Brain-Smart, Practice-Wise, a new book-companion series
Brain-Smart, Practice-Wise is our ten-session live webinar series, companion to the handbook Supervision for Coaches: A Quality Assurance for Coaching — co-authored by Louis van Kessel and Sonja Vlaar. We start in September (and you can sign up at the end of this page).
The program is designed for professional supervisors and coaches ,and educators who want to read the book with depth, and reflect on it in good company.
About the book
Supervision for Coaches has a long arc of development. What began as a joint article published by Springer Nature (2024) grew into the Dutch book Supervisie voor Coaches — een kwaliteitswaarborg voor coaching (October 2025). That, in turn, evolved into our English research-based professional handbook (July, 2026):
Supervision for Coaches: A Quality Assurance for Coaching
380 pages · SWP Publishing, Amsterdam
English | July 2026 | Hardcover ISBN 9789078876588 |Buy here: https://www.swppublishing.com/book/850351/supervision-for-coaches/
English | July 2026 | E-book ISBN 9789461540812 | Buy here: https://www.swppublishing.com/book/850352/supervision-for-coaches-e-book/
Dutch | October 2025 |hardcover ISBN 9789078876564| Buy here: https://coachboeken.nl/product/supervisie-voor-coaches/
Note: The English book is not simply a translation of the Dutch book, but an expanded and improved version. See the full table of contents here
The book lays out the conceptual foundations of coach supervision: its historical development, inherent dilemmas, ethical challenges, professional standards, competency frameworks, training requirements, models of practice, tools, and the role of professional associations. Academically grounded and thoroughly researched, with one clear purpose — to support high-quality professional practice.
About the webinar series
The series functions as a structured companion program for professionals and educators, reading and working with the book.
Every live 60-minute online zoom-sessions is built around one chapter — forming a reading-and-reflecting community for supervisors, coaches in supervision, coach educators, and professional association members.
The format is straightforward: read the chapter, and complete the Readers’ Activity —at the end of Each Chapter— in advance, then deepen the learning together in the live session.
Who is this series for?
The series is designed for professionals and educators engaged in coaching and supervision:
- Registered and trainee supervisors
- Coaches in professional supervision
- Coach educators and training program leaders
- Board members and CPD officers of professional associations (LVSC, EMCC, ICF, ANSE, GSN and others).
Webinar-topics:
Each session is anchored in one chapter of the book. The reflection – questions at the end of each chapter serve for individual preparation by participant before a session. See the full table of contents of the book-chapters here.
Before the first session and between the sessions participants receive the Brain-Smart, Practice-Wise newsletter. It briefly reviews the key ideas from the previous session, offers practical reflections, and prepares you for the next chapter. The newsletters support your self-paced learning rhythm of prepare, reflect, discuss, apply, repeat.
Language: Sessions are conducted in English or in Dutch.
Online via Zoom · Groups of up to 12 participants
Cohort 1 for Dutch speaking participants: Every third Thursday of the month · September 2026 – June 2027 · 19:00–20:00 CET (= Amsterdam time)
Cohort 2: for English speaking participants: Every third Tuesday of the month. September 2026 – June 2027 . 19:00–20:00 CET (= Amsterdam time)
€ 100,- for 10 sessions (no additional VAT) plus the cost for the book (hardcover € 54,99; e-book € 34,99).
Participants purchase the textbook independently
PE points: Brain-Smart, Practice-Wise has been approved by LVSC for accreditation. Eligible participants may receive up to 2.0 to 2.5 PE-LVSC points (minimum attendance: 8 out of 10 sessions). An application for NOBCO/EMCC accreditation is currently awaiting for approval.
A certificate of participation is issued by Attune upon completion.
Note: This series is not coaching, supervision, or training. It is a structured professional reading-and-reflection program. For individual or group supervision, please connect with Sonja.
Dates & times
Cohort 1 — September 2026 to June 2027 in Dutch language: Every third Thursday September 2026 to June 2027 · 19:00–20:00 CET: 17 September, 15 October, 19 November, 17 December, 21 January, 18 February, 18 March, 15 April, 20 May, 17 June 2027.
Cohort 2 — September 2026 to June 2027 in English language . Every third Tuesday September 2026 to June 2027. 19:00–20:00 CET: 15 September,13 October, 17 November, 15 December, 19 January, 16 February, 16 March, 13 April, 18 May, 15 June.
When a (Dutch or English) cohort reaches capacity (max 12 participants/cohort ), a new one will be launched and a fresh schedule wil be announced on this page.
How to join
Registration Form
Facilitation
The series is hosted and facilitated by Sonja Vlaar. Alongside my senior experience as a registered coach supervisor (LVSC | GSN) and as a multi-certified coach, I bring a background in applied neuroscience (Master Neuroplastician, M.npn) , Nutrition (Ir.) and the co-authorship – experience of the book itself to each conversation. My other supervision offerings are listed here.
I look forward to the conversations ahead. The book is the beginning — the webinar series is where it comes alive.
