Life Coach Training - Do You Need It?

A common question of prospective coaches is whether they need life coach training. There are no regulations in place (that I'm aware of) that require coaches to take training in order to offer coaching at this time (April 2008).

As consumers become more educated and savvy about coaching, they may ask prospective coaches what training they have. If you plan to work in a corporation or business, you may be required to have a specific coach training and certification.

Coaching is a profession requiring the mastery of several key skills. While it may sound easy to do, it really does take practice and training to become competent and effective. Your clients are paying you for results. Coach training gives you the skills and confidence to support your clients more effectively.

Would you go to a doctor, therapist, or even a massage therapist who had little or no training? From experience, you don't want to do the latter!

I'm a Therapist, Do I Need Training?

Those with advanced degrees and training as therapists or psychologists sometimes think they can just switch hats and coach. While this may be true for some practitioners, coaching comes from a different mindset.

According to Juliet Austin (www.julietaustin.com), "Therapists are already skilled at listening, supporting, encouraging and facilitating change. However, coaching is not about healing and therapists will have to unlearn and modify some of their therapy skills, as well as learn new ones."

Choosing a Coach Training Program

I found over 150 coaching training organizations, as of June 2007. A quarter of these organizations offer an accredited coach training programs. Tuition fees range from range from $3,900 to $10,000+ US.

Before committing the time and money into a training program you want to make sure you pick the best training program for you. For example:

Do you prefer to learn in-person, by phone or a combination?
Do you have a specific niche in mind? There are training programs geared towards specific niches now. If you're working as a therapist or in other helping professions, there are training programs geared towards you as well.

Changing careers or starting a coach business requires time, effort and money. Take the time to thoroughly research the profession to see if it's right for you.

Thinking about becoming a coach? Find out what you need to know about coach training, certification, and the business of coaching before investing money into becoming a coach. How to Become a Coach.

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