by The Health Sciences Academy — Get free science updates here.
Go to your internet search bar and type in, “health coaching program”.
According to Google, you’ll have roughly 369,000,000 results in less than a second…
These results run the gamut from health coaching programs designed specifically for clinicians, to others calling themselves “the best trusted health coaching programs” without any real evidence to support that claim.
The shocking truth is that very few of these “professional” programs offering certifications meet the accreditation standards set by even ONE of the health coaching accrediting bodies.
And this means that they can say anything they’d like about the quality of their programs, and prospective students would have a difficult time discerning real claims from marketing propaganda.
So, how do you choose a quality health coaching program from a sea of “wannabe” programs all claiming to be the best?
First, define your health coaching goals.
If your goal is to simply learn a bit more about health coaching in the hopes of expanding your personal knowledge, then a fully accredited professional health coaching certification might not be for you.
Ask yourself:
- What type of time am I willing to commit to such a program?
- Do I really want to create a lifelong health coaching career?
- Who do I plan on helping with my health coaching certification
- How passionate am I about health coaching as I learn more about the industry?
- Will becoming an accredited professional health coach fit into my professional life?
This is NOT a split-second decision. Becoming a professional health coach is a serious commitment and should be part of a complete career goal.
Great professional health coaches who participate in International Coaching Federation (ICF) level programs have the ability to:
- Ethically help clients achieve their health goals
- Charge more per session than less educated health coaches
- Be confident in their title as “Health Coach” because they’ve completed a genuinely accredited certification
- Create careers that allow for growth and lifelong earning potential
And this is only the beginning!
The sky is the limit for those who achieve Professional Health Coaching certifications that support their career goals and positive client outcomes.
The hallmarks of a quality health coaching program
A quality health coaching program will be designed by experienced educators in both the health and coaching industries.
There are loads of people who can write a quick curriculum and sell an online “coaching” course, but if their area of expertise doesn’t match the content – then it’s a colossal waste of time.
When searching for a coaching course, make sure that you’re looking at programs designed to help you achieve credibility and career success.
A legitimate course offering a health coaching certification will give you access to live instructor interactions, months of course materials, and plenty of practice!
When achieving a quality health coaching certification that’s compliant with accrediting bodies like the ICF – practice is essential.
Keep in mind, taking a ten-hour online course with a quick questionnaire at the end will NOT prepare you to be a certified health coach. These types of “discount programs” can actually do more harm than good.
How to avoid “discount” health coaching programs…
As we mentioned earlier – there are literally millions of health coaching programs rolling around the internet.
This can make for a difficult decision for those looking for a certification that offers a career path instead of just a discounted piece of paper that mimics a real accomplishment.
ALWAYS ask about accreditation and the time that will be required to finish the program. True health coaching is a process that considers the psychological impact of the session as it relates to the goals of your clients.
This isn’t something that can be learned overnight! A good health coaching program will be involved, focused on ethics and the application of new principles, and built for success. It will also adhere to a higher set of standards – which can be gauged using the different accreditations pending and awarded.
ICF or ICF pending courses are considered the international gold standard. Health coaching programs (like ours) that adhere to these guidelines are opening themselves up to a level of professional scrutiny that ensures quality for students.
A “self-accredited” health coaching program means very little and is essentially just a brand patting itself on the back with no external oversight.
Don’t fall for the easy certification – it’s bad for you AND your clients!
Far too often we see “influencers” or supplement salespeople who refer to themselves as “coaches” with little to no training in the health coaching industry.
Many of these people have sought out an easy “certification” that falls short of the stringent requirements of actual health coaches.
Contrary to popular belief – it takes more than life experience (or even a degree in a related field) to be a good health coach. It takes practice and the application of complex concepts learned from industry leaders.
As a rule of thumb – if an advanced coaching program is completely self-led, devoid of pending or current accreditations, fast, and sold at a steep discount, it likely won’t deliver the experience you need to be a top notch health coach.
If it seems to good to be true – it probably is.
Many people join the health coaching industry because they have a genuine desire to help others. Without a proper education, you could be doing more harm than good.
Our THSA Professional Health Coaching Program is making coaching history…
Enter the THSA Professional Health Coaching Program…
At The Health Sciences Academy, we’ve spent the last year working with experts in both the health coaching and nutrition fields to create a program so powerful – it will change the way health coaching is done forever.
