program training run from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with doors opening at 7:30 AM each morning.

This program is designed for both personal healing and professional coach training. We believe you can only lead others as far as you’re willing to go yourself. In our coaching certification, leaders from various backgrounds have experienced profound personal growth while gaining essential skills to guide and support others. This approach is trauma-informed, rooted in biblical principles, and Spirit-led, equipping you to lead and love others with depth and compassion.

Upon completing this certification, you’ll have 110 hours of training and practice that will transform your approach to leading conversations from our trauma-informed, Biblical, and Spirit-led approach.

You can apply these skills within your current professional and personal relationships or use them to coach professionally as a trauma-informed coach working with clients one-on-one or in groups.

While Freedom Movement does not guarantee coaching work for graduates, our certification has enriched the lives of a wide range of individuals—including missionaries, pastors, mentors, leaders of multi-million dollar coaching practices, and parents seeking to strengthen family bonds. Despite the diverse backgrounds and levels of experience of our students, each participant leaves with something deeply meaningful, applying what they learn uniquely to the areas where they wish to deepen their impact.

You will engage with the concept of story work throughout the program, but it's important to clarify that you will not be certified in the methodology of story work. The specific methodology—developed by Dan Allender and Cathy Loerzel—is primarily covered in Level 2, and while you will experience the process of story work, you will not learn how to facilitate it. This skill set is distinct from coaching. Our coaching certification serves as an essential foundation for those who wish to pursue further learning in story work methodology. Graduates can explore additional training in story work with Karrie Garcia and Cathy Loerzel, but these opportunities are only available to those who have completed our coaching certification.

Levels 1 and 2 can be purchased individually, allowing you to pace your training.

However, Levels 3 and 4 must be purchased together and completed within the same year, as they build on each other to create a comprehensive, integrated learning experience..

Scholarships up to 50% off are available for our Freedom Academy Level 1 training upon request --- specifically for pastors, missionaries, non-profit leaders and members of the BIPOC community. Please email [email protected] to request a scholarship if you are in need of it.

Unfortunately, we do not offer scholarships for Levels 2-4. However, we strive to accommodate the financial needs of our students and provide up to 12 month payment plans!

Yes, by committing to all four levels together you have $500 off the total cost of your program.

Cost for Freedom Academy Training Levels 2-4: 

Pay in full: $4,100

12 month payments plan: $350/month. This payment plan is available until March 31, 2025, or until training spots are sold out.

6 month payment plan: $700/ month. This payment plan is available until July 31, 2025, or until training spots are sold out.

Cost for Freedom Academy Training Levels 3-4: 

Pay in full: $3,500

12 month payments plan: $300/month. This payment plan is available until March 31, 2025, or until training spots are sold out. 

6 month payment plan: $600/ month. This payment plan is available until August 15, 2025, or until training spots are sold out.