Ben Dean, Ph.D., Master Certified Coach
Founder & CEO, MentorCoach

From his West Texas cradle, Ben J. Dean, III was intended (particularly by Jr. and Sr.) to become a third-generation trial lawyer. Instead, he became fascinated with group process, hitching as a college student from Austin to Bethel, Maine for his first two-week National Training Labs group. He subsequently completed the NTL Graduate Student Program and a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin.

During four years at the National Institute of Mental Health, he began to design and conduct groups for anyone who'd have him (Federal prisoners, corporate staff, anti-nuke demonstrators, etc.), an activity he still loves.

Ben first began coaching in 1982. Since 1987 he has successfully combined his work with therapy and coaching clients in a managed-care-free practice in Bethesda, Maryland.

In 1997, Ben founded MentorCoach LLC, a virtual university that exclusively trains helping professionals and other mental health professionals throughout North America, Europe, and Australia to add coaching as a practice specialty. In public presentations and in its virtual training, MentorCoach has trained thousands of professionals to add coaching as a part-time or full-time practice specialty. All MentorCoach training is "virtual," taking place by teleconference with web and E-mail backup. (All you need is a phone.)

"The MentorCoach Training Program--Foundations" is an internationally recognized, 31-week coach training program focused on helping its students quickly transition into a part-time or full-time coaching practice.

"The MentorCoach Training Program--Foundations" is a stand-alone program focused on teaching students to (1) master individual and group coaching skills (2) master approaches to local and national/international marketing that are congruent with your personality and values (3) master ethical and risk management approaches to coaching and (4) providing a rich environment of social support in both the student's MCP Foundations Class and in the larger MCP Community.

In addition to MentorCoach's signature training, "The Foundations", there are nine additional six month Master Classes for students interested in MentorCoach and ICF Certification.

From March 2003 to May 2005, Ben was proud to partner with legendary psychologist and past APA President, Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D. to co-found Authentic Happiness Coaching LLC, a virtual University that trained 1000 professionals (consultants, trainers, therapists, coaches, educators and other professionals) in the theory, tests, and interventions of Positive Psychology. Ben passionately believes in the importance of undergirding coaching with positive psychological research. He publishes Coaching Toward Happiness, a free eNewsletter on practical applications of positive psychology for 131,000 global readers.

Ben also publishes the MentorCoach eNewsletter, a free eNewsletter for helping professionals who are becoming coaches. He speaks on positive psychology and coaching throughout the nation. He lives in suburban Maryland with his wife, Janice, their children, David and Sara, and Luna, their Betta Fish.