Best Life Coach Certification: How To Get Certified And Other Questions Answered
Becoming a life coach is a popular choice for those who want to help others achieve their goals and live their best life. But what does it take to become certified as a life coach?
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This article will answer some of the most common questions about life coaching certification, including what it entails, how to get certified, and the different types of certification available. We’ll also include our most frequently asked questions compiled at the end for ease.
Ready to learn about becoming a certified life coach? Let’s dive in!
What Is A Certified Life Coach?
A certified life coach (sometimes called a lifestyle coach) is a professional who helps clients set and achieve personal or professional goals. Life coaches work with clients to identify areas of their life they would like to improve and then create action plans to help them reach their goals.
Most life coaches are not licensed or regulated by any specific governing body, but many choose to become certified to show potential clients that they have the necessary skills and knowledge to help them succeed.
There are several life coaching certification programs available, each with its own requirements, curriculum, and cost. Many life coach certification programs can be completed entirely online, although some may require in-person training or an internship component. We’ll get more into those later.
What Does Life Coach Certification Entail?
The requirements for life coach certification vary depending on the program you choose. However, most life coach certification programs will require you to be 18 years of age, possess at least a high school diploma, complete a certain number of hours of training, pass an exam, and/or have a minimum amount of coaching experience.
Some life coach certification programs also require you to abide by a code of ethics or participate in ongoing education to maintain your certification.
How Do I Become A Certified Life Coach?
The first step to becoming a certified life coach is to choose a life coaching certification program that meets your needs and requirements. Once you’ve selected a program, you’ll need to complete the necessary training hours and pass any exams required for certification.
Once you’ve met all the requirements for your chosen life coach certification program, you’ll receive your official life coach certification.
Our Top Life Coach Certification Options
There are many different life coach certifications available, so it’s essential to choose the one that’s right for you. Here are our top choices for becoming life coaching certified. Some are ICF-accredited, and some are not, so it’s important to know and understand which you’d prefer. Before we get into the certifications, here is a briefing on what this accreditation means:
What is ICF Accreditation?
The International Coach Federation (ICF) is the leading global organization for life coaches. They offer an accreditation program that life coach certification programs can choose to go through.
ICF-accredited life coach certification programs must meet specific requirements, including a minimum number of training hours, a code of ethics, and ongoing education requirements.
Becoming ICF-accredited is voluntary for life coach certification programs but can be beneficial for both life coaches and clients. For life coaches, ICF accreditation can lend credibility to your business and coaching practice.
Clients may feel more confident working with an ICF-accredited life coach, knowing that they have met high standards for coaching education and training.
Now that we’ve established what that means, here are our top courses:
Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC)
The Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) is one of the most popular life coach certification programs available. iPEC offers an ICF-accredited all-inclusive program that gives you all of the tools you need to become a successful life coach.
Priced at just under $14,000, the program includes three intense, three-day training experiences as well as 200 ICF-accredited training hours to give you hands on experience. The program also includes webinars, workbooks, and assignments.
Upon completion, you will earn not just one but three certifications. These include
- Certified Professional Coach (CPC)
- Energy Leadership IndexTM Master Practitioner (ELI-MP)
- COR.E Dynamics Specialist
The Co-Active Training Institute (CTI)
The Coaches Training Institute (CTI) offers an ICF-accredited comprehensive life coach certification program that can be completed entirely online. The CTI life coach certification program includes over 100 hours of training, including an internship component.
To become certified through CTI, you’ll need to complete the Co-Active Process course, which provides for fundamentals, fulfillment, balance, process, and synergy – and then apply for a 6-month certification program.
The prerequisite Co-Active Process course including fundamentals runs about $8,000. The 6-month certification is about $6,500, bringing the total to around $14,500.
Integrative Wellness Academy
The Integrative Wellness Academy life coach certification program offers two different options: Life Coaching Certification and Master Life Coaching Certification. The main difference between the two is the Master program is an extension of the regular certification, allowing you to become more successful. Taking the Master Life Coaching certification is not required to be certified.
The curriculum includes all of the fundamentals of life coaching including active listening, progress management, relationships, coaching plans, healing modalities, and more.
This course is one of the lesser priced, costing just $1,200 for the entire 6-month course, and doesn’t have any prerequisites. It’s important to note, however, that this one is not ICF accredited like the two above.
ISSA Health Coach
If you’re looking to go the health coach route, which is essentially a life coach focused on health, ISSA may be the choice for you.
International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) is a well-known organization in the fitness industry, and their Health Coach Certification Program is one of the more comprehensive life coach certification programs available.
The course is designed to provide you with everything you need to know about health and wellness coaching, including the science behind it.
The Health Coach Master program, which includes additional training on more topics like nutrition, exercise recovery, and weight management, is priced at $2,388. The only drawback is that it is not ICF accredited.
Choosing The Right Life Coach Certification Program For You
When choosing a life coach certification program, it’s important to consider your budget, schedule, and coaching goals. If you’re looking for a life coach certification that is affordable and flexible, an online program may be the right choice for you.
If you’re looking for a life coach certification that will give you the most comprehensive training, an in-person program may be the better option. And if you’re looking to become certified through the most well-known life coaching organization, the ICF, then you’ll need to choose a life coach certification program that is accredited by the ICF.
No matter which life coach certification program you choose, becoming a certified life coach can help you take your coaching business to the next level.
Life Coach Certification FAQs
The International Coach Federation (ICF) is the largest and most well-known life coach certification organization. Being ICF accredited means that a life coach certification program meets the ICF’s strict standards for quality and excellence.
An online life coach certification program is a flexible option that can be completed entirely online. An in-person life coach certification program may provide more comprehensive training but is less flexible.
A life coach helps their clients achieve personal and professional goals, while a health coach helps their clients improve their physical health and well-being.
You can be a life coach without certification. However, life coach certification can help you build credibility and attract clients, so it’s definitely worth educating yourself and being formally certified.
There are no formal qualifications required to become a life coach. However, many life coaches have a background in counseling, psychology, or social work.
It depends on the life coach certification program you choose. Some life coach certification programs can be completed in as little as eight weeks, while others may take up to a year to complete.
Eddie Lester
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