From ICF certified Coach, Sarah Taylor

Well folks, yesterday I passed my ICF credentialing exam. So I’m now a certified ACC coach with the gold-standard of coaching institutes - wooop wooop! 
It's funny, as I'm not sharing this on social media.
Why? Because in all truthfulness, I'm a little embarrassed….that after being in the business of coaching since 2015, I'm only just now able to say I’m ICF certified.

THE FUTURE IS BEYOND WHAT WE PERCEIVE 
 
Energy… could it be the future of modern health care? Increasingly professionals who follow a ‘nature before intervention’ approach are using energetic-based therapies, therapies that tap into the intelligence of nature. We see more herbalists, naturopaths, doctors who specialise in lifestyle management, homoeopaths and other holistic therapists increasing in numbers. 
 
At present some of our ‘medicines’ are really quite primitive using an approach that walks a fine line between ‘health’ and toxicity often through the inhibition of our natural cycles. But, we have a feeling that the future of health that draws on the deep intelligence of nature is increasingly closer. 

“Finding the right coaching course can be challenging, and at times a bit overwhelming” – we hear this oh so often and we totally get it.  There are dozens of courses and colleges popping up, offering you the world from “become a coach for next to nothing” through to “become a coach in a few weeks”. 
Beyond the gorgeous images and amazing offers it’s so hard to know what you will actually learn, how you will learn it, whether your qualification will be credible, and if so whether you will know how to coach with confidence in real-life. In short, which course will ensure you can be a coach who will change lives? 

​We have over 20,000 students from around the globe, and they’ve all been in your position. We’ve loved coaching them towards the decision that is best for them, so, we thought we’d create a checklist with the questions they have said were most helpful in making their choice.  

The most asked question is essentially around stress. It goes something like this:

• “I work fulltime, am I going to be able to fit this [study] into my life? What is the time commitment?”
• “I have a family with small children. I want to study but I am not sure I can fit it in. Will I have time to study?”

Here are a few questions you might ask a college to ensure your study experience fits into your life rather than becomes an unnecessary stressor:

• Flexibility – is the course flexible?
  • Do I have to finish the course within a certain timeframe?
  • How many hours of study a week do you recommend to complete the course?
  • Can I study in my own time at my own pace?
  • Can I take as long as I need?
  • Do my subjects expire?

Hours do matter!! It’s important that the college’s approach to study commitments and learning meets your lifestyle, but also that the course fulfills industry standards and expectations. For example, IICT (Australia and NZ) require at least 150 hours of total training which must include supervised and unsupervised coach training to gain insurance.
Assessments can also be a source of stress for many. Hence our second most asked question!

So many of us have had ‘not so great’ experiences with exams and assessments in the past. Due dates, lengthy essays, unnecessarily detailed reports or submissions, stressful exams… argh. You spend more time preparing for the assessment than you do preparing to actually work with clients. A well-qualified coach does not need to have sat exams that assessed them on specific topics at a specific time. A skilful coach will have been able to apply their knowledge and build their competence during their training. This does not need to (and we believe should not) be stressful. 
So, here’s a few questions you might want to ask:

• What are the assessments like? 
  • Essays? Multi-choice? Tests? Interviews? Coaching? Attendance?
• Are the assessments open book?
• Are the assessments timed?
• Do assessments have due dates?
• If I don’t pass the first time, what happens? Can I take the test again and if so how many times can I resit? Is there a fee?

Really this should be a given, let’s face it, the old days of sitting a 3-hour exam should be gone by now. Modern learning is no longer about ‘examining’ and ‘testing’ student memory retention. Modern learning empowers learners to assimilate knowledge and translate it into actionable outcomes, well that’s our view anyway. 

“When I finish the course will I have a qualification that’s recognised by a peak industry body?”
 
We love it when we get asked this question, it’s a vitally important one to ask. Weekly, we have graduates from other programs come to us because their training didn’t teach them how to actually coach (beyond theory), and/or they aren’t eligible to join an industry body and gain insurance. 
Reputable college’s will state their approvals, accreditation bodies, and recognised authorities with pride. They should be a shining example of not just your learning but of the opportunities available to you once you graduate.  
For example:

• The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is the gold standard in coaching and requires colleges to have met specific standards and requirements. The Associate Certified Coach (ACC) level requires 60 hours of coach specific education and 100 hours of client coaching experience. 

Ask your college:

• “How many hours of coaching experience do I get?
• “Can I gain some of my required client coaching hours while undertaking the course?”
• “Does the college help me find clients to practice coaching with?”
•  “What can I do with the qualification? Will I be able to get a job?”

If you opt for a college that has no recognition (of them as a provider or of their programs) you essentially have no way of telling what standard the content is, nor the qualifications of the academic staff, the long-term security of the college and your qualification, or if you will be able to gain insurance to cover you to practice as a coach. 
A great college, will include requirements for pro-bono hours and sessions. You might start with friends, family and other students and you may end up with paying clients in this process.
Any college who rattles off the latest stats on the growth of the health coaching market to impress you and give you the impression you’ll make lots of money instantly is likely to be in the ‘if it’s too good to be true it usually is’ basket. 

“What ongoing support do you provide me once I graduate?” 

• Questions to ask around support 
  • Do I get to meet other students?
  • Can I talk directly to a staff member?
  • What does student support look like? 
  • Are there student groups or drop ins in my time zone?

There are a wealth of ways a college can provide ongoing support, for example, by providing graduation packs, support on setting up your business, sharing your social media posts, free ongoing live class access, opportunities to be involved with the college as a graduate, specialised webinars and so much more. Your college should offer you the option to be an active part of the college community. At Well College Global we offer small private live classes that rotate monthly, where our student coaches get to connect, coach one another, and even collaborate.  That’s just one example of how we make learning engaging and supportive. 

​While there are many considerations, these are the most important questions we get asked. In your journey to select the right course consider questions that will delve behind the veneer of a website or prospectus to ensure you’re making the best choice and informed decision for you.  A good…. no, a great college ensures:

Coconut Oil. The wonderfully amazing, super-health, heals all miracle that has us not only tossing a bit into the pan, but slapping it almost everywhere, and on everything. Face, feet, eggs, beef… You name it. Having been used in the tropics and in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years, coconut oil is not exactly a new discovery, however it’s only recently that it’s gained mainstream popularity for its nutritional properties. 

So… Just another craze we can ride out? Or is it here to stay? 

Blue algae latte for you? The ‘all you should know’ about spirulina and blue algae

In honesty I felt like I had a pretty good handle on how to work with behaviour change, how to be client-led, and how to work effectively with clients; after all I  had a double major in psychology and education along with post graduate quals in nutrition and higher learning, but I have to tell you I was off the mark. 

With the Nutrition, Health & Wellness Coach Certification accredited by industry leader Health Coaches Australia and New Zealand Association (HCANZA), we thought we would share with you why joining a ​dedicated industry organisation is in all our best interests.

Mindfulness and self-awareness are two crucial elements for achieving personal growth and fulfillment. However, in today's fast-paced world, it can be challenging to cultivate these qualities without intentional effort.
 
This is where life coaching comes in.
 
Life coaching is a powerful tool that can help individuals develop greater self-awareness and mindfulness, leading to a more meaningful and fulfilling life. In this article, we'll explore how life coaching can assist you in achieving mindfulness and self-awareness, and how these two qualities can positively impact all areas of your life.

Breathwork has become very very popular in many western countries, the practice has been around for a thousands of years and has its roots in yoga practice. So breathwork is not new, it's very popular in the wellness industry - so what’s the hype and what do you do? Breath? And why do it? What are the benefits?

“Wellness” – a modern word with a very old history. The concept of wellness dates back to 3000 BC. Here we will take a look at the very early origins of the concept of wellness.

Building a successful blog can seem like an insurmountable task if you’re not armed with the right mentality. It takes grit, determination, devotion, education and a serious will to succeed.
Having built a successful skiing website from 0-1,000 visitors per day, I’m fully aware of the challenges you will face. Rejection, frustration and extended working hours can be part-and-parcel of the process, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible to achieve success.
 
In this article I have listed five rules that I wish I knew when building my first successful blog. I don’t possess a magic formula that will take you from zero to hero in a matter of weeks, but I can give you a glimpse of what to expect by sharing a few nuggets of experience.

Human Response to Negative Change. Know where you are on a curve. Learn how to cope with negative change and become more resilient.
​This blog is part II of a three part series from My Nu Ways and Nutrition, Health & Wellness Coaching student Angelika and her business partner Melanie.

Finding it hard to stick to your study routine? Do you find yourself scrolling aimlessly through socials or standing at the fridge not really even hungry? No problem, we've a few simple but proven tips to help you be effective at your study.

Hemp, it’s all the rage… at last! IGet ready for your hemp chai latte, or hemp protein balls, they’re out there now, but they’ll hit mainstream in no time.  Hemp is the new ‘poster child’ of oils and flours. And why not! The ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to the all-important omega-3s places it in a very welcomed position in terms of oil. It’s protein composition too makes it a little stunner, and of course there’s even more to hemp in terms of plant compounds and micronutrients. So, we wanted to hemp-up a little here and look at the ways to get the most from your hemp indulgences.

HEY HEALTH COACH, CAN YOU CONFIDENTLY TELL PEOPLE WHAT YOU DO?
I’ll be honest, answering that question ‘so what do you do’ took me many years to find just what it is I wanted to say. Finding my professional mantra and really owning it didn’t come easy, in part because Well College Global kept morphing (I’m not complaining though); just as I thought I had what it was I did sussed, things changed up a gear. Nutritionist… educator… author… D all of the above? How can you expect people to sign up for your professional expertise if you can’t articulate it? 

HOW TO MANAGE A COACHING SESSION RESPECTFULLY & COMPASSIONATELY. 
Our diverse and rich life journeys inform where we currently are and this is very clear when working with clients. As coaches we partner with clients to evoke and plan the changes they want to make in their lives. Our scope requires us to do this in a present and forward looking direction.
Health Coaching Course  *   Women's Health Coaching Course    *   ICF Credential

To add images or not? To use emoji's or not? To send in the morning or lunchtime or evening ... or not?
Here's a quick infographic of the latest statistics on what's the best to increase your open and click through rates on your email campaigns.
NOTE: you should always be adapting to your  buyers and customers.

WHY YOUR PERIOD IS IRREGULAR AND YOUR HORMONES HAVE GONE HAYWIRE (AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT).
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Are you noticing skin breakouts? Disrupted sleep? Wonky periods? Mood swings? The world is collectively stressed right now. Covid-19 is probably affecting your health and your hormones in more ways than you think.
Women's Hormones Course  *  Women's Health Coaching Course
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DEFINING WELLNESS COACHING
​"The International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximise their personal and professional potential."
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​Wellness Coaching   *   Accredited Health Coaching   *   ICF Approved Coaching Course