Becoming a life coach is a great way to help people progress in their lives and achieve greater fulfillment. While there are no specific requirements needed to become a life coach, many people entering the field have experience in mental health or counseling. Others enter the field simply because they have a passion for helping people, offering advice, and providing guidance. Although there is no life coach title needed for life coaching, getting certified as a life coach is a good start.
Life coaches come to the profession with many different types of education. Technically, you don't need to earn a life coach certification to work as a life coach. However, according to the ICF study, 89% of practicing coaches receive training accredited or approved by a professional training organization. A life coach is different from therapists and other mental health professionals who focus on healing, treating mental health conditions, and helping people overcome trauma and other problems from their past.
The right training can help you improve your own natural talents and develop the personality traits that will make you an effective and successful life coach. If you think you have what it takes to become a life coach, learn more about finding the right training program. Some life coaches take a more general, global approach, but there are also many who specialize and focus on helping people in specific areas. You can choose the type of life coaching certifications you want to earn and continuing education is available to keep your skills and focus up to date.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) includes life coaching in its ranking for educational, guidance, and professional counselors and advisors. Find salary information for a life coach, which can help you decide if this is the right career path for you. Life coaches can help you clarify your goals, identify obstacles holding you back, and then devise strategies to overcome each obstacle. Life coaches are not governed by a board and do not have to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and its privacy regulations that help protect your personal health information.
There are several different types of life coaches with different specializations and different roles to help people. Some of the early life coaches focused on life planning, but the field eventually grew to encompass other areas of life, including relationships, finances, careers, health, and general well-being.
