Why Do A Coach’s Credentials Matter?

by Duncan Rinehart, PhD, ACC, NBC-HWC, CPT

Bottom Line

They matter so that you can know whether or not you are spending your money and time with someone who has the skills and ethics to help you achieve what you seek.

Explanation

At this time anyone can call themselves a “coach”. And the field is growing rapidly. There is no licensure for coaches in the US, yet. But there are well-established, legitimate organizations that certify coaches and strive to uphold the highest standards of practice and ethics.

Similar to licensing, these organizations assure that candidates and members uphold those standards of practice and ethics in three ways. First, knowledge and skill requirements must be met through assessment of the candidate’s coaching, assessments of the candidate’s experience, and tests of the candidate’s knowledge and ethics. Second, they also require that coaches stay sharp with their skills and their own internal work (so that they can “walk their talk”) through continuing education and regular re-certification. Third, these organizations have consequences for their members who violate those standards. The consequences can be loss of certification and barring from recertification. Coaches who are not certified by these organizations do not have to meet these requirements. Thus, you cannot know at the outset if you will get the expertise you are paying for.

Some organizations you can trust

International Coaching Federation (ICF) has three levels of certification, each with progressively rigorous standards. You can see those standards here. The ICF also accredits coaching training programs and you can search those programs here. ICF is global and it also includes a wide variety of coaching areas including: executive, leadership, life, career, and small business. You can find an ICF certified coach here.

National Board of Health and Wellness Coaches (NBHWC) maintains rigorous knowledge of health, evidence based coaching skill, and ethics standards for the field of wellness coaching in the US and it accredits coach training programs which can be found here. You can find an NBHWC certified coach here.

Finding a coach

As you look for a coach, don’t just look at their website or social media. Look for their certifications which should be clearly given on their website at least. Then research their certifications and the organizations that certify them. Are the certifying organizations accredited by a well-established and respected accrediting body like the ICF or the NBHWC? Are the coach’s certifications current or have they expired (meaning the coach may not have met the continuing education and other requirements to sustain their certification)? And if you meet with the coach, ask about their certifications and how those qualify them to work with you and help you accomplish what you seek.

Certified coaches are not therapists, they do not tell you what to do, and they do not solve your problems for you. They have the training, skills and ethics to help you work through challenges and changes toward the future you seek in ways that support your autonomy, independence and values.