How I choose my life coach training program

Aaahhhh finally I made THE move on the road of becoming a life coach ! I chose my training program. It’s iPec!
I took a lot of time assessing programs. It’s an important investment and a major step in my career as a life coach. I have a strong will to become a successful life coach but I lack the coaching skills. It took me two months to choose the best program for me. When I asked classmates, it also took them a lot of time choosing it. So let me explain here how I choose my training program.

I was looking for a life coach training program. I was disappointed that all the coach training in France are dedicated to corporate and/or executive coaching only. I wanted to find a good reputation and serious program that would help me build up my coaching skills and help me to become a life coach. Almost everyday, during two months, I was gathering information. I’ve even built a spreadsheets to compare them! So lost 🙂

My criteria

I shortlisted:
– Coach U,
– Coaches Training Institute (CTI),
– The Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC),
– Martha Beck Life Coach Training,
– International Coach Academy (ICA).

ACTP program

ACTP program are ICF (International coach Federation) approved training program that give a comprehensive program teaching around the ICF Core Competencies, Code of Ethics and the ICF definition of coaching. ACTP programs are listed on ICF training program directory. Martha Beck program is not accredited by ICF.

Program principle and content

My goals is to become a life coach. All the accredited coaching programs in France focus on corporate and executive coaching. Even if I could have obtained some funding for French programs, I preferred to focus on life coaching programs only.
Most of the programs teach the coaching methodology and principles created by the training. Some others cover various coaching principles. My point was to find the principle that fitted my coaching style.

Focus on the becoming a coach

I believe that a life coach should have a high level of consciousness, be self-aware and be self-developed to walk the talk. In iPec and Coach U, the programs help to raise the student consciousness.

Online and flexible course

Since I live in France, I preferred a program that can be completed fully or partly as distance learning. I could open my options to do few in-person training in Europe. International Coach Academy has an extremely flexible schedule (60 classes a week)

Cost

The cost of each training class varied from $6 000 to $11 000 but I was more worried that there would be some hidden fees. For example, the cheapest training class didn’t include the mandatory mentoring coaching or exam fees.

Intensive program and time to completion

Since I’ve discover my ideal job, I wanted to become a life coach as soon as possible but at the same time to have a comprehensive program that would last from 6 to 12 months maximum. It is one of the reasons I didn’t choose Coach U because their Advanced Coaching program took at last 18 months minimum to complete. Some program offer FastTrack option (Coach U and CTI).

Collect information

To make up my mind, I was collecting as much information as possible and in every way to be sure about my choice.
It is an important investment of money and most of all an essential step to become a life coach.

Read the programs over and over

Some programs don’t give details of their content. I had troubles to find out how many hours they teach in their program.

Check the program reputation online

Here are the most famous life coaching programs according to my researches: Coach U, CTI, iPec.

Call the program

You can talk to a program advisor and ask all the questions you want. They are very helpful.

Attend free tele-classes

Every program schedules some presentation about the content and the principle of the program. I did all the free tele-class for to all the programs I shortlisted :).

Buy the books

It is important for me that the program principles fit and resonate with my values. I want to help people find their true self, their passion and reach their dreams. Coaching is not only about coaching tools or techniques such as NLP, EFT or transactional analysis. To learn about the training philosophy, I read their book.
The most famous programs published their own coaching books: CTI Co-active, iPec, Martha Beck

Talk to alumni

I’ve found many iPec alumni on linkedin and on blogs. They were extremely helpful.

My life coach training program : iPec !

After so much research, I was lost. My last 2 options were iPec and CTI. They fit all my criteria about the intensive program, reputation, price, online course, flexibility…
What finally made the difference for me was the program principles. During the complementary tele-class, I got hooked when the presenter said:
« CORE Energy Coaching process: a process that to tap into the inner purpose and passion of a person, couple, group, or organization, and combine that with an action-oriented plan to achieve extraordinary and sustainable results»
iPec principle completely resonates with how I see coaching. I signed up in January. I haven’t regretted a second. The program is amazing. From the first tele-class, the first exercise, the first in-person training, I’ve loved it.
It took me a lot of time to choose but I chose the right training for me. I found my tribe, my people. They are teaching us to become coaches and to walk the talk.

Here’s a website that was very interesting. They list the best programs in life coaching
http://www.nationalcoachacademy.com/life-coach-training-the-3-best-training-programs