How to Become a Life Coach in Idaho

If you want to make a difference in people’s lives, consider joining the expanding field of life coaching in Idaho. Life coaches spend time helping people achieve goals and work through life problems. They listen, help plan, teach and motivate clients to help transform their lives. Life coaches teach goal-setting strategies and provide support when clients face difficulties. The work they do may provide clients with lifelong benefits.

Many life coaches are self-employed, but some are hired by large organizations such as universities and corporations to provide on-site coaching services. To become a successful life coach, you must be compassionate toward others and their unique situations. Communication is also a requirement, as you must be able to listen to clients carefully and offer them understandable information they can use effectively.

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Steps to Take for Success

Becoming a successful life coach involves standing out from the crowd with excellent training and third-party certification credentials. To start, you should graduate high school or earn your GED. Then, take a training course accredited by the International Coach Federation (ICF), the leading regulatory organization for life coaching. College study in a related field, such as counseling, sport psychology or another field will also help advance your career. Then, apply for credentials from the ICF or another well-known organization to show potential clients that you meet professional standards and will offer quality services.

Train to Learn Skills of the Trade

Because the career of life coaching is relatively new, it’s hard to find many in-person training options, especially in Idaho. However, many online and distance-learning options are available to students everywhere, including:

  • American Life Coaching Academy, INC. Those who choose this school have options when it comes to learning. Study can be completely online via live virtual classes led by an instructor, in-person at select locations or a hybrid of both types of learning. This school is ICF-accredited and offers training that lasts 60 to 125 hours, depending on specialty and level.
  • Coaching Changes Lives. Though this school is based in Singapore, anyone anywhere can train either in-person at select locations or fully online. This is another school accredited by the ICF. The Mastery in Coaching Certification lasts 70 hours and builds a life coach foundational understanding. Students can then opt to take Level 2 and Level 3 life coach training, which require more study hours of coach specific training.

Types of Certification

The gold standard for life coach certification is the ICF. This organization’s credentials are recognized around the world and are available in three levels: Associate Certified Coach (ACC), Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and Master Certified Coach (MCC). ICF credentials require that you complete a specific number of training hours and coaching experience hours to demonstrate your preparedness for the credential.

You can also earn advanced certification from the Center for Credentials & Education (CCE). To become a Board Certified Coach (BCC), applicants must also hold a bachelor’s degree in any area, demonstrate life coach training and experience hours, and pass an exam.

How Are Life Coaches Paid?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) doesn’t provide specific income details for life coaches. Instead, they’re included in other categories with similar professions. In 2018, the BLS reported a median annual income of $26,180 for the category “personal care and service workers, all other,” $35,630 for “rehabilitation counselors,” and $56,310 for “school and career counselors.” Clearly, life coach income rates vary widely based on specialty. Experience and training levels also play a large role in each life coach’s income potential.

Finding Your Base of Clients

To increase your chances of finding employment opportunities and potential clients, it’s best to begin your career in a well-populated area such as Boise, Meridian or Nampa. Larger populations increase your chances of finding people in need of your services. Life coaches can also easily relocate their businesses to other areas or states without having to worry about registering with a state agency or receiving any type of state-specific certification. As more people begin to hear life coach success stories and learn about the services they offer, demand for their services is bound to grow. Start training and earning counseling hours now to jumpstart your life coach career.