Would it surprise you if I said that coaching is not a regulated industry?
Technically, anyone can call themselves a coach.
And that means that there are many ways of becoming a coach, and therefore many ways of being coached.
As with any type of coaching, when selecting a Menopause Coach, or Menopause Coach training, it is key to find out how your coach has been trained.
Or if you are looking to become a coach, thinking through your existing skills, knowledge and experience, your own learning style and whether you learn best in a community, in regular sessions, or in a self paced, online programme.
It's worth bearing in mind that only 5-15% of people who register for a self paced online programme actually complete it!
In the Become a Menopause Coach Diploma from Women of a Certain Stage, we have a 100% completion rate!
We recognise, that as adult learners, we have busy lives and are constantly juggling diverse priorities.
So we looked at what makes a successful programme and ensure that we incorporate all the key elements of that in our courses, for example:
Creating a live, interactive, global community, setting you up for future collaborations
Training by multiple experts in their field, so you hear from people with different training styles and expert knowledge bases
A solid 60 hours of guided and fully supported training and practice
Deep dive and ongoing assessment as you develop your listening and coaching skills
Regular scheduled sessions, 2-4 PM London | 9-11 AM EST Fridays and access to recordings of all the sessions in a tried and tested learning portal
A proven, done for you, seven week menopause coaching programme with all the scripts, handouts and exercises that you get to take away with you to deliver to your own clients, colleagues and patients
Certifications from both CPD and Women of a Certain Stage
12 months ongoing support and quarterly trainings to support you once you reach the end of your course
You might however, choose a course which is:
A self paced online programme, with no contact with fellow students or instructors, no feedback no coaching or listening skills, simply an open book multiple choice quiz.
Or you could find a menopause trainer who believes they have all the answers based solely on their own experiences, and wants to show you how they managed their menopause.
Depending on where you are on your own journey, your knowledge and needs, any of the above might be the right answer. There are so many to choose from and only you can decide what will work for you.
I personally believe that, in addition to the best training possible, any coach needs a support network around them when they start working with clients.
Coaches need to feel confident that if the work coming up from their client falls outside the scope of coaching, there is a network of professionals to lean into and guide them when referring a client on is the right thing to do.
Coaches Never Stop Learning.
Coaches continually expand their skill-sets, learning other ways to support their clients, and keeping up to date with the latest research and thought leadership in their respective fields.
So any of the three approaches above might be right for you depending on what skills, knowledge and experience you already have, or what your needs are.
Personally, I want to support my coaching clients and my student coaches on the Become a Menopause Coach programme, with a broad set of skills, knowledge and ongoing support.
That's why I invite multiple experts in their chosen fields, like medicine, pelvic and sexual health, nutrition, personal training, confidence, relationship building and more, to join me to train the Women of a Certain Stage Become a Menopause Coach diploma course.
They share their expertise, so our coaches have a great knowledge set when they qualify and so they too understand why coaches never stop learning.
I often say that coaching is a bit like learning to drive; the real learning starts when you pass your test!
In coaching, the equivalent is when you begin working with clients. All that theory now needs to be used! That's why we include practice clients as part of the diploma course - this is a critical part of the programme.
We want to support our coaches to become confident and competent to support their clients, so that their clients can create a personal menopause plans to successfully navigate their own menopause journey.
Click: Become a Menopause Coach Diploma course to find more about our programme,
Or, get in touch for a friendly, no obligation chat, and I can help you make an informed choice about what's right for you.
If you are looking for a coach for yourself, I have a wait-list currently with the next openings probably around April 2024, however I can introduce you to a group of awesome coaches with lots of different backgrounds, where you are sure to find the right one for your requirements. Simply get in touch.
Looking forward to your reflections on this weeks blog.
Your coach, trainer and speaker,
Lauren
Photo credits:
Photo by Meg Jenson on Unsplash