Four Tips for Choosing an Online Health Coach Training

If you’re someone who loves to talk health, and if you have a deep desire to help others, you might be someone who has a higher calling to make a difference in this world. If you recognize these qualities in yourself, I’d love to share with you about the possibilities of becoming an Eating Psychology Coach.

Eating Psychology Coaches are a whole new breed of health coach. As food and body concerns continue to explode, more and more people need help with weight, body image, overeating, binge eating, emotional eating, endless dieting, digestion, fatigue, immunity and more. There is a huge need for well-trained, compassionate, perceptive, and energized individuals who are equipped with the skills and knowledge to help those who are struggling with these challenges to find real breakthroughs.

If you’re thinking about becoming a health coach and considering your options for professional training, the first place to look is online. There are many online trainings available that are convenient, flexible and affordable, and each has its own unique flavor.

So how do you choose between the different options? How do you begin to understand which program is best, which program will meet your needs, and which program will teach you the right information to make the biggest difference in someone’s life?

Here are 4 great tips to help you choose the right online health coach training for you:

#1 Choose A Program Taught By Qualified Experts

It’s important to seek out a program that’s based in solid science, clinical wisdom and experience, and a clear understanding of human nature and eating psychology.
This knowledge will give you legitimacy as a practitioner and the tools necessary to begin transforming lives.

Here at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, our Eating Psychology Coach Certification Training not only offers a solid grounding in nutritional science and a coaching toolkit developed through decades of work with clients, but we take your depth of knowledge in nutrition one step further. We teach about an eating psychology for everyone. This is just one of ways that our Eating Psychology Coach Certification Training is unique. We not only teach you about what to eat, we teach you about WHY people eat. We also teach that how you eat is just important as what you put into your body. Simply put, we train coaches to dig deeper.

#2 Choose A Program That Honors Individual Uniqueness

The best health coaches recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all approach for coaching. Every client you meet will have a unique story. They will have their own thoughts and feelings, a unique past that impacts how they relate to food and body, and their own ideas about what health means to them. The best health coach trainings will provide you with the skills necessary to listen to and empathize with your clients, and to use your knowledge to tailor your approach to their needs. An effective health coach training will teach you how to hold the space for clients so they feel confident in knowing that you champion their uniqueness and in doing so can help them set goals that truly work for them.

What makes the training at the Institute different from others is that our students receive intensive training in the fields of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition.

Here at the Institute, we have seen that our inner world impacts health on a profound level. We view eating and how we relate with food as an opportunity to deepen relationships with self and the body. We teach our coaches from day one that each one of us brings our own unique inner world to the table. And it’s there that the real work can begin.

#3 Choose A Program That Honors the Wisdom of The Body

The best health coaches recognize that the number one expert regarding what a client needs is the client themselves – not the coach. Health coaches can provide clients with information on optimal nutrition and the importance of exercise, but what works best for a client must ultimately come from within them.

A great health coach training will help you to see the importance of asking powerful open-ended questions that allow answers to unfold from your clients’ own wisdom. It won’t encourage a top-down approach where you are telling the client what to do or giving them pre-fab diet and exercise plans. Instead, you are walking beside them and offering encouragement and support while empowering them with new skills and the knowledge to learn how to effectively change their unwanted behaviors.

Here at the Institute, we train coaches in the art of helping clients become the experts of themselves. This is one of the core tenets of our philosophy, and it’s one of the things that sets us apart from other health coach programs. Our Eating Psychology Coaches understand the power of listening to the body and honoring its unique wisdom. They know how to effectively coach clients to trust their bodies and, therefore, themselves.

#4 Do You Have An Affinity for the Program and Its Instructors?

When choosing a health coach training, it is important to research the options. Consider each program’s requirements and format. Does the school have a great reputation? How will you access the content? Does it seem user-friendly? Is there a team to support you on your educational journey? Will the curriculum cover the topics that are most compelling to you? What are the requirements for graduation?

See what you can find out about the program’s teachers. Are there any videos or samples of their teaching style that you can check out before you sign up? Do you get a good feeling when you listen to what the instructors have to say? Will these folks be good guides and mentors for you? Trust your gut.

You may need to do some inner work in order to clarify what you, personally, want out of your health coach training. With so many options to choose from, at some point, you will have to trust your intuition to know which is best for you. Of course, don’t take this decision lightly. You’re learning how to transform lives. Make sure you choose a program that touches your heart and feels like a wonderful fit.

The Institute for the Psychology of Eating prides itself on offering a results-driven, skills-intensive Training that’s based in psychology and science, with a healthy respect for the human spirit. Our approach is grounded in positive psychology and the desire to help everyone lead a happy and fulfilled life. Our teaching and support staff are deeply committed and passionate about helping people transform their relationship with food, body and self. If you’re looking for a training that honors the connections between body, mind, heart, and soul, we just may be the right fit for you.

Warm Regards,

The Institute for the Psychology of Eating
© Institute For The Psychology of Eating, All Rights Reserved, 2018