How to Choose the Right Life Coach Training Program for You

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‍Which Coach Training Is Right for You?

One of the most interesting things about the coaching field as a whole is that it is so broad. Within this industry, “coaching” itself falls into four general categories:

• Athletic coaching
• Executive coaching
• Health coaching
• Life coaching - aka “everything else”

The first three forms of coaching require specific training and experience in order to be most effective in those fields. If that’s where your interests lie, a generalist coach training program like the one we offer at Lumia may not be the best fit for your aspirations. You’ll want to research programs that are geared toward what you need to know to be successful in the athletic, executive, or health arenas.

The fourth category - "Life Coaching" - is much more open-ended. Life coaching is a catch-all term that includes virtually all aspects of the human experience, including specialties such as: 

• Self esteem/self love coaching
• Transition coaching through big life changes
• Wellness coaching
• Relationship coaching (dating, divorce, parenting, etc.)
• Financial coaching
• Empowerment coaching
• Spirituality coaching
• Mindfulness coaching
• Goal Attainment coaching
• Career coaching

If you're pretty clear that your interested in some form of life coaching, then this article pertains to YOU! Let's walk through what you'll want to consider as you choose a coach training program.

Your Interest Areas

The first step in finding the right program for you is to get a sense of what type of coaching you are most interested in doing. For an idea of all the options, check out 20 Hottest Life Coaching Niches.

If you are thinking about becoming a coach, but haven’t even begun to narrow your interests down to a particular niche yet, that’s OK! Most students don’t know exactly what they want to focus on when they enter life coach training either. At this stage, you can go for a reputable generalist education in life coaching, and narrow in on your desired coaching niche over time.

Little known fact: many coaches will change niches a number of times through their career, especially in the early years of their practice. Coaching is a dynamic field, and it's perfectly OK to shift and change your focus over time!

Curriculum

We believe the 2 most important words you can look for in any coach training program are “evidence-based”. What this means is that the techniques you will be taught are grounded in science. In an evidence-based coach training program, the skills you learn are empirically proven, with a body of scientific research and literature behind them. 

Whether you are hoping to be a relationship coach, financial coach, or self love coach, the science of coaching is the same. In most any generalist life coach training program, you’ll learn conversation frameworks and coaching techniques that you can then overlay on your specific coaching specialty.

Community

Another important factor to consider as you evaluate programs is personal fit. The community and network you form in a coach training program is invaluable, especially as you launch your coaching practice. So as you look around, ask yourself: “Are these MY people?”

Many coach training programs offer a great curriculum, but not all actively cultivate community, or provide ongoing resources for alumni. This is one of the hallmarks of the Lumia coach training program, and something that we hear our graduates appreciate the most about their experience with us.

Timing

Some people think they need to have a “perfect life” in order to be a coach. Untrue! Life coaches are human beings, with complicated lives... just like everybody else. 

If you’ve been thinking about this for a while, there’s no better time than now. You don’t need to quit your day job, or have everything fully in order before you get started. The important thing is simply to begin.

If you've been thinking about doing this for a while now but haven't been able to pull the trigger, you might like to check out this article: When's The Right Time to Become a Life Coach?

Pricing

Comprehensive programs to help you become a certified professional coach will include live instruction, personal support, and practice hour requirements in order to get certified. Expect tuition for most high quality life coach training programs to run between $2,500 - $20,000.  

There’s a program that is right for just about any budget. Look realistically at what you can afford, and also bear in mind that you get what you pay for. If you’d like to work with human beings, groups, and organizations, you’ll want to be confident in your skills. The up-front investment in professional training pays dividends over time.

Certification

Coaching is an unregulated field, which means that certification is not required to be a coach. However, professional training in the art and science of coaching increases both your skills and your confidence. Running scenarios, doing practice coaching sessions and receiving feedback, and learning from industry leaders all help prepare you to handle the complex and varied situations that are bound to arise when you coach real world clients.

Personal Growth

It is impossible to interact with the science behind coaching and not have a transformational experience yourself! That’s the often unexpected benefit of life coach training - it grows and expands you personally in ways that extend well beyond a typcial vocational training program.

If you’re researching coach training programs, you might also like to check out these blogs: 

• 7 Things To Look For In A Life Coach Training Program
• Making A Mid-Career Transition Into Life Coaching
• Why Choose Lumia Life Coach Training? 

If Lumia Coaching is one of the programs on your list, we’d love to talk with you! You can schedule a call with a member of our team to get your questions answered, and discover how you can become a force for even greater good through coaching.  

Ready to Become A Coach?

One of our values at Lumia is that we dare to be different. Our coaches ignore the expectations society tries to impose on them, and seek to live from their own truth instead. If you are ready to step into your power and you’d like a partner in the process, come check out Lumia Life Coach Training. Grounded in science, our ICF accredited program features authentic instructors, a robust curriculum, and business instruction to prepare you for liftoff.

Lumia Coaching: Vibrant community. Evidence-based life coach training. Lifetime support.