Do I Need to be Certified to be a Life Coach?

Do I Need to be Certified to be a Life Coach?

Life coaching seems to be all the rage these days. Many individuals and executives are now using life coaching to help overcome blockages, catapult their careers, start new businesses, get healthier, enjoy better relationships and lead more fulfilling lives. This surge in life coaches has made many people stop and wonder -- what type of training have these coaches had? Do life coaches need a life coach degree to practice?

The International Coach Federation
The International Coach Federation (ICF) is making strides in creating standards and practices for the life coaching field. It is the leading coaching organization and professional association in the world. While the ICF does offer a number of credentialing programs and certificates, a life coach degree or credentials are not required to work as a life coach. The ICF defines life coaching as the partnering of client and coach in a creative, thought-provoking process that helps the client to maximize their professional and personal potential; they offer these three credentialing options:

• Associate Certified Coach (ACC)
• Professional Certified Coach (PCC)
• Master Certified Coach (MCC)

While credentials or a life coach degree are not required to work as a life coach, ICF research has shown that there are a number of ways that life coaches can benefit from having credentials. Their 2012 ICF Global Coaching Study revealed that credentialed coaches tend to have higher-than-average income compared with non-credentialed-coaches. A 2010 Global Consumer Awareness Study done by ICF showed that clients who worked with a credentialed coach were more often satisfied with their experience and would recommend life coaching to others. In this study, 84% of coaching clients reported that they felt it was important their life coach held a credential.

While not a requirement, life coaching certification clearly offers benefits for a life coaching career. There are also several other credentialing programs such as through the International Association of Coaching (IAC) and boutique coaching schools. Identify your goals and do your research to figure out which path is right for you.