So you want to become a Health Coach? First of all, congratulations on making this big—and exciting!—decision to embark on a new career path. You’ve chosen a profession that is not only deeply rewarding, but also incredibly needed in this world (we’ll dive into that in more detail below).
A life-changing education lies ahead of you. By training to become a Health Coach, you’ll learn how to use your passion for health and helping others to make a meaningful difference in the world. You’ll learn proven skills to help others feel empowered to change their lives for the better.
And the cherry on top? You’ll have the tools and training to become the best version of YOU in the process. Attending a Health Coach school will teach you all this and more, and prepare you to launch a new career that offers unparalleled freedom and flexibility—so you can live life on YOUR terms.
But where do you begin when it comes to selecting the right Health Coach school for you? That’s what this page will help you answer. No two schools are the same, so we’re going to give you some helpful pointers in an effort to make the selection process a bit less overwhelming. Read on for more information on how selecting the right school can can get you on the road to turning your Health Coaching dreams into a full-fledged reality.
Nutrition, Health, and Wellness
Habit Change Coaching Skills
Personal Growth
Proven Marketing and Simple Business Systems
The Impact of Joining a Health Coach School
6 in 10 American adults currently have a chronic disease and 4 in 10 have two or more (Centers for Disease Control).
By 2020, chronic diseases caused by lifestyle choices are projected to increase by 57% (World Health Organization).
Within about a decade, it’s projected that 67% of the US population will have some form of diabetes (Centers for Disease Control).
86% of healthcare dollars are spent treating chronic diseases—a whopping $2.9 trillion and growing (Centers for Disease Control).
Now here’s a wonderfully promising fact we’re excited to share: approximately 75% of ALL disease could be prevented with better nutrition and habits.
Seventy-five percent.
In a recent study by Healthcare Intelligence Network, 86% of survey respondents reported that patients’ self-management improved with the help of a Health Coach.
According to Marketdata Enterprises, Inc., 60% of Americans (or approximately 197 million people) have expressed that they are interested in working with a Health Coach.
Insurance companies are hiring Health Coaches to deliver disease prevention programs (focused on diabetes, smoking cessation, stress management, and weight management) to patients and at-risk communities (Marketdata Enterprises, Inc.).
As our co-founders Stacey Morgenstern and Carey Peters like to say, Health Coaches
“…intervene in that space between the gravitational pull of habit and the desire for lasting change. We help people cross the divide.”
In simple terms, what that means is that Health Coaches help others go from just knowing the actions they should take to create desired change in their lives to actually following through with those actions and creating healthy, sustainable habits.
Now, let’s move on to the main reason you’re here…how to pick the right Health Coach school for you.
Choosing The Right School For You
We won’t sugarcoat it. Choosing a Health Coach School can feel overwhelming! There are many schools out there—each different in their own way—and a lot of factors to consider when deciding where to enroll. To help remove some of that overwhelm and get you crystal clear on the best school for you, here are 12 things to look for in a Health Coach school. Flip to see more!
Comprehensive Curriculum
Comprehensive Curriculum
We mention this a lot (and for good reason!). Your Health Coach curriculum provides the foundation upon which your entire career will be
built. Therefore, it’s so important that you take the time to fully understand what each school’s curriculum will offer you and make sure
it’s robust. We mentioned earlier that your Health Coach training should include four essential ingredients: nutrition, coaching, personal
growth, and business and marketing training. If the school you’re considering provides training in these four key areas, you can feel
confident the curriculum is comprehensive.
Qualified Instructors
Qualified Instructors
What you’ll learn is important, but so is who you’ll be learning from. If you want to launch a lucrative Health Coaching career, it makes sense to learn from people who have experienced a solid track record of career success, right? So, make sure whoever is teaching the training is a seasoned coach with proven career success they can point to.
Accreditation
Accreditation
Choosing a program that has been accredited by a third-party organization, like the International Coach Federation, is a great way to ensure you’ll receive a high-caliber training experience that will prepare you to rock it as a Health Coach once you graduate.
Hands-On Learning Opportunities
Hands-On Learning Opportunities
This is another factor we can’t emphasize enough. To become an effective Health Coach, you need knowledge and practice. So, look for a school whose program includes the opportunity to finetune your coaching skills and build confidence working with real people. To be 100% honest, if the school you’re looking at doesn’t offer this critical component, we say look elsewhere.
Hands-On Learning Opportunities
Hands-On Learning Opportunities
This is another factor we can’t emphasize enough. To become an effective Health Coach, you need knowledge and practice. So, look for a school whose program includes the opportunity to finetune your coaching skills and build confidence working with real people. To be 100% honest, if the school you’re looking at doesn’t offer this critical component, we say look elsewhere.
Community
Community
Don’t underestimate the power of surrounding yourself with a community of positive, encouraging people who can help stretch you further than you ever thought possible. Leaning into a community can not only up-level your learning (and increase the fun factor), but also push you to step out of your comfort zone so you can experience new levels of success. Pay close attention to each school’s vibe and what their community is saying. If the community feels supportive, connected, and uplifting, you can move on to…
Support
Support
Having adequate support to ask questions, get clarification, and determine next steps is so important as you train to become a Health Coach—even more so if you select an online Health Coach School where you’ll be studying remotely. So make sure you’re clear on what kind of support you can expect from each school you’re considering. Here are some examples of support Health Coach Institute offers its students: personal mentorship, biweekly office hours with instructors, group coaching calls, private Facebook group access to peers, in-person and virtual workshops, career services support, and more.
Resources
Resources
Having lots of helpful resources (think: checklists, templates, coaching demos, marketing materials, and done-for-you Health Coaching Programs) can be a huge help when you’re learning the ropes of Health Coaching. They can help cement knowledge and boost confidence, while providing practical tips on things like how to get clients and build your business. We recommend choosing a program that offers access to a wealth of resources designed to set you on course for your most successful future.
The Right “Fit”
The Right “Fit”
As we’ve already mentioned, Health Coach schools each have their own focus, philosophy, and tone…and it’s important to make sure those resonate with you and your dreams, values, and desires. So we encourage you to explore and get really clear on your internal motivation for becoming a Health Coach—then find a school that matches that motivation.
Happy Grads
Happy Grads
The school you’ve been eyeing looks great on paper…but what about social proof? We strongly encourage you to find out what grads have to say about their educational experience. Are there video testimonials with grads you can watch or reviews you can read? Can you connect with a grad directly to get their thoughts on the school and its training program? That candid feedback will help paint a clear picture of whether or not a school’s curriculum, philosophy, and culture will meet your expectations.
Proof of Results
Proof of Results
On a similar note, make sure to look for surefire signs a school’s curriculum is effective. When you talk to grads, can they share powerful client success stories demonstrating how their coaching resulted in real change? Do they share stories of their own personal transformation as a result of their Health Coach training? If so, this is a good predictor that the school will teach you what you need to help others facilitate positive change in their lives.
Proof of Results
Proof of Results
On a similar note, make sure to look for surefire signs a school’s curriculum is effective. When you talk to grads, can they share powerful client success stories demonstrating how their coaching resulted in real change? Do they share stories of their own personal transformation as a result of their Health Coach training? If so, this is a good predictor that the school will teach you what you need to help others facilitate positive change in their lives.
Business and Marketing Training
Business and Marketing Training
There’s no question, Health Coaching is equal parts art, science, and business. The only problem is, most schools don’t spend enough time on the latter…so their grads complete a training only to stumble when it comes time to launch their career. It’s incredibly important that you select a school that offers comprehensive business and marketing training as part of your coach training. After all, you could be the best-trained coach there ever was—but you won’t find success if you have no clue how to sell yourself, get clients, or run a business.
Flexibility
Flexibility
Last but not least, be on the lookout for Health Coaching schools with a lot of built-in flexibility when it comes to learning. Here are some examples we recommend looking into: Does the school offer self-paced study so you can learn on your schedule? Is the curriculum available in multiple formats so you can pick what works best for you? If mentorship is included, are there lots of options to choose dates and times that fit your schedule? Seeking out a school that offers lots of flexibility will enable you to customize your training experience so you can get the most out of it and progress in a way that works best for you.
For more information, check out our blog post 7 Considerations For Evaluating Health Coach Schools.
How To Get Started With a Health Coach School
Now that you know what Health Coach schools teach and what criteria to consider when selecting a school, it’s time to prepare yourself to head back to class. Check out our blog post 3 Simple Steps To Take In Preparation For Health Coach School for some tips to help set you up for your most positive and productive learning experience.
Interested in learning more about Health Coach Institute and our six-month Become a Health Coach program? Click the button below to schedule a time to speak with one of our amazing Clarity Coaches today!
