Life coach training is provided by other certified life coaches through specialized institutions. But having a background in business or psychology will help you build a client base and give you an advantage in dealing with financial or emotional problems. A psychologist's goals are similar to a life coach's goals: focus on a client's dysfunction and help him achieve his personal goals. Anthony Robbins, a published self-help author and motivational speaker, is a professional life coach with a background in psychology.
Life coaching requires you to guide and enlighten people to bring out hidden potential they could not otherwise tap. Though the training you receive will help you improve or establish your level of confidence and strengthen your leadership and communication skills, life experiences help, too. Before Toronto-based life coach Jeffrey Eisen became trained and certified, he used life coaches to help him overcome many of his own fears and accomplish personal goals he felt he missed from working 33 years in the family business. He also overcame an illness. "I realized that my own experiences had given me all the tools I needed to be a life coach," Eisen says on his website.
Life coach training is an informal style of learning that focuses on mentoring, successful coaching techniques, self-study and observation. Once you complete training, you will receive your certification through the institute that provided your training. It is also important to know in advance in what field of life coaching you want to provide guidance--such as relationships, weight loss and wellness, or leadership and communication--so you can further educate yourself in that area.
Most life coach training certifications are available through learning centers across the United States and Canada as well as online. They may be offered in your college curriculum if you are taking psychology courses. Natural Healers, one of the best online resources for people pursuing life coaching certification, states that the average time it takes to complete your training is six to nine months, and the cost of certification ranged from $1,500 to $8,000 as of 2010. Life coaching has gained popularity over the years and according to PayScale.com, 10 to 20 percent of certified life coaches earn six-figure salaries.
The life coaching profession can be lucrative if you know how to build a client list. First, get your name out there. Attending coaching seminars--such as those your training institute will offer periodically--will give you the opportunity to meet and speak with fellow life coaches and possibly get referrals or tips on how to build a client base. Second, take advantage of networking websites. The Internet allows you to detail your credentials and outline what you can offer to potential clients. Third, put an ad in the newspaper and leave your business card everywhere you can. Store owners and managers will often let you display flyers, posters and business material in their stores for free.