There are three styles of life coach training available:
- In-Person (traditional learning)
- Blended Learning (online with live classes)
- Purely Online (independent study with little or no oversight)
As online platforms became more accessible and user-friendly, purely online training options gained in popularity due to their convenience and lower tuition cost.
One significant drawback to pure online learning is that these training programs often do not offer adequate (or any, for that matter) oversight or personalized feedback. Without a trainer personally overseeing an online student’s progress, the student can’t really know if they are learning accurately or effectively. These programs are never International Coaching Federation certified because they do not provide oversight and live sessions.
Pure online learning, such as Udemy, is not how to become a certified coach. If you choose to get your life coach training through an unsupervised online course, you will not qualify for any life coaching credential.
In contrast, an accredited blended learning program, such as our NLP-Integrated Life Coach Training, will provide the flexibility, convenience, and affordability of purely online training, while offering the personalized supervision needed for proper learning and accreditation. This type of program can be rigorous and be approved by International Coach Federation.
Good blended learning providers offer live training sessions in an online classroom. Blended life coach training hits that optimal middle ground.
Let’s review the pros and cons of each style of learning. Then, we’ll look at what you should look for in any life coach training program.
In-Person Life Coach Training ($$$)
Pros:
- In-person feedback
- Personal interaction between trainers and students
- Training completed according to a set schedule
- Full, uninterrupted immersion learning
Cons:
- Typically the most expensive option
- Less convenient (travel, time off)
- Less effective for skills integration because of the speed at which you are learning
- Can’t learn at your own pace
- Limited scheduling options
- Less opportunity for developing a long-term community and support network
Purely Online Life Coach Training ($)
Pros:
- Generally more affordable
- Flexible start times
- Work at your own pace
- No travel required
Cons:
- May prove challenging for those less comfortable with technology, or with slow/unreliable internet connections
- Students must hold themselves accountable for completing the material
- Feedback, if any, is not immediate
- No peer community
- Students will need to find practice partners/clients on their own
- No credentialing
- Learning does not integrate well
Blended Online Life Coach Training ($$) We provide this type of training
Pros:
- Often very affordable
- Flexible start times
- Work at your own pace
- No travel required
- Flexible learning pace allows for greater skills integration
- A community of peers and trainers for on-going support
- Live, virtual training sessions and one-on-one interactions
Cons:
- May prove challenging for those less comfortable with technology, or with slow/unreliable internet connections
- Feedback is not always immediate
- Students may still need to find practice partners/clients on their own
Finding the best life coach training platform will depend upon how much time and money you have available to you. If you have the resources available to travel and take time off from your regular work, then attending an in-person training might be something to consider.
If you require the flexibility of studying at your own pace as you transition out of your current career, then a blended learning curriculum will likely be your best option.
Which Training Format is the Best?
In my experience, in-depth learning and proper skills integration favor the blended learning format. For this reason, the training programs we offer through iNLP are this style.
The necessary skills are taught in smaller chunks with personalized support and live virtual training. The content is delivered on your own time and at your own pace, and you can return to lessons over and over until you’ve really mastered the material. And our extensive online peer and trainer community offers an on-going resource for practice, assistance, and encouragement. This is really the most effective format to learn how to become a life coach.
Once you’ve decided on the general style of learning platform best suited to your particular situation, find an accredited program that matches your unique learning style.
How to Become a Life Coach ~ What Every Life Coach Training Program Should Include
Whatever the style of program, students serious about becoming life coaches should insist upon the following:
- Regular live (in-person or virtual) access to a qualified trainer
- Personalized feedback and support on the training materials
- Comprehensive, understandable instruction on the core coaching method, including background, theory and practical application
- How to set up and run a life coaching business
- As a bare minimum, the material should also include instruction on:
- how to conduct an actual coaching session with a client
- ethics of life coaching
- defining your unique style and niche
- how to market and sell your coaching services
- Access to on-going professional development resources and support (additional content, articles, webinars, live/virtual classes, etc.)
- Access to a robust peer/trainer community
- Certificate(s) of completion
- Accreditation via internationally recognized coaching standards organizations such as International Coach Federation
- Flexible and affordable payment options, zero hidden fees, and a clearly laid-out refund/cancellation policy
Step 1: Discover your Life Coaching Aptitude
Step 2: Determine the Best Life Coach Training and Credentialing for You
Step 3: Learn What a Life Coach Must Do to be in Business
Step 4: Develop your Unique Coaching Vision
Step 5: Understand What Life Coaching Clients Really Want
Step 6: Wisely Plan the Transition into Your Life Coaching Career
Step 7: Set Up Your Life Coaching Business: Required Tasks
Step 8: Create Custom Coaching Packages that Solve Specific Problems
Step 9: Up Your Online Efforts to Expand Your Reach
Step 10: Start Marketing – Using the Right System to Bring in Clients
