Caritas Coach Education Program® (CCEP)



The Caritas Coach Education Program® (CCEP) is a unique, six-month professional development program which incorporates interactive online instruction, virtual small group intensives and an assigned Caritas Coach® faculty coach. Through a formal application process, a new class of students is admitted to the program every May and November each year. We now offer Spanish 'CCEP LIA' courses every March.

Through dynamic inquiry and collaborative, compassionate dialogue, you will explore caritas consciousness and caring literacy which will prepare you to transform your personal and professional life toward deeper meaning, purpose, dignity and wholeness. As a Caritas Coach®, you will return to your setting with new insight, wisdom, skills and confidence to give voice and help translate and live-out the theory and philosophy of human caring-healing, in service for deep system transformation.

The CCEP Program was developed by Dr. Jean Watson and the Faculty of Watson Caring Science Institute (WCSI). The Watson Caring Science Institute is an international, nonprofit organization founded by Dr. Jean Watson to advance the philosophies, theories, and educational-clinical-research practices of Caring Science. Join the growing number of Caritas Coaches who are leaders in restoring the heart in health care.

"Becoming a Caritas Coach as meant the world to me. It has been a place of growth, kindness and personal strength."

- Caritas Coach, Class 40, 2026


Approval Statement

This nursing continuing professional development activity was approved by the American Holistic Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Approved to award 263 contact hours

Approval for contact hours through the American Holistic Nurses Association is based on an assessment of the educational merit of this program and does not constitute endorsement of the use of any specific modality in the care of clients. AHNA Approval #1986

Criteria for Successful Completion
To successfully complete this course and receive a certificate of completion and contact hours. All new coaches must complete all required reading, written assignments, six monthly Zoom TouchPoint sessions, a Caritas Experience Capstone Project which will include an abstract and poster, a Caritas Portfolio, receive ongoing faculty feedback, and pre-post program evaluations.

If a student is unable to complete the Program within the 6-month time frame of their assigned class for an acceptable reason, the student will be granted a one-time 6-month extension and complete with the next class.

Caritas Coach Education Program® (CCEP)

The Caritas Coach Education Program is a unique six-month educational program that requires an application process, application fee, and tuition payment. A new class of CCEP students is admitted to the Program every six-months, in November and May each year.

CCEP is structured as an experiential, aesthetic, personal, ethical, and intellectual journey designed to prepare clinicians, educators, caregivers, and leaders with knowledge, experience, and informed practices of Unitary Caring Science and the Theory of Human Caring. Participants will learn how to synthesize, integrate, and translate the philosophy, values, ethics, and theory of Caring Science into authentic Caritas-Ways-of-Being for self and others. The integration of Caring Science into professional practice enhances and strengthens ethics and values with a focus on the wholeness and unique perspective of each person, treating each with respect and dignity to improve the quality of care provided.

A combination of innovative teaching-learning methodologies, self-reflection, authentic dialogue, ‘teachings’ and wisdom traditions are explored to assist the participants in living out Heart-Centered-Caritas Practices for self, other, and systems. Individual personal/professional life goals are honored through the collective journey of the Caritas Coach® learning experience. The CCEP faculty support students by meeting virtually to assist with Caring Science project development and implementation, abstract writing, and poster creation.

Requirements

Ensure you are able to prioritize CCEP in your schedule and will have the time and space for CCEP. The Caritas Coach Education Program is a rigorous, time intensive program and requires:

  • personal computer and access to internet
  • completion of online assignments through reading, reflecting, writing and sharing which require 2-4 hours per week
  • integration of self-care and spiritual practices into daily life
  • monthly meetings with Faculty Coach
  • completion of a Caring Science project, abstract, poster and portfolio
  • all required readings

Institutions: In order to support CCEP applicants, please have an understanding of these time requirements and commitment for contact and support from other Caritas Coaches and Caring Science projects.

Acceptance Policy

Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis, and in the order in which they are received.*

Applicants are accepted based on the following:

  • Some knowledge and experience with Caring Science
  • Commitment to program completion
  • Thoughtful, complete and reflective answers to CCEP Application questions

*Affiliates will have the ability to reserve spaces in each class to fulfill their contract. There will be a time limit imposed on these spaces to open space for other applicants.

Fees

Traditional CCEP 
$3,000 — Affiliates  
$3,400 — non-Affiliates

WCSI Latino-Iberoamérica  (español)
$1,500 — Miembros de la vida
$3,300 — non LIA members.

Cancellation & Refund Policy

Schedule
  • CCEP is offered in May and November every year.
  • CCEP LIA (Spanish) is offered March every year.
Questions

For CCEP questions, please contact:
Lori Gdanetz, PHD, RN, PCCN
WCSI  Director of Professional Education
Caritas Coach®
  lori@watsoncaringscience.org 

Para consultas en Español: CCEP LIA Assistant to Directors Maria Silva Maria@watsoncaringscience.org

Scholarships Available

WCSI has scholarships specifically for applicants accepted in the Caritas Coach Educational Program®. Find out more.


Evaluating Changes in Caring Behaviors of Caritas Coaches Pre and Post the Caritas Coach Education Program®

Published in JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, February 2020.

Download Article
"CCEP has given me the language to describe what I do as a nurse to care for my patients on a day to day basis. It’s given me a voice. It’s empowered me through an unbreakable deep rooted inner human connection. "
~Paras Barnett, Caritas Coach®, Stanford Health Care Nurse

APPLY HERE

Applications for the November Cohort
are now closed!

Become a Caritas Coach®Applications are closed!


Información del Programa Educativo de Cáritas Coach en Español (CCEP LIA)

El proximo curso empezará: 10 de abril 2027


Caritas Coach® Project Database

Projects, abstracts and posters from previous Caritas Coaches, with permission.

CCEP Project Database

Base de datos del proyecto Caritas Coach®

Projectos finales de Caritas Coach en español y portugues.

CCEP LIAbase de datos del proyecto

"Caritas comes from the Latin word meaning ‘to cherish, to appreciate, to give loving, attention to'. It represents compassion, and generosity of spirit. It connotes something very fine, indeed, something precious that needs to be cultivated and sustained".
Jean Watson

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