05/25/2026
PSA time!
I've seen some disturbing news come across my desk recently, regarding Coaching. Some call it Life Coaching, others call it Professional Coaching, yada yada. Anyway, quite a few of my clients and former clients have been asking me questions about the regulation of this, and also asked if I would make a short entry on my Instagram and FB pages to reinforce the knowledge on regulation and licensing. So here it is:
There is none! Yep. For those that do not know, Coaching / Life Coaching is NOT regulated legally, nor is there any government licensing requirements, specialized degrees or mandatory certifications to practice as a Life Coach in the U.S.
A few of my newest clients have shared similar stories of past experiences of their times with Life Coaches and to say the least, it doesn't surprise me that they had horrible sessions. Anyone can call themselves a Life Coach, because of the lack of regulations, but like I tell anyone that gets in contact with me to "talk", it's always good practice to do a little research on who and where these Coaches practice. Or if one doesn't know where to look, then contact me and I will assist.
Life Coaches cannot legally diagnose, treat, or offer therapy for any mental health condition. Period. If the Coach says he/she is able to, report them to the authorities. Or at a minimum, do not give these quacks any of your time or attention.
That being said, sometimes there is a fine line between Coaching and Therapy when it comes to, "How and what can I do to make my life, my profession, my relationship, more enjoyable and rewarding?" A fine line in the fact that a person can talk to anyone about things going on in their lives, especially if those things cause strife or is a stimulus that causes discomfort. Sometimes a really good and close friend is a great possibility when it comes to talking to someone. And why a close friend and not a Coach? I'm not trying to persuade anyone to go to a Coach or to stay away from Coaching, no, just being open and honest here. A close friend knows you. Starting off with Coaching, well, that person won't know you as well as your close friend does, so of course that sets a barrier of communication right off when one goes and sees a Coach for the first time. Which is my next point of contention.
Assuming the Coach that you are going to see has some sort of education, experience in the field of question for you, and has a sense of professionalism about him or herself, then any Coach that doesn't offer the initial consult as pro bono, then ya might want to rethink that visit. And any Coach that has a defined hourly rate that is discussed before any consult...that too ya might want to take a step back and rethink this person. Coaching should NOT be a money-making scheme. Again, no regulatory commission on this field, so quite a few Coaches do what "they do" to make money and that is their #1 driving force.
I realize that any service is monetary-based, I get that. But when a Coach offers services with an attached rate of charges right off the bat, then does that Coach actually have the client's best interests at heart? I have not met one Coach with this agenda that actually has a clue what they are talking about and or doing to try and help their client. And I have over 10 years experience in Psychology and Coaching, so what does that say about this field?
There are some really good Coaches out there, of course. Just do your homework before you commit.
Another thing that was brought up to me from clients of other Coaches...registration within the state of practice. Again, being there is no regulation on Coaching from a government or even state-level commission, the industry has established voluntary standards to promote a Coach's credibility and ethical behavior. This is known as the International Coaching Federation (ICF). They are the leading global regulating and standard-setting body for all Coaches. If a Coach is not a part of this ICF, then he or she has absolutely no one looking to make sure they are doing what they are suppose to be doing. Again, homework first.
Coaches should follow standard business laws and get their LLC, or similar, to be able to function as a bonafide business for registration, permits, etc.
I will say that people that go online and answer 50 questions, then receive an email with an attachment that reflects a "Life Coach" certificate, is not in the wrong. I wish I could say that it is, but as of today, that is a fact. It's kinda like my Professor told all of my class at graduation..."The #1 graduate here today is Dr. Valedictorian. But what do we call #83 of 83? Correct, we call that person Dr. as well."
If anyone has any questions about Coaching, and would like some no bu****it answers, please let me know.
Remember, it's not about perfection, it's about progress.
Thanks for reading this banter! S.L.
