How to Become a Life Coach in Louisiana

There’s no goal you can’t reach with the help of a life coach, a professional dedicated to helping people improve their lives. In Louisiana, when people have difficulty losing weight or landing their dream jobs, they can turn to life coaches for help envisioning their goals and actively pursuing them with positivity. With the planning and motivational skills of a life coach to guide them, clients find confidence to break through barriers, finally achieving things they thought they never could.

Life coaches in Louisiana train many hours to learn skills that are useful for motivating people and solving complex problems. They might start their own businesses or be hired by large institutions such as a universities or businesses. Clients typically meet with life coaches in person or virtually via phone call or video conference. The relationship is built on trust and personal connections. Being close with clients is essential for life coaches, who need to understand the uniqueness of each person and how best to help them achieve their goals.

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How to Become a Life Coach

Anyone can call themselves a life coach, but that doesn’t mean they’re qualified to lead clients in achieving their goals. For this reason, the International Coach Federation (ICF) awards certifications to life coaches who prove they’ve trained adequately and gained enough experience. Training and experience require at least 60 hours of study in a program accredited by ICF and 10 hours of mentor coaching experience. Many life coaches add to their skill set with bachelor’s degrees in subjects related to their specialties.

Online Training Programs

In Louisiana, options for in-person life coaching training are limited. However, virtual and online learning options are widely available. You can search ICF’s online directory for accredited training programs. Here are a couple of options to get you started:

  • Center for Coaching Certification. This Florida-based school offers training completely online in the form of six group webinars. Assigned reading and assignments are completed between sessions. Before beginning this program, students should complete at least 30 hours of life coach entry training. Students receive a one-on-one training session and 10 hours of mentor training.
  • Coach Training for Leaders. This six-month life coach program includes 60 hours of study offered in virtual format via Zoom Video Conferencing. Students take the program in three 20-hour modules lasting three days each. You can mix and match topics related to your interest area.

Requirements for ICF Certification

To earn ICF’s most basic certification, the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential, applicants must demonstrate that they’ve completed at least 60 hours of training in an ICF-accredited program or another program that embodies ICF standards. All ACCs must complete at least 100 hours of coaching experience before application as well. Some applicants must submit a recording of themselves coaching for a performance evaluation, and all applicants must pass a Coach Knowledge Assessment (CKA).

ICF members pay $100 for their credential, and non-members pay $300. For further certification, life coaches can train and gain experience to pursue their Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and Master Certified Coach (MCC) advanced credentials.

About Life Coach Pay

ZipRecruiter.com reported $57,884 as the average annual income for Louisiana life coaches in 2019. However, income ranges wildly in this career field, indicating that location isn’t as big a predictor of income potential as experience and certification. Life coaches who specialize in niches are likely to earn higher income when their specialty is needed. Broad-spectrum life coaches are flexible and can meet the needs of more clients. Some life coaches only practice part-time, which makes their annual earning potentials lower than those of full-time life coaches.

Are You in a Good Location?

Larger cities like New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport are good spots to begin a life coaching career. In larger populations, it’s easier for life coaches to find new clients and job opportunities. However, the career is highly portable because it doesn’t require location-specific licensing or certification or even in-person sessions with clients. Life coaches are needed everywhere, and as more people see the results their services, the industry is bound to keep growing.