If you’re interested in pursuing a career in health and wellness or adding to your existing credentials in a related field, becoming a certified wellness coach is a great way to boost your profile and stand out in the health and wellness industry. It also enhances your credibility and boosts your professionalism.
Let’s take a look at what to expect from a wellness coach certification.
What You Need to Become a Certified Wellness Coach
There are a lot of common questions when people think about becoming a certified wellness coach. Do you need a degree, a certain level of wellness coach training, or health coaching experience?
While a degree might not be necessary, it’s helpful to have a solid background as a wellness professional. For example, an experienced physical therapist or nutritionist is well-positioned to begin work toward a coaching certification. However, people transition into wellness coaching from all walks of life, often diving into a wellness coach certification as the first step in a second career. Ultimately, all you really need is an interest in health and wellness, and a desire to help others.
If you have started practicing as an uncertified coach, it would be best to become certified. Even if you have experience in the field, the lack credible of proof of your skills could hamper your professional development.
Also, it’s extremely helpful to get foundational training in health and wellness coaching to build a strong platform for your professional growth. The health and wellness industry may have low barriers to entry, but to stand out in the market, you need the right skills.
Training programs like the Catalyst Coaching Institute’s Fast Track Wellness Coach Certification can offer that foundational training, provide a coaching certification, and put you on the path to a nationally recognized, industry certification.
Professionals looking for that national wellness coach certification need to qualify for and pass the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) Certifying Examination. Qualifying for this exam includes graduating from an NBHWC approved training program, completing 50 health and wellness coaching sessions, and having an associate degree or 4,000 hours of work experience.
As part of your training to be a coach, you will enhance a number of skills in communicating with your client. You will develop an ability to evoke from the client what is most important to them. By listening to what they say and reflecting back not only the words expressed but the underlying meaning, your client will feel heard. Showing empathy and compassion for your client will build a sense of trust and connection which will set the environment for exploration and growth. And using the guiding style of coaching will help your clients engage in the process and move towards lasting behavior change.
Above all, you should be passionate about health and wellness. You’re likely to attract more clients and stay in the field longer if you treat your profession as a vocation. This passion can go a long way toward enabling you to overcome any challenges that may arise as your career develops.
How to Become a Certified Wellness Coach
Now that you know the requirements for becoming a certified wellness coach, you’ll want to figure out the actual steps to take. Having a solid roadmap to follow on your wellness coach journey simplifies a process that is seemingly complex.
Let’s take a look at the steps needed to pursue a wellness coach certification.
Understand the Role of a Health and Wellness Coach
Consider this: 49% of people make a dramatic career change at least once in their life. Health and wellness coaching has become a popular destination for many people who are looking to make a change, especially those who want to align their careers with their personal interests. However, before going all in, it’s important to learn the particulars related to becoming a health and wellness coach so you can determine if that career path is right for you.
Network with established coaches to determine what their average week looks like. Figure out what type of work they do with their clients and how you might fit into this role yourself. Take all the small details into account to discern whether or not it’s a good career path for you.
Interested in diving into the details? Book a free consultation with Catalyst Coaching to learn more about the options available for wellness coach certification.
Decide What You Want to Do With Your Certificate
Interested in creating a dynamic health coaching business that goes beyond individual coaching sessions? A wellness coach certification can open doors to many possibilities.
Here are some ideas to consider once you get your wellness coach certification:
- Host and sell online courses using pre-created video, text, and audio content
- Create a health and wellness lifestyle website to share and monetize your expertise (sell subscriptions, premium content, wellness plans, and promote affiliate products)
- Become a paid health and wellness speaker in your community or online
- Work with businesses or professional groups to optimize their employee wellness plans
- Offer consultancy services to local organizations
- Become a social media manager or content provider for health-related companies
Look For an Accredited Training Program
Proper training is a crucial step to take to qualify for certifying examinations. You need to ensure your program is ICF or NBHWC accredited. These associations expect students to complete approved programs and complete a series of practice sessions before sitting for exams.
An accredited program ensures your training is relevant and updated for the current market. It should also include all the modules to prepare you for certification exams.
Gain Some Work Experience
Without an associate degree, you’ll need work experience to qualify for NBHWC certification. Certification bodies can only certify you if you can prove competency in your field. Work experience is also necessary to set yourself apart in the industry.
Clients will want to know if you have what it takes to help them. Experience boosts your professional profile by bulking up your portfolio and acting as social proof.
Make sure you collect reviews and testimonials from your first batch of clients. Testimonials can stand in good stead for your business by boosting your credibility. 72% of customers say positive testimonials boost their trust in a business.
Get an NBHWC Certification
The NBHWC certification offers a solid foundation for your wellness coaching practice. As a nationally recognized certification, it provides credibility and easy verification of your health coaching skillset.
Organizations like the Catalyst Coaching Institute offer a pathway to national certification that is convenient and affordable. You can learn at your own pace from anywhere, following a well-researched process to complete the necessary steps for national certification. Interest-free financing is also available for this program.
How a Nationally Recognized Certification Helps Your Health and Coaching Business
Getting a wellness coach certification has many benefits for your career. It can increase everything from confidence to income. Let’s take a look at some of the business benefits of becoming a certified wellness coach.
Increase Confidence
Helping people improve their lives is no small feat. It’s common to question if you’re knowledgeable enough to truly help the people who are looking to you for advice.
To ease these feelings of doubt, it helps if you approach your work not only with the confidence of your convictions but the confidence of a professional certification backed by practical experience. Accredited coaching programs help you show up for work with more certainty, more ideas, and ultimately, more research-backed ways to help your clients.
An increase in confidence will also help improve marketing and self-promotion of your services.
Stay On Top of Changes in the Health and Wellness Field
The health and wellness coaching world is ever-changing. These days, more people are focusing on their physical, emotional, and mental health, and they want new and innovative solutions. As evolving trends in health and wellness continue to revolutionize the industry, there’s a lot to learn.
A well-designed health and wellness coaching certification program not only helps you keep in touch with industry changes, it also helps you stay up-to-date on the latest research, regulatory changes, and new techniques. However, not all programs offer the same level of ongoing support, professional resources, and collaborative community. Research your coaching certification provider carefully to make sure it provides the support you need to be successful after you’ve received your certification.
Boost Credibility and Legitimacy
As a health and wellness coach, you need to build a solid brand to increase your chances of success. This means you need a good image both online and offline. Organization-specific certifications like the Certified Wellness Coach are a first step in building a strong professional image. The next step is a national certification through the NBHWC. These credentials are key to building a reputable brand.
Boost Your Business Profile
One of your goals when building a coaching business is to stand out in your market and attract more clients. You must overcome competition to build a successful health and wellness coaching business.
A recognized wellness coach certification offers concrete proof that you have the right skills to help your clients. If you achieve NBHWC certification, your business will be entered into the national directory of health and wellness coaching businesses, giving you the upper hand over un-certified competitors.
Displaying your credentials on your website and social profiles also helps to bolster your brand image. People are more likely to trust you if they can find proof of credibility. Apart from showing your profile as certified, you can add the Certified Wellness Coach logo and the NBHWC logo on your website and marketing materials.
Continued Mentorship and Networking Opportunities
Accessing mentorship helps you to overcome challenges and uncertainty when building a business. A good wellness coach certification program will emphasize mentorship and professional community, and offer the resources you need to sustain long-term success. Look for extras, like health coaching retreats and ongoing informational series, to help you build valuable networks, learn from other health and wellness experts, and find the right mentors.
How Much Do Certified Wellness Coaches Make?
As mentioned before, there are many paths you can take once you’ve gotten your wellness coach certification. Of course, the paths you choose will directly affect your income. The great part is that you have full control over your earning potential.
In the US, the average annual salary rate for certified wellness coaches is between $52,920 and $68,061. The range depends on a few different factors, including education and certification. Certainly, becoming a certified wellness coach can boost your earning potential.
Also, consider that these figures can shift significantly when you run a wellness business that leverages your skills as a health and wellness coach into related areas. In many cases, certified wellness coaches can earn anywhere well into the six figures by diversifying their offerings and scaling their businesses through partnerships, products, and other resources.
Why Get a Wellness Coach Certification?
Today, people are looking for careers that offer more than just money. They want to play meaningful roles in society while still making a good living. A wellness coach certification may offer that option.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced professional, the Catalyst Coaching Institute has programs designed to kickstart your career and enrich your life. Get started on a career that combines your passions and a way to make money. If you’re interested in learning more, click here to find a certification program that works for you.
