CCA
About the Creativity Coaching Association
The Creativity Coaching Association (CCA) is a professional organization dedicated to enhancing and supporting the work of all kinds of artists through connection with and development of certified professional creativity coaches.
In addition to a FREE creativity coach database and the CCA Creativity Calling email newsletter, we offer the following powerful and unique support programs:
01. Membership-Based Community of Creativity Coaches
The Creativity Coaching Association has a membership-based community of hundreds of creativity coaches worldwide who are dedicated to promoting creativity and creative work. The CCA is dedicated to linking professionally trained creativity coaches with those who work creatively to enhance and support their creativity. The CCA promotes and publicizes the partnership between coaches and the lives of creative thinkers.
The Creativity Coaching Association (CCA) is a professional organization dedicated to enhancing and supporting the work of all kinds of artists through connection with and development of certified professional creativity coaches.
About CCA
02. Creativity Coaching Training and Creativity Coaching Certification Program
The Creativity Coaching Association has a membership-based community of hundreds of creativity coaches worldwide who are dedicated to promoting creativity and creative work. The CCA is dedicated to linking professionally trained creativity coaches with those who work creatively to enhance and support their creativity. The CCA promotes and publicizes the partnership between coaches and the lives of creative thinkers.
History of CCA
Eric Maisel
In 2004, Eric Maisel, a prominent pioneer in the field of creativity, was teaching a new 16-week online course entitled Introduction to Creativity Coaching. Two other key creative professionals, Rick Benzel and Beverly Down, took that same course, and from there began their path to creating and growing the Creativity Coaching Association.
Eric was a therapist and author of several books on creativity, and had been working with artists and creative thinkers for several years at that point. He recognized that although there were coaches for almost every profession, artists were mostly on their own, with no one to support and advocate for them.
Rick Benzel
Rick Benzel had 25 plus years in publishing where he was the senior editor of Julia Cameron's book, The Artist's Way, Eric Maisel's very first book on creativity, Staying Sane Within the Arts (later renamed), among many other early creativity book classics. He had seen the growing population of people in the helping professions, along with artists who were interested in becoming creativity coaches, so he created the Creativity Coaching Association (CCA) in early 2005 to meet the needs of this newly emerging field. He served as founder and Executive Director of the CCA from 2005-2007.
During those two years, Rick created the membership-based organization, and after researching the "best-of-the-best" coaching programs available at that time, created the content for the CCA's creativity coaching certification program. This comprehensive training teaches the core competencies of coaching with a specific focus on the creative psyche. Rick also started the online CCA newsletter and also published the book "Inspiring Creativity" under the auspices of the CCA in April 2005. It was the first ever anthology of articles written by professional creativity coaches -- 22 creativity coach authors in total, all members of the CCA.
Beverly R. Down
In March 2007, Beverly Down was the 5th coach who had completed the comprehensive CCA Creativity Coaching Certification Program. One month later, Rick asked Beverly if she would be willing to take over the CCA's leadership position, having noticed her business skills and commitment to her own and others’ creativity. Beverly had 25+ years working in Human Services/Social Services where she effectively used her Humanities skills to create innovative programs around the country that showcased the special populations in the organizations within her charge. She was also an entrepreneur with 10 years in direct sales, working with thousands of folks in building their start-up businesses.
Since April 2007, Beverly has been the CEO & President of the Creativity Coaching Association, combining her vision and dedication to the Human Potential with her love of artists & creative thinkers, and adding an emphasis in helping new coaches to create sustainable practices.
Along with teaching, training, supervising and certifying new creativity coaches, Beverly has brought numerous important events and projects to the CCA during her leadership, including:
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organizing and hosting the first- and second-ever creativity coaching conferences / live gatherings in the world to date (2008 & 2010)
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publishing and editing the first Creativity Coaching Success Stories E-book featuring leading creativity coaches
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publishing & editing "Creativity Calling," the CCA's popular monthly online newsletter (since 2007)
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hosting various creativity-specific tele-classes, tele-seminars and tele-calls
The Creativity Coaching Association continues to grow in visibility and viability as a first rate professional organization and is highly regarded as the premier creativity coaching organization in the world today.
For additional information, please contact us at info@creativitycoachingassociation.com, or feel free to reach out to Heath directly at heath@creativitycoachingassociation.com.
