At the top of the list is the NBHWC certification, which has set the framework and standard for a high-level coaching program, created to train and prepare experts within the health and wellness field to support clients. Not sure if this particular course is right for you based on your background and goals? Here’s everything you need to know before making your decision.
Reviewed by the board, adhering to strict standards, this certification solidifies your credentials. An NBHWC certification can help sharpen your knowledge and skills, to better prepare you to offer comprehensive services to clients. Networking is vital to succeeding in any field, and an NBC-HWC certification provides access to a number of exclusive summits, conferences, mentorship programs, and webinars that can help keep you sharp and connect with others who share the same passion for health coaching. So many coaching programs are limited to classroom-only learning, but NBHWC requires you to integrate your new skills into the real world in a functional course that prepares you for health coaching. Some courses require an associate degree or a certain amount of work experience in order to enroll, and you will be expected to complete coaching sessions throughout the program. Additionally, some programs require a substantial time commitment—anywhere from eight months to a year—while others require participants to take additional courses that are not directly related to health coaching or NBC-HWC certifications. So, it’s important to take a look at each program to decide which is the best fit for your current financial standing and the amount of time you’re prepared to dedicate. After completing the course and sending in your coaching session log, you can expect to complete the process with a comprehensive exam on the material you’ve covered. The exam explores coaching structure, process, your knowledge on health and wellness, and ethical and legal situations you may be put in, to create a well-rounded understanding of health coaching before you enter the field. It sounds like a lot (and it is), but the work you put in will help set you up for success. “mindbodygreen’s health coach certification is exactly what health care needs right now.” —Frank Lipman, M.D., Functional Medicine Doctor “What I love about the course that we’re currently teaching with mindbodygreen is that all of the participants represent various industries. This creates a team with new insight and the science to support the effectiveness of the tools that are used within health and wellness coaching. Health coaching is all about empowering the client.” —Katrina Watson, R.N., MSN, NBC-HWC, Certified Clinical Nurse Educator & Health and Wellness Coach “I so enjoy collaborating with all the stellar health care practitioners on the mindbodygreen NBHWC certification program. We share well-vetted and updated evidence-backed scientific information, which offers quality learning for the students taking these courses. By sharing these educational modules, we are helping to enhance public health, learning about our mental and physical well-being beyond what we hear during a doctor visit.” —Uma Naidoo, M.D., Harvard-Trained Nutritional Psychiatrist
