How to Get Life Coach Certification

Become a Certified Life Coach

Life coach certification is not necessary in most areas in order for someone to legally offer services as a life coach. The certification does help however, in establishing trust, achieving professional status, and in building a solid reputation as a life coach.

If you considering life coach certification in order to advance your career as a life coach, here is what you will need to do to receive a ACC (Associate Certified Coach) certificate from the International Coach Federation (ICF). This is the first of three levels of credentials offered by this organization.

Things You'll Need

• 100 hours coaching experience
• application
• application fees
• 60 hours coach-specific training
• working knowledge of coaching competencies

Instructions

1. Learn the eleven core coach competencies.

   These are broken into four categories, which are:

   Setting the Foundation
   Co-Creating the Relationship
   Communicating Effectively
   Facilitating Learning and Results

   Training courses and resources are available to assist you in developing your skills and proficiency in these four areas, and in the eleven competencies grouped within these categories.

2. Attain at least 60 hours of coach-specific training.

   In order for training to be considered "coach-specific," the training must be from an Accredited Coach Training Program, or from a program that has been designated as approved by the ICF. The training cannot be for other skills that could be applied to life-coaching. It must be specifically designated as coaching training, hence the tern coach-specific training.

3. Gain 100 hours of coaching experience with a minimum of 75 hours being for compensation.

   Keep a client log, and get signed consent from your clients for the IFC to contact them to verify your coaching services. If they are contacted by the IFC, the topic of your coaching will not have to be disclosed. Make sure to research specific requirements and conditions that must be met in order for your coaching hours to count towards accreditation.

4. Obtain two reference letters.

   These reference letters will need to be from two credentialed IFC coaches who have seen or observed you actually coaching. The letters need to have been written within 12 months of the submission of your application, and should clearly express the writer's support for your certification.

5. Submit your application.

   You can access the application at the IFC website. You can fill it out online, or download it in a PDF file to be filled out and mailed in. Follow the instructions carefully, and be prepared for a rather steep application fee of $225 for IFC members and $425 for non-members.

6. Pass a Portfolio Examination.

   After your application is processed, you will be scheduled for an "oral test" as it were over the phone with an IFC representative. This will basically be a role-playing scenario in which you will act as the coach and the examiner will act as the client. The session will last from 20-30 minutes, after which the examiner will give you some feedback and then hang up. You'll have to wait for official written results to find out if you passed, and if you will receive your life coach certification.