Health Coaches seem to have become extremely popular in the last year. With quarantine hitting hard, more individuals reached out to these experts to get the help they needed in order to get their lives back on track. At times, it can be hard to set healthy goals, stick to them, and hold yourself accountable. But that is when these professionals can help you and make sure you are sticking to your plan.
Although they have become popular, it is crucial to understand what being a Health Coach implies. Who is this person? What do they do? According to the National Society of Health Coaches, a Health Coach is someone who uses “evidence-based skillful conversation, clinical strategies, and interventions to actively and safely engage clients in health behavior changes to better self-manage their health, health risk, and acute or chronic health conditions resulting in optimal wellness, improved health outcomes, lowered health risk, and decreased healthcare costs.”
As their popularity grew, more and more individuals became attracted to this career path, leading to a growth in the amount of Health Coach Certification Programs. There are multiple options for you to choose from, but only a few of them will get you to where you want to be in your professional life. Here are the seven best Health Coach Certification Programs.
7. Dr. Sears Wellness Insitute’s Health Coach Certification
In 2008, the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute began offering a Health Coach Certification Program. Their curriculum is based on four pillars: attitude, exercise, lifestyle, and nutrition. They believe knowing the science behind nutrition and exercise is not enough to become a Health Coach. You need to understand how to motivate your client to live happier and healthier lives.
This program allows every student to choose what kind of Health Coach they want to become: for families, for adults and seniors, or for pregnancy. Once you have taken their courses, you can move on to an advanced program that will help you grow your new business.
Dr. Sears Wellness Institute’s Health Coach Certification places in number 7 because it provides holistic, science-based training.
6. Institute for Integrative Nutrition’s Health Coach Certification
Back in 1992, Joshua Rosenthal founded the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in a rented NYC kitchen. He got together with other experts to discuss health and wellbeing without imagining it would grow to become one of the largest and most respected nutrition and health coaching schools.
Nowadays, they offer a Health Coach Certification Program, providing students with the appropriate tools and knowledge to transform the health of their clients and communities around the world. This program can be done in two different ways. The first one allows those who are already working full-time to take the course throughout one year to find the balance between their education and their other obligations. The other option is a six-month accelerated program for those who can dedicate more time to their coursework.
Institute for Integrative Nutrition’s Health Coach Certification places in number 6 because both of their programs are offered in English and Spanish, allowing a wider range of students to begin their professional careers.
5. American Fitness Professionals Association’s Health Coach Certification
Dr. Mark J. Occhipinti and Ms. Amy Campbell, M.S. believed there was a need for an organization to inspire and grow a network of fitness and health professionals, enabling to transform the lives of millions through progressive nutrition and training concepts. It was thanks to this desire that they founded the American Fitness Professionals Association (AFPA).
The AFPA’s Health Coach Certification Program aims to help their students become professionals who coach their clients into an energized and healthy lifestyle. This is achieved through behavioral change, nutrition advice, and physical activity guidance. They offer several certifications, but the best options for future Health Coaches are the Health and Wellness Coach Certification, and the Holistic Health Certification. Whichever option you choose, you will become an expert health advisor thanks to robust health and wellness plans and an evidence-based coaching methodology.
American Fitness Professionals Association’s Health Coach Certification places in number 5 because it offers a comprehensive and affordable certification, tremendous industry growth, and valuable business resources.
4. American Council on Exercise’s Health Coach Certification Program
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) is an exercise, non-profit professional and health coach certification organization that aims to set the highest industry standards to help people worldwide make movement their mission. Their goal is to make an impact by working with policymakers, industry leaders, community organizations, and the healthcare industry.
By participating in ACE’s programs, every Health Coach will be accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. They base their courses on behavior-change science and the principles of lifestyle medicine in order to facilitate lifestyle changes and a positive, healthy impact on clients’ lives. In the end, these Health Coaches will practice active listening, motivational interviewing, and client-centered goal-setting.
American Council on Exercise’s Health Coach Certification places in number 4 because they combine tools to prepare you for the certification exam with real-world training.
3. Health Coach Institute’s Health Coach Certification
Health Coaches created the Health Coach Institute for Health Coaches, combining their years of experience to help new professionals build their successful coaching practice. They offer a six-month program with advanced nutrition and coaching training to make an impact and transform lives.
Their Health Coach Certification program offers one-on-one coaching for students to receive mentorship and support from an expert. You will become CCE-accredited by the International Coaching Federation while learning at your own pace from anywhere in the world. If you choose to do the program in six months, you will be working 10 hours per week. However, you have the possibility of doing the coursework in a year to adjust to your other obligations.
Health Coach Institute’s Health Coach Certification places in number 3 because they allow you to graduate with a dual certificate through their Health and Life Coach Certification Program.
2. Primal Health Coach Institute’s Health Coach Certification
The Primal Health Coach Institute was created to help health and wellness advocates take their passion to the next level and build a career based on something they love, inspiring others to live healthier lives. Their program gives new professionals the foundation of knowledge to help their clients live a balanced, healthy lifestyle and achieve body composition goals.
The institute offers two certifications. In order to be accepted into the second program, you have to be Primal Health Coach Certified. This means taking the courses at your own pace (a minimum of 20 weeks), covering health and wellness, coaching, and business building. Once you are certified, you can move on to level 2, where you will refine your coaching skills through live, experiential learning.
Primal Health Coach Institute’s Health Coach Certification places in number 2 because their certification is approved by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching, the U.K. Health Coaches Association, the Health Coach Alliance, and the American Association of Drugless Practitioners Certification and Accreditation Board.
1. National Society of Health Coaches’ Health Coach Certification
In 2007, the National Society of Health Coaches was founded based on the belief that healthcare professionals can positively impact health behaviors by altering the traditional patient engagement approach through evidence-based conversation. For the last 14 years, they have educated and trained more than 6,000 professionals.
Working closely with the Professional Advisory Board, MINT Trainers, and other healthcare providers, the NSHC created the Evidence-based Health Coaching for Healthcare Providers. This program was designed for the busy healthcare professional and allied healthcare providers. It takes around 85 hours to complete the coursework in a self-study and practice manner.
National Society of Health Coaches’ Health Coach Certification places in number 1 because they have made sure their programs meet the standards of every healthcare professional throughout the years.
Although becoming a Health Coach can be a wise professional decision, it is essential to become certified by the right institutions. These seven programs offer you the best certifications available to future Health Coaches from respected institutes that have helped coaches for many decades.