How to Become a Life Coach in Colorado

People struggling through life challenges or wanting to reach more goals often enlist the help of life coaches. Life coaches are motivation specialists who help clients work through transitional periods, to set and meet goals, track progress and offer advice. Clients request help from life coaches for lots of reasons – overcoming a bad habit, adopting new habits, working through grief, becoming healthier, etc. Life coaches are there to help people become better, happier versions of themselves.

Life coaches study many general counseling and motivation skills, sometimes specializing in narrower topics like family coaching, addiction recovery coaching or motivational coaching. Many life coaches are self-employed, and some are employed by large companies or organizations.

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The demand for life coaching services will continue climbing as society keeps moving toward empowerment and mental wellness goals. To be a life coach, you should have excellent communication skills, high energy levels and be able to be emotionally present for your clients. You’ll also need a motivational, inspirational and open-minded personality.

The Steps Involved

If you’re serious about becoming a life coach, you’ll want to earn your high school diploma or GED first. After that, you should study in a life coach training program, earn life coach practice hours and become certified by The International Coach Federation (ICF). These steps to becoming a life coach aren’t formally required, but it’s difficult to get started and be taken seriously as a life coach without proper training and credentials to prove it.

Where to Study

You’ll need to study in an ICF-accredited program if you want to earn ICF credentials. Programs can range from 60 hours to over 200 hours, depending on the level of life coach you want to become. Many programs are available online, but Colorado residents have some in-person learning options too, including:

  • Academy of Creative Coaching. This national program is available to be completed entirely online or partially in person on the weekends at selected locations and at your own learning pace. There’s also an intensive, four-day weekend learning program that squeezes lots of information into a short period of time. The Academy of Creative Coaching is accredited by the ICF and offers its own certification rewards.
  • Newfield Network Inc. Located in Niwot, this school offers an eight-month Certified Coach Training Program, which focuses on the use of ontological teaching methodology. The length of the program is 125 credit hours. Graduates can apply for ICF certification as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) after earning the 100 required life coach practice hours.

More about Life Coach Certification

Some colleges and training programs will award you their own credentials, but ICF Certified Coach certification is the most widely recognized for life coaches. To earn one of the three levels of certification from ICF, you must meet minimum training and coaching practice requirements. You can become an Associate Certified Coach (ACC), Professional Certified Coach (PCC) or Master Certified Coach depending on your experience level.

What Are Life Coaches Paid?

Being a life coach in Colorado seems to be a well-paying gig, especially for those with higher levels of experience. According to Payscale.com, the average income for Colorado life coaches is $32.42 per hour in 2019. Reports also show that those Colorado life coaches with between 10 and 19 years of experience see a large increase in income. With a starting average wage of $48.18 per hour, the average for more experienced life coaches increases to about $60 per hour.

Where to Work as a Life Coach in Colorado

You’re more likely to find work as a life coach in areas with larger populations. But how do the cities compare? According to Ziprecruiter.com, in 2019, 47 percent of Denver life coaches were paid in the range of $24,166 to $37,255 per year. Colorado Springs had a very similar income level, if slightly lower, with 47 percent of its life coaches being paid in the range of $22,424 and $34,569. In Colorado, income levels for life coaches seem to be based less on location and more on experience.

Where you choose to work will depend on factors such as convenience, comfort and job opportunities. The best way to ensure your success as a life coach is to earn reputable certification and begin building up years of experience.