Relationships can be considered as the foundation of all interactions between people. Without a harmonious relationship, there could be no understanding and everything else can become chaotic. Having a successful relationship can make a person feel fulfilled, happy, and satisfied – not only with oneself, but with the world around them. If you wish to be able to help people overcome and survive inevitable circumstances and challenges that threaten to destroy their relationships, becoming a certified relationship coach can be the perfect career choice for you.
Becoming a relationship coach entails deciding whether or not you are truly dedicated in taking this career path. One must remember that once clients trust you to help and assist them, you can also say that they are also entrusting you their life and future. Your success in providing them guidance and assistance will more or less determine their success in becoming better individuals and couples.
Once you have decided to become a relationship coach, below are the basic steps that you should take to reach your career goals.
- Learn about Relationship Coaching.
- Decide on a Specialty/ies.
- Choose and Complete a Training and Certification Program.
- Pass the Written Certification Test – and get Certified!
It is important that you know what you are getting yourself into. First off, you must understand that coaching is different from therapy. Basically, unless you are a licensed psychologist or therapist, you cannot perform therapies which are based on medical principles. A relationship coach works with clients so that they can create action plans and set goals together. These plans of action and goals are developed in accordance with the clients’ idea of a healthy and positive relationship. Coaches work to enhance what is currently already working for the couple in terms of making their relationship smooth-sailing. They also set up strategies to help resolve present and future problems easier. Meanwhile, a therapist is educated and trained to treat particular disorders and health and mental issues that affect a person’s relationships. These differences should help you decide if you really want to become a relationship coach.
Once you have decided that you want to become a relationship coach, your next step should be determining the specialty/ies that you wish to focus on. There are certification programs that allow you to focus on one or two specialties such as relationship recovery, divorce, dating, and marriage, to name a few.
It is necessary to look for a relationship coach certification program that can suit your career goals. You must acquire training from a reputable institution. An example is the Infidelity Coaching Training Program of The Infidelity Recovery Institute. The program runs for 116 hours: 11 hours for Prepare Enrich, 32 hours for Business Coaching, and 73 hours for the Infidelity Recovery Coach Training.
After you’ve finished your coaching course, the next step is to take and pass a written test, which will determine how extensive have you learned from your training. Passing the exam will demonstrate your adeptness at the fundamental principles of relationship coaching, proving your ability to implement those with your future clients.
Savannah Ellis is a psychologist, infidelity & life coach. She does relationship coaching and conducted a infidelity recovery program in Las Vegas and other locations such as Europe, Australia and Canada.