As health and wellness coaching is still unregulated, you can technically call yourself a health coach without any certification. But, you cannot advertise yourself as a “Certified Health Coach”—because you're not, and if you do, you could land in legal hot water over false advertising.
For example, a wellness coach can help clients understand the diet and exercise changes they may need to make to prevent diabetes, but cannot prescribe medication or create specific diet plans.
If you're serious about pursuing this career path, you'll want to achieve health coach certification. Gaining certification not only makes you a credentialed professional in the field; it also opens up more employment opportunities.
The average health coach rates range between $200 and $500 per month. Coaches usually charge a fraction of the cumulative amount upfront to “hook” your client and get them to commit to the initial phase of the program. Once they start to see the results, they're more likely to stay-on.
What is the difference between a health and wellness coach? The primary differences between a health coach and a wellness coach are their focus of work, who their clients are, and if the changes are prescribed.
To figure out whether you need insurance, consider your personal vulnerability to malpractice claims and license complaints. Both issues are usually covered by professional liability insurance—the most common type of insurance for health and nutrition coaches.
In most cases, you don't need a license or certification to be a health and wellness coach in California — the results you deliver matter most.
The Role of Certification
Coaching is not a regulated profession like counseling or therapy, so coaches operate in a largely unregulated space. This lack of formal regulation means that anyone can technically label themselves as a life coach, regardless of their educational background or training.
For example, a Health Coach could face a lawsuit for providing bad advice that resulted in a financial loss to their client. If someone or something had been physically damaged, a general liability claim would be made. Professional liability insurance may also include coverage for HIPAA-related violations.
According to Glassdoor, the average hourly health and wellness coach salary is ~$40. But if you learn how to market yourself as a health coach, you can earn more. By offering services that are in demand and positioning yourself as an expert, you can charge $100+ per hour for your work.
A health coach (sometimes called a health and wellness coach) is your personal health guide, mentor and supporter. They help you make lifestyle changes to improve your physical and emotional health.
Business Licensing and Permits
Professional Licenses: While life or wellness coaching itself does not require a specific professional license, related fields such as counseling or therapy do. Coaches must avoid activities that fall under these regulated professions unless they hold the appropriate licenses.
From medical centers and wellness spas to health technology firms and lifestyle apps, Health Coaches with a credible education are in high demand.
Interested in earning a health coach certification? There are a few things you should know first: The average cost will range between $600 and $8,500. This cost varies based on the location of the program, its reputation, and other major factors.
Health coaches should carry professional liability insurance to protect themselves from any potential legal or financial consequences. General liability insurance: General liability is similar to professional liability—with some important differences in terms of what types of risks each protects you from.
But coaching doesn't require any certifications. The reason is simple: As a coach, you act more like a mentor and help people achieve their goals by observing and giving advice. Your qualifications as a coach are based on your experience, skills, and, most of all, results.
Certified health coaches enjoy promising financial and professional prospects in a growing market, with potential earnings exceeding $90,000 annually and opportunities in various settings such as corporate wellness and community health organizations.
Health Coach Certification
So although it's not a requirement by any means, there are ways to get “certified” as a health coach. Most of the time, health coaches who say they're “certified” are only certified by the school/program that they received their certificate from.
Most of the time coaching is a sub-specialty held under the license for the career that has been chosen. To remain HIPAA compliant in coaching one must practice the same procedures as with their therapy career. All procedures used to coach a patient whether online or in person must remain HIPAA compliant.
You must prove your qualifications and get the necessary identifiers to bill insurance as a health coach. Certification: Obtain certifications from accredited organizations such as the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) or the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC).