If you’re interested in becoming a life coach and in the process of selecting
life coach courses, here are a few things you Should Know before you pay to any life coaching training program.
1. What type of life coach are you looking to be?
Life coaches have many sub-specialties including business, career, finances, health and relationships. Through a dedicated process, life coaches assist their clients raise performance and obtain results their clients would not have achieved on their own. Your goal as a life coach is to help your clients set achievable goals, take better action, make good decisions, and more fully use their strengths. The life coaching courses should have the general area in which you want to specialize in. What need are you trying to address?
2. Determine if the life coaching courses are certified
Why is finding accredited life coaching training courses essential? The basic reasons are:
1) You want to be certain you are getting quality training that has been approved through a standardized process. A life coach who has been accredited by the
International Coach Federation (ICF) for example has met ICF's tough requirements of coaching. An ICF accredited coach has obtained very specific coaching instructions, has completed a designated number of experience hours and has been coached by a mentor coach.
2) You want to have another marketing tool when you are ready to start your practice. Place yourself in the mindset of a prospective client. What would they be doing after your initial interview with them? Chances are, they will go to your website, check out your profile and check out your qualifications. A life coach that has an industry recognized accreditation has a much higher chance of securing that client than one that has none. An accredited life coach has an easier time justifying higher fees for his or her service.
3. Know if the course instructors have the necessary experience and aptitude for training life coaches
While a program may have been certified by an institution, the educational experience can vary depending on the skill of the course instructor to teach and guide the student. In the ideal case, you would want to get the training from someone who was passionate about developing great life coaches. In addition to researching the curriculum and accreditation of the life training programs, you should also investigate the life coach instructors as well. How long have they been a life coach? Get references from current and past students. Search for references in trade journals or in press reports.
Becoming a life coach is a noble pursuit that brings tremendous professional and personal satisfaction. Getting the right life coach training is an important step in your journey so consider these important points before committing to any
life coaching courses.
