What’s the Deal with Health Coach Certification, Accreditation, and Credentialing?
Education is changing rapidly on all fronts. Until relatively recently, students had to be in a physical classroom with a teacher to learn, and an extremely expensive college degree was the ticket to employment.
Now, thanks to technology, students can learn remotely (and on their own schedules) through institutions and organizations outside of a traditional school or university setting. People are creating amazingly successful careers with certificates, licenses, or no “official” documents at all!
But there is still some confusion about what’s considered “necessary” in terms of education for those who are interested in becoming a Health Coach. We get a lot of questions about Health Coach certification, accreditation, credentialing, and licensing, so if you’re not sure what it all means, you’re not alone!
The words accreditation, credentialing, and certification are often used interchangeably, so let’s break that down first:
Accreditation
Accreditation generally refers to the official authorization given by a governing body to schools and programs, which qualifies their graduates to coach professionally.
Credentialing & Health Coach Certification
Credentialing and Health Coach certification (which, for our purposes, can be used interchangeably) refers to the process by which individuals who have completed a Health Coach training program are deemed able to coach professionally.
REGISTRATION
is completed by a government organization. Although there are state-by-state laws, in general, an educational provider needs to be authorized to operate within the state(s) in which it is located. (For example, Health Coach Institute is currently registered with the Idaho State Board of Education.)
The Lowdown on Health Coach Institute & the Become a Health Coach Program
Registered with the Idaho State Board of Education
The Become a Health Coach Program is accredited by the International Coach Federation (ICF), the only globally recognized, independent credentialing program for coach practitioners, via their CCE program (Continuing Coach Education)
Recognized as an approved training provider by the following worldwide organizations:
Canada – Canadian Health Coach Alliance
UK – Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT)
Australia & New Zealand – International Institute for Complementary Therapists (IICT)