So, you're wondering how to become a life coach without certification? I know
exactly how to do that. Stick around, there's some things you
need to watch out for. A significant portion of my professional time is spent
coaching coaches. This is because I've been able to set up a very successful
life coaching business having started in psychology. Now, I was a clinical
psychologist for probably a dozen years or more. I'm still a licensed
psychologist but I no longer practice psychotherapy. I traded that in over a
decade ago for life coaching. Why? For my own journey, it had to do with some of
the restrictions that occur in the world of therapy. These are important for you
to know about because if you're interested in becoming a life coach, you
do not want to cross the lines of licensed professionals who are operating
in a particular field of practice. As a psychologist, I am licensed to diagnose
and treat mental illness. As a life coach, you don't have the licensure to do that
and you can get in trouble not only with the law but you could really mess some
people up. And this is something that gets in the way of many aspiring life
coaches. Because they really want to help people but they don't want to go through
the whole training and licensing and certification process that's required to
become a practicing professional. Now, life coaching is actually in a realm
that is not currently regulated in most states. Meaning that there's not a state
governing body that says you have to do these certain things in order to qualify
to be a life coach. This is both good and bad news. Okay? The good news is you
can do this even if you don't have a degree or a certification. The bad news
is anybody can do this. So, we have all kinds of people flooding the industry
right now who have no business being in that position because they don't know
what they're doing. So, the first thing I want to emphasize here is you've got to
know what you're doing. Yet now you don't have to be an expert on everything. In
fact, you can't be an expert on everything. Do you need to be the expert?
No. But you need to be an expert and that expertise is typically confined within a
particular skill set or area that you have some experience with. That's one of
the important clarity's that you have to get clear about before becoming a life
coach or if you are already a life coach, let's make sure that you're clear about
your area of expertise. This is an ethical, moral concern. We don't want to
hurt people, we want to help them. One of the best ways we can do that is making
sure we practice within our area of expertise. Now, you can expand that area.
Some people choose to do that through schooling for example. I went through the
21st grade. That's how I explained it to my kids to get a PhD in
clinical psychology. I have some training and expertise that now comes into my
life coaching practice. I chose to expand my skillset through that route. Now do
you have to go to school and get a degree to be a life coach? No, you don't.
But realize that there are some limitations to what you can do. That's
all that I'm saying about that.Iit probably would make sense to talk for
just a moment about the difference between licensure and certification.
Licensure typically refers to the process that you go through with the
state or a governing agency that has the ability
to license people in certain fields. Currently in most states, there's not a
licensing process for life coaches. There is for therapists or for psychologists
or for social workers or for electricians or plumbers. These people
have to go through a certain training process to get the license to practice
in that area. Certification has to do with completing a particular type of
training and the certifying agency or person signs off on, "Yes, they have
completed this certification. They can do this particular process." I provide a
certification in my Live On Purpose Institute. That's just an example. You can
go look at other programs where a guru, an established professional, a coach who
is already successful has brought their material or their process into a package
that people can be certified to deliver to their clients. So certification is a
little different kind of a process. Can you be a life coach without either of
those? Yes you can. However both licensure and certification expand your ability to
deliver value to your clients. You can do it yourself or you can find someone who
has an already proven process and get certified in their program. It's not
necessary but it saves you a few steps and can create some real shortcuts for
you. Going back to where we started, if you choose to do this without going
through a certification process with someone who already has an established
proven system, make sure that you are clear about the limitations to your
practice based on your experience and your expertise and training. Which you
already have. I know that you're here and watching this video because you have
it in your heart to help people. In meaningful ways. There's a reason why you
found this video. Here's the other side of this whole equation. The people that
you can help, I'm talking about your tribe I've got my tribe.
You've got your tribe and your tribe and my tribe are not the same tribe.
I can help some people uniquely with my particular skill set and experience that
you might not be able to help. That's fine because you have people you can
help who are outside of my skill set or experience or expertise or out of my
reach. There is an abundance of opportunity to assist people to have a
more excellent life. And that means that there's a place for you to fit in this
life coaching arena. As you become more clear about some of the things we've
talked about here on this particular episode, it not only empowers you to have
a great experience as a life coach but it opens up that amazing service that
only you can offer to the people that only you can touch. If you don't offer it,
they don't get it and that to me has some moral implications. I think we need
to step up and do what we can to provide that service to people where we can. You
can become clear about the things that are necessary. We've talked about a few
of those here on this episode. There are 7 crucial clarity's that I covered
in a webinar that I'd be happy to give you access to. Go to liveonpurpose.coach
not .com, okay? liveonpurpose.coach/webinar. I spend a
whole hour going over the 7 crucial clarity's for everyone who's starting a
life coaching practice or who wants to become more
established in that field. I think you might find that useful. I'm so glad you
found this video. If you know of someone else who would really enjoy hearing this
material, would you please share it with them? There's easy ways to do that in the
buttons down below. Also that webinar that I mentioned, I think would be
extremely powerful for you. liveonpurpose.coach/webinar.
It's completely free and I'm making that available to you. Hopefully see you again
soon.