How to Be a Faith-Based Life Coach

A life coach can help people overcome obstacles to achieving goals.

A life coach is a person who helps others recognize and achieve their goals. Although courses and training programs for life coaches are available, certification is not required. Life coaching is not a regulated field, and anyone can become a life coach without training or prior experience. Adding spirituality and religion to your practice may require changes in your method of coaching.

Instructions

1. Take a course, either as a workshop or an online program, to grasp the principles of life coaching. To become an effective life coach, familiarize yourself with mentoring, counseling, psychology and career counseling. As a faith-based coach, determine how belief systems regard work, money and relationships.

2. Select the focus of your practice. Focuses could involve helping people become more spiritual, helping clients achieve goals without straying from beliefs or helping clients find purpose in life. You can also be a general life coach - helping people with goals while applying a Christian perspective.

3. Develop materials to share with clients. Coaches often give clients homework like questionnaires or reading material to use between sessions. As a faith-based coach, develop material that incorporates Biblical passages or faith-based information, so your clients don't forget the religious aspect of their work.

4. Join the National Christian Coaches Association or the Christian Coaches Network. While not a requirement, the organizations put you in touch with other faith-based coaches to exchange ideas and professional tips. If you have no previous experience as a faith-based life coach, the organizations offer information on becoming a coach, workshops and classes.

Tips & Warnings

• As a faith-based coach, you can gain experience by volunteering for a local church or parish. Ask the pastor if you can form a help group to coach people in need of spiritual guidance. You can learn from the pastor's guidance and the experience will help grow your practice.

References

• Creative Results Management: Coach Training Overview
• Peer Resources; A Guide to Coach Credentials; Rey A. Carr, Ph.D.; 2009
• Case Institute: Certified Christian Life Coach Program
• "Christian Coaching"; Gary R. Collins, PhD.; NavPress; 2009
• "Christian Life Coaching Handbook: Calling and Destiny Discovery Tools for Christian Life Coaching"; Tony Stoltzfus; Pegasus Creative Arts; 2009

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Christian Coaches Network: Becoming a Member
• National Christian Coaches Association: Joining the Association