If you’re looking for a life coach, you want to be sure that you find someone who knows what they’re doing. Many people believe that life coaches are scam artists, that they take your money and all you get in return is bad advice--or nothing at all. However, many life coaches have chosen to coach because they want to help people. There are several steps that you can take to ensure that you find an honest, helpful life coach.
Make Sure They’re Certified or a Member of the ICF
Unfortunately, the life coaching industry is not regulated, so there are many different types of accreditation. Some coaches who claim to be accredited didn’t take any classes or go through a real life coaching certification process. They just paid money and received a certificate. If you don’t know what to look for, it’s easy to fall for a fraud.
Most legitimate life coaches will be accredited and a member of the International Coach Federation. The ICF is one of the most trustworthy sources for life coaches. They have three different life coach certifications: Associate Certified Coach, Professional Certified Coach, and Master Certified Coach. If you go to the ICF’s website, they can help you find a coach who is an ICF member. If you have a friend, colleague, or family member who has had a life coach, you can also ask them for a recommendation to point you in the right direction.
Ask Questions
If you’re unsure of something, ask! Ask to see a coach’s accreditation. Ask them why they decided to become a life coach. Ask them how they were trained. Find out where they received their life coaching ceritification. Do research about your potential life coach. Learn their name and where they got their accreditation. You definitely want to make sure that your coach is more qualified than you, because you’re the one who wants help.
If a potential coach gets upset with you because you’re asking so many questions, it’s probably a bad sign. You want a life coach who is honest and patient. An honest person won’t mind being asked about their background, and a patient person will understand that you need answers.
Know What You Want
Think carefully about specific personal or professional issues that your life coach could help you with. Keep in mind that no matter what life coach you see, they should be able to help you in multiple areas of your life, not just one. That said, if you’re particularly concerned about one problem (or type of problem), matching that issue to a life coaches’ speciality can’t hurt.
For example, If you have financial issues, or want to change the way you deal with money, you may want to hire a life coach with a specialty in finance. Maybe you’re having relationship problems. If so, there are life coaches that specialize in helping clients develop healthy relationships.
When you know what you want, you can ask a potential life coach more specific questions to ensure that they’ll be able to help you with exactly what you need
