8 Best Health Coach Certifications For All Budgets (2023)

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8 Best Health Coach Certifications Online

Welcome

I created this post to allow you to compare all the most important factors in one place when choosing the best online Health Coach Certification for you. Using my personal experience in the fitness industry, I’ll give my no-bullshit, honest opinion on each of the programs.

Given that nutrition is a fundamental aspect of being a Health Coach, another post you may also want to read is my detailed review of the Online Holistic Nutrition Certifications

I’ve made contact with some of the providers as well in order to give you as much information as possible to help you make an informed decision. And while some look shiny on the surface, I have my doubts on whether there’s substance beneath that shine.

My Take on Health Coaching, What is it?

I’ve been in the fitness industry for over 12 yrs now, and I’m still in love with it. I dove into coaching years ago, and have immersed myself into learning about it day in and day out since then. Learning to coach has been the single biggest asset to my business, and to myself personally.

Health coaching is generally defined as being a catalyst to behaviour change for the client. Therefore, it is largely psychological and requires conversations to take place with a client in order to coach them.

It doesn’t matter how much we know about creating optimal health. If we cannot influence our clients to create systemic change by utilizing the information we provide and the guidance we give, that information largely goes to waste, if they do not use it.

In my experience, personally and from talking with others, coaching is the link that has been missing within the health and fitness industry for years, until recently. Coaching is the bridge to get clients from receiving the information, to create a behaviour change that allows them to utilize the information.

This is where coaching comes in. This is also where most personal training and nutrition certifications lack, being able to coach the information given. Although, I do see more nutrition certifications offering coaching as part of their curriculum.

This is why not many health coaching programs spend time on the physical aspect of health. One can argue that is what personal training certifications (and all their subsets) are for.

One of the main reasons I ranked Natural Wellness Academy as #1 is due to their amount of time spent on actual coaching conversations. Including live practice, which is imperative for one to become an effective coach. Luckily for myself, I already had clients to practice on while I learned to coach, so I am aware of the importance of this practice.

Compare 8 Of The Best Online Health Coach Certification Programs

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online health coach certification
online health coach certification
health coach certification
health coach certification online
spiritual life coaching certification
health coach certification online
health coach certification
health coach certification
health coaching certification online
SchoolInstitute For The Psychology of EatingPrimal Health Coach InstituteNatural Wellness AcademyIAP Career CollegeTransformation AcademyACENickerson InstituteHealth Coach InstituteCHEK Institute
Visit WebsiteVisit WebsiteVisit WebsiteVisit WebsiteVisit WebsiteVisit WebsiteVisit WebsiteVisit WebsiteVisit Website
CertificationsMind Body Eating CoachPrimal Health CoachHolistic Health and Life CoachWellness Coach Master ProfessionalMaster Wellness Life Coach CertificationHealth CoachIntegrative Health CoachHealth and Life CoachHolistic Lifestyle Coach Level 1
Help you stand out from the competition
Start any timeNo (accept student every 8-12 months)
Accredited
Program Length8 monthsNo Limit, unlimited access to materials9-12 months12 weeks part-timeNo Limit, unlimited access to materialsNo Limit, unlimited access to materials12 months6 monthsNo Limit, unlimited access to materials
Totals Program Hours250Unknown150 hrs120 hrsUnknown20 hrs200 hrs150 hrsUnknown
1 on 1 mentoring
In-person Training✔ (optional)
Live Virtual Classes✔ (for instructor-led)✔(with Advantage option)
Live Teleclasses
Live Coaching Practice✔ (20 hrs)✔ (weekly)
Coursework Feedback
Informational Live and Recorded Webinars
Digital Downloads For Modules
Video Content For Modules
Lifetime Access To Resources
Learn How To Start Your Own Health Coaching Business
Learn How To Market Yourself
Learn How to Build Your Own Website
Done-for-you programs
Done-for-you handouts and forms
Investment (if paid in full)$6950$4495$2795$377$497 (however, you can get 80% off through my link)$599-1079$3799

Full Price: Get emailed their catalog for latest pricing (put fake phone # if you don't want them to call you)

$347
Payment Plan$375 x 16
$630 x 12
$1200 x 6
$389 x 12
$764 x 6
Example: $350 down then $150 x 12 (balance must be paid prior to receiving certification)$50-$90/mnthN/A$50-$90/mnth$975 x 4Available upon request
Coupons$500 Off CodeHint: Sign up to their email list, discounts of up to 20% have been offered before.Save 80% through my link (discount applied at checkout)Sign up to their email list, they send out random discounts
Read ReviewRead ReviewRead ReviewRead ReviewRead ReviewRead ReviewRead ReviewRead ReviewRead Review
Visit WebsiteVisit WebsiteVisit WebsiteVisit WebsiteVisit WebsiteVisit WebsiteVisit WebsiteVisit WebsiteVisit Website
See This After:  My Tranya T10 Pro Ear Buds Review - Good For Music? (2022)


#1 Online Health Coach Certification Program

health coach certification online

Provider: Institute for the Psychology of Eating

Certification: Mind Body Eating Coach

Full Price: $6950

Payment Plans: $375 x 16, $630 x 12, $1200 x 6

Marc David (founder) and Emily Rosen (director) with a brief intro to Institute for the Psychology of Eating

What Is Dynamic Eating Psychology

Institute For The Psychology of Eating Review

Overall
9.5
Pros
All online
Mind-Body Coach Certification
Unique credential to have
250-hour program
Live teleclasses
Numerous testimonials from graduates
A wide array of handouts to use within your business
Learn personal and business marketing
Done-for-you marketing copy
Cons
Price seems a little steep for a program that isn’t instructor-led
By application only, only take students every 8-12 months
Not accredited
No practice coaching sessions
No mentor

Institute for the Psychology of Eating

Their curriculum isn’t presented on their main page, I had to do some digging to find this

Weight Loss

A unique and compelling look into the profound topic of weight loss through the lenses of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition. You’ll learn basic and advanced coaching and counselling techniques, along with an in-depth series of maps and checklists that will shed a whole new light on working with this complex challenge. Some of the key highlights of this module include:

  • Nutritional and metabolic factors influencing weight loss
  • Masculine and feminine weight loss psychology
  • Influence of stress and relaxation physiology on weight
  • Bio-circadian nutrition and weight loss
  • Working with social and cultural influences on body weight
  • The importance of macro and micro-nutrient balance
  • The metabolic power of pleasure, awareness and presence
  • Neuropsychology, placebo science and weight loss
  • Spiritual and soul dimensions of shape-shifting
  • The power of story and core life challenges in weight concerns
  • A deeper understanding of caloric science
  • Working with body wisdom and intuition
  • The hidden connection between weight, money and work
  • Weight and menopause
  • Shortcuts for creating breakthroughs with difficult clients

Body Image

An original, fresh and results-oriented approach to body image concerns that will give you the tools to help others see and experience their bodies in a more healthy and compassionate way. Using principles from Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition, you’ll learn the listening and coaching skills that will give you the confidence to work with this important issue of our times. Some key highlights include:

  • Understanding the origins of body image
  • The deep connection between body image and sexuality
  • Body image tools/distinctions for working with different age groups
  • Family of origin and body image
  • The influence of stress and relaxation physiology
  • The hidden connection between movement and body image
  • Working with embodiment practices
  • Masculine and feminine distinctions in body image
  • Navigating the influence of media and culture
  • Yoga Psychology and body image
  • The impact of PTSD on negative body image
  • Healing and transforming body image with Archetypal Psychology
  • The connection between pleasure, desire and body image
  • The neuropsychology of presence and “loving what is”
  • The special relationship between women, food and body image

Overeating, Binge Eating, Compulsive Eating

A truly holistic approach to overeating concerns based on the core principles of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition. Help others achieve breakthroughs with compulsive and binge eating using easy-to-practice tools and techniques that promote a positive and nourishing relationship with food. Some of the key highlights of this module include:

  • The practical psycho-biology of appetite
  • The cephalic phase digestive response and binge eating
  • The psycho-dynamics of control and willpower
  • Pleasure chemistry and overeating
  • Breakthroughs using nutrition-dense food strategies
  • The powerful and hidden gift of compulsive eating concerns
  • Moving beyond cognitive behavioural therapy
  • Practical short-cuts for transforming compulsive eating
  • The impact of stress and relaxation chemistry on overeating
  • Using bio-circadian nutrition techniques for fast results
  • The hidden connection between body image and overeating
  • The powerful effects of macro-nutrient balance on binge eating
  • How to work and corporate culture impact overheating concerns
  • The spiritual psychology of nourishment and a deeper hunger
  • The influence of life transitions on compulsive eating

Chronic Dieting

Chronic dieting is a hidden contributor not only to emotional pain but also to many health symptoms that are wrongly diagnosed and treated. Learn how to identify and work with this powerful nutritional/emotional/lifestyle challenge using the principles of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition. Some key highlights of this module are:

  • The potent effects of chronic dieting on nutritional status and health
  • How chronic dieting impairs calorie burning capacity
  • Chronic dieting is a hidden epidemic of the soul
  • The special relationship between women and dieting
  • The connection between chronic dieting and compulsive exercising
  • Dieting, culture, and the media
  • The secrets to creating a long term, sustainable diet strategy
  • The influence of dieting on energy level and oxygen metabolism
  • Confronting the false and outdated science of dieting
  • The hidden effects of chronic dieting on digestive metabolism
  • Working with complaints of “slow metabolism”
  • Chronic dieting and the psychology of romantic relationships
  • Using powerful languaging techniques to heal chronic dieting
  • How to re-educate clients around caloric theory, dieting and weight
  • Designing a diet approach that can truly transform your client

Energy and Fatigue

Lack of energy and the desire for more of it is a powerful concern that grips a fantastic number of people across the globe. Unfortunately, many of our strategies to battle fatigue leave us exhausted and without a true and lasting source of greater vitality. Our Training will provide you with an integrative mind/body/heart/soul approach to this important health challenge. Some key highlights include:

  • Mind-Body Nutrition approaches to working with energy and fatigue
  • Nutritional and metabolic influences on fatigue
  • The hidden effects of food allergies and sensitivities on an energy level
  • Core life issues and their effects on energy level and fatigue
  • Somatic Psychology skills for enhancing energy
  • The healing power of story in chronic fatigue
  • Breathing, oxygen and energy
  • How key soul lessons impact our energy level and metabolism
  • The influence of thought and beliefs on fatigue and energy
  • The bio-emotional impact of work, purpose and mission on energy
  • The potent connection between digestion and energy
  • Stress chemistry and adrenal fatigue
  • Simple and effective nutritional strategies for more energy

Digestive Health

Digestive health has become a rare and precious commodity. Complaints of digestive distress, heartburn, bloating, and ongoing discomfort are some of the most commonly seen nutrition issues. Learn simple and effective strategies from Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition for increasing digestive power and function. Key highlights from this module include:

  • The impact of stress physiology on digestion and assimilation
  • The enteric nervous system – the brain in the belly
  • Digestive status as a barometer for personal empowerment
  • The emotional psychology of the digestive system
  • Simple and effective protocols for common digestive complaints
  • The importance of the gastrointestinal immune system
  • The influence of food allergies on digestive health
  • Cultural speed and its impact on digestion
  • Digestion of food as a metaphor for digestion of life experiences
  • The hidden connection between sexual abuse and digestive health
  • How fear, judgment and self-criticism diminish digestive metabolism
  • Breathing, oxygen, the relaxation response and digestion
  • Quick and easy strategies for working with GERD (heartburn)
  • Digestion, gut wisdom and body wisdom
  • Important distinctions from Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine
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Mood Concerns

Working with mood and depression is an important part of every nutrition and health coaching practice. Fluctuations in mood teach us powerful life lessons while calling our attention to key metabolic and lifestyle changes that are asking to be made. Our Training features Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition approaches that are practical, holistic and effective. Highlights include:

  • The influence of stress physiology and stress psychology on mood
  • Key nutritional deficiencies and excesses associated with mood
  • Brain physiology basics for understanding mood fluctuations
  • Impact of immunity on mood
  • Insulin, blood sugar, food and mood
  • How chronic dieting silently impacts mood
  • Archetypal psychology approaches to mood and depression
  • The spiritual psychology of mood – the language of the soul
  • Powerful and simple strategies from Yoga and Buddhism
  • The hidden psychology of depression
  • Importance of macro-nutrient balance and mood
  • Mood disorders and the psychology of perfectionism
  • Feminine and masculine differences in mood
  • Influence of genetics and family lineage on mood
  • Understanding mood through the life cycles

Immune Health

A strong immune system is both a gift and a rarity these days. When the immune system functions with efficiency, we can navigate a toxic and challenging world with greater ease. At IPE, we teach a fascinating and creative blend of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition approaches to working with immune health. Some of the key highlights of this module are:

  • Nutritional strategies for improving immune strength
  • Psycho-emotional influences on immunity
  • The impact of dietary beliefs on immune health
  • The profound importance of the gastrointestinal immune system
  • How gastrointestinal immunity is impacted by thought and emotion
  • Cultural and social influences on immunity
  • Immune strength as a metaphor for presence
  • Psychoneuroimmunology meets Mind Body Nutrition
  • Soul Psychology and immune health
  • The hidden transformational messages in immune challenges
  • Key strategies for working with highly sensitive clients
  • Simple Mind-Body Nutrition protocols for immune enhancement
  • How the environment impacts immunity
  • Somatic and embodiment strategies for low immunity

Women, Food, and Health

The special relationship between women and food cannot be overstated. It’s beautiful, powerful and rich in complexity. For this reason, it’s high time that we elevate a woman’s connection with food to the lofty place it deserves, and learn to understand women and nutrition from a fresh perspective. This is an important theme throughout our Training. Some of the highlights from this module include:

  • Genetic/evolutionary influences on women’s relationship with food
  • The powerful impact of culture and media
  • Masculine and feminine distinctions in stress physiology and metabolism
  • Feminine sexuality and its influence on eating habits
  • Women, dieting and weight
  • A woman’s relationship with food through the life cycles
  • Archetypal Psychology and the feminine principle
  • History-taking skills for women clients
  • Woman-specific listening and coaching skills
  • Working with teenage girls
  • Insights into bulimia
  • Working with Queen and Princess distinctions
  • A deeper look at women and hormones
  • Creating a feminine approach to nutrition
  • Embodiment practices for women

Coaching Skills

Our training is designed to give you the tools, techniques, protocols and strategies that enable you to be an effective practitioner. We teach coaching skills that truly make a difference with clients, and that gets to the heart of how to successfully manage our relationship with food. Navigating eating challenges and nutritional concerns requires a specialized understanding and solid coaching tools. We’re proud to deliver an excellent education in this realm. Some of what you’ll learn includes:

  • Coaching tools for the most commonly seen eating concerns
  • Strategies for working with difficult clients
  • How to help clients who feel “stuck”
  • Coaching skills for working with women
  • Coaching skills for working with men
  • Effective communication with young people
  • How to use “teaching skills” in a client session
  • How to create a powerful first session
  • Deep listening skills
  • How to inspire your client vs. how to motivate your client
  • Managing client resistance
  • Tools for creating client compliance
  • Soft coaching skills vs. direct coaching skills
  • How to convey scientific information to a client
  • How to measure progress and success

Coaching Business Module

  • How to get started
  • How to build your practice
  • Practice management
  • Determining your target market
  • How to market and promote yourself
  • How to attract clients
  • Your program offerings
  • Key facts to know for website development
  • Using social networking
  • Important communication skills
  • Overview of Starting a Business
  • Generating Your Brand “DNA”
  • The Hidden Metaphysics of Business
  • Your Relationship with Money
  • Core Values of a Helping Professional
  • Managing Inner Obstacles
  • The Coaching Model
  • Legal Do’s and Don’ts for coaches

Building Your Brand and Business

  • Identifying Your Ideal Client
  • Defining Your Niche
  • Identifying Your Target Market
  • Your Unique Perfect-Client Avatar
  • Understanding Your Customer Pain Point
  • How to Build “Know, Like and Trust” Factors
  • Creating a Community or “Tribe”

Defining Your Business Model

  • What are Your Services and Programs
  • Getting Clear About How You Work
  • Defining Your Rates
  • Offering Support in Between Sessions
  • Creating Packages
  • Working with a Sliding Scale
  • High-End Offerings

Your Client Flow

  • Phone vs. Live Sessions
  • Scheduling Clients
  • Communicating and Interacting with Clients
  • How to Create a Safe Space
  • Intake Forms
  • Client Contracts and Agreements
  • Cancellation Policy

Setting Up Your Business

  • Naming Your Business
  • Understanding Professional Insurance
  • Filing Systems
  • The Importance of Business Banking
  • Financial Record-Keeping
  • Taking Payment
  • Invoicing Clients
  • Contact Management Systems
  • Creating Your Support Team
  • Backing Up Your Content

Marketing

  • Highlighting What Makes You Different
  • Elevator Speech
  • Communicating About What You Do
  • Networking
  • How to Attract Clients
  • Where to Market Yourself
  • Copy for Website
  • How to Build your List
  • Using Social Proof
  • Getting Testimonials

Building Your Website

  • Website Options
  • Buying a Domain Name
  • Web Hosting Options
  • Website Theme
  • Website Outline
  • Social Media Integration with Websites

Creating an Opt-in

  • The Purpose of an Opt-in
  • Designing an Opt-in
  • Important Opt-in Pointers

Social Media Strategies for Success

  • The Best Social Media for Your Business
  • Understanding Facebook
  • Understanding Twitter
  • The Importance of LinkedIn
  • Understanding Pinterest
  • Using Hootsuite to Manage Social Media
  • How to Create a YouTube Channel
  • How to Create a Meetup Group
  • How to Use Meetup to Build Tribe
  • Basic, Moderate and Advanced Social Media Set-Up
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Blogging

  • Blogging Basics
  • Important Pointers for Blogging
  • Building Trust

Newsletter

  • Creating the Right Newsletter
  • How to Write a Great Subject Line
  • Understanding Your Audience

The Flow of Information

  • Understanding Copyright Law
  • Internet Copyright Etiquette

Done for You Website Copy

  • What is Mind Body Eating Coaching
  • How is My Approach Different
  • What is Mind Body Nutrition
  • What is Dynamic Eating Psychology

None

Institute For The Psychology of Eating Review

A unique blend of holistic nutrition, eating psychology, and coaching.

Who is this certification for?

If you currently, or desire to work with those who have deep emotional ties to food that create a barrier to reaching their goals, this is the best online holistic nutrition certification for you.

200+ Hours of Videos and Slideshows

This is the most complete, innovative, and inspiring educational experience in eating psychology you can find. The Institute is the worldwide leader in combining results-oriented nutrition with a deep understanding of our fascinating relationship with food. Their curriculum is personally and professionally transformative, and our content is unparalleled in the marketplace. You’ll receive access to 7 information-rich modules delivered over 8 months. Each module has introductory videos with Marc David, Founder of IPE that outlines the important concepts in that module followed by 20-30 hours of narrated slide shows that dive deeper into the work. And you can access it all from anywhere in the world on your computer or mobile device.

Hundreds of Handouts

In addition to the video and audio classes, you’ll receive a powerful collection of written notes, worksheets, highlights, lessons, protocols and more that are included in easy-to-read PDF form. These handouts cover topics such as weight loss, body images, overeating, binge eating, digestion, coaching techniques, nutrition strategies, and so much more. They’re great for ongoing reference and reinforce your learning experience. And all handouts are downloadable and yours to keep for life.

Introspective Exercises

Each module includes optional exercises to help you deepen into the material. They are lots of the same exercises you’ll be giving your clients. At the Institute, they believe strongly that transforming your own relationship with food, health insurance, and body will greatly improve your skills and effectiveness being a practitioner. Most students report these introspective exercises to catalyze significant insights and breakthroughs within their own lives.

Live Q&A Tele-Calls with Marc David

This is a very important and unique possibility to interact directly using the Institute’s founder and primary teacher. Marc David can be an internationally acclaimed teacher and skilled facilitator. You’ll receive insightful feedback from one of the very most well-regarded and cutting-edge leaders in eating psychology and nutrition. All classes are recorded for those who cannot attend live. Participate in 2 teleclasses monthly – over 16 Live Tele-calls!

Bonus Business Training Module

Their bonus business module delivers the same leading-edge information fact that leading business programs for coaches and entrepreneurs address today. Learn basic through advanced skills that will set you in addition to the crowd with approaches for building your brand, defining your business design, creating programs, on and offline marketing, social media marketing, and even more. This Business Component is definitely taught by Emily Rosen, Chief Operating Officer for IPE, and it is an enormous value for all those just getting started, or for anybody seeking to expand their practice or business.

Bonus Nutrition Module

Get a solid foundation in nutrition with topics that range from digestive physiology and anatomy to the basics of entire foods nutrition and macronutrient balance. This optional, holistic, evidence-based component is a great review and an effective way to understand the fundamentals. The core training itself includes a great amount of content at heart Body Nutrition, functional and clinical nutrition, as well as results-oriented diet recommendations. This bonus module is included at no additional expense for anybody wanting an obvious knowledge of the diet fundamentals which means you have the info you need to produce a powerful impact with clients.

Live Conference

All students are welcomed to wait for an optional live event because of their graduating class that’s held by the end of working out. Get motivated by IPE staff and fellow students, experience live client demos, hear new content, work in small groups, and network and celebrate with others. Marc David hosts this event combined with the IPE team. You’ll get the chance to meet up so a lot of your fellow students who are focused on making a genuine difference in the world. That is a popular and well-loved part of the training and a great way to launch into the next phase of your career!

Done-For-You Forms & Marketing Copy

They’re committed to giving you the tools to succeed! You’re provided with effective marketing and website copy to help you communicate your work and your message. The kind of copy that’s clear, catchy, and helps tell the world exactly what you’re about. You’ll also receive essential intake questionnaires, client agreements and more to help launch or elevate your practice.

Peer Coaching Program

In this optional part of the training, you’ll be matched with a fellow student so you can practice the skills you’re learning throughout the training. Each month you’ll receive topics and discussion points to explore with your peer coach. All sessions are done over the phone or by Skype and at your convenience. This is a great opportunity to get grounded in your educational experience, learn how to work with phone clients, and connect in a whole different way to the material.

Private Online Community

Built into the training website, is an exclusive online forum for you to engage with fellow students and IPE staff around training content. Monitored by senior IPE Staff, this is a great way to have discussions with not only the IPE team but your colleagues from various backgrounds. There is also have a private Facebook group for professional networking opportunities. These platforms allow you to dive into course content, professional development, and your own relationship with food while receiving support from peers and IPE staff.

Downloadable Digital MP3 Recordings of Every Class and Call

The Mind Body Eating Coach Certification Training includes over 200 hours of information-rich classes that you can watch or listen to by logging into our exclusive training portal. And because they want you to be able to return to the material for years to come, ALL the classes have been made available to download as audio files. You’ll be able to save them to your computer or mobile device and enjoy the material for life whenever you need a refresher or an infusion of inspiration

Just a handful of the extensive amount of testimonials

#2 Health Coaching Certification Online Program

Natural Wellness Academy Review

natural wellness academy deal 1

 Provider: Natural Wellness Academy

Certification #1: Holistic Health Coaching
Full Price: $1495
Payment Plan (example): $350 down then $165 x 7

Certification #2: Holistic Health and Life Coaching
Full Price: $2795
Payment Plan (example): $500 down then $175 x 12

Get 10% OFF when paid in full

Meet Jamie, a mentor for this course

Meet NWA Mentor Jamie Hernandez

Natural Wellness Academy Review

Overall
8.5
Pros
All online
70% of graduates take a 2nd certification program with NWA
150-hour program
1-on-1 mentoring and coaching
Business development skills
FREE access to the Webinars Library, Alkalinity Challenge, and S-Tox
Body, Mind, and Spirit integration
Hands-on workshops (in-person or virtual)
Hybrid certifications available
Affordable, interest-free payment plans
Accredited
Cons
Not enough people know about this program

Module 1: Body

Read Raw Fusion Living chapters, complete four intensive learning experience assignments, and participate in and respond to at least one relevant webinar. 50 hours.

Objectives:

  • Learn a “food as medicine” approach to natural wellness.
  • Define the major alimentary functions of macro- and micro-nutrients and identify their major food sources.
  • Comprehend the assimilation of glucose in the cells and how sugar impacts the body.
  • Analyze pH factor in foods and how acidity and alkalinity affect digestion and overall health.
  • Identify sources of inflammation in the body, including food allergies and sensitivities.
  • Examine the effects of food choices on physical fitness and health.
  • Explore the pitfalls of nations’ food supply and how to distinguish sound nutritional data from unreliable nutritional information.
  • Construct a foundation for wellness nutrition based on current scientific research.
  • Analyze the role of diet in causing and preventing various diseases, particularly chronic and obesity- diseases.
  • Recognize healthy diet and food choices, and explain why such choices will help prevent health problems.
  • Employ techniques for improving metabolism and healthy mobility.
  • Navigating mainstream supermarkets and health food stores and reading labels.

Module 2: Mind

Read Raw Fusion Living, A Year of Positive Habits and WIN! chapters, complete two intensive learning experience assignments, and participate in and respond to at least one relevant webinar. 25 hours.

Objectives:

  • Explore the Laws of the Mind and structure of the brain.
  • Design strategies and subconscious dynamics for stress management.
  • Analyze the dynamics of a “neural hijacking” and how to prevent recurrences.
  • Recognize appropriate behavioral change modifications and lifestyle approaches for different ages and populations.
  • Examine the source of cravings and strategies for mindfully dealing with them.
  • Identify how to reinforce positive lifestyle habits and behaviors via suggestion.
  • Define your personal learning channel and learn how to identify and mirror your clients’ modalities.

Module 3: Spirit

Read Seat of the Soul and WIN! chapters, complete three intensive learning experience assignments, and participate in and respond to at least one relevant webinar. 30 hours.

Objectives:

  • Discuss the principles and application of energy balance.
  • Explore a variety of modalities for accessing Intuition and inner guidance.
  • Practice techniques for setting intentions, meditation and visualization.
  • Learn how to develop an Abundance Mentality and Life Makeover Strategy.

Module 4: Coaching Dynamics

Read Seat of the Soul and WIN! chapters and complete three intensive learning experience assignments. Participate in and respond to at least one relevant webinar 10 hours.

Objectives:

  • Learn how to guide your client to his/her goals and how to define the coaching relationship
  • Explore a variety of coaching strategies for improving yourself and helping others
  • Discover the practical aspects of the coaching profession such as contracts, marketing and practice-building

Module 5: Hands-On Workshop

Develop practical hands-on skills in food demonstrations, workshop development and presentation, and coaching applications. Can be performed remotely or on-site with Dr. LJ in Tampa or select locations. 20 hours.

Objectives:

  • Learn the essentials of the Raw Fusion Lifestyle, with preparation and sampling of a wide variety of nutritious delicious smoothies, snacks, salads, main meals and desserts.
  • Explore “Raw Fusion Solution” alternatives for your favorite comfort foods.
  • Blending, processing and dehydrating tips, techniques and tools.
  • Practice strategies to increase nutritional viability in meals.
  • Practice coaching dynamics and the coaching interview.
  • Training on subconscious structure and suggestion-building.
  • Experience a Wellness Workshop, an event that can be targeted to corporations, medical offices and facilities, associations and groups interested in healthy living and preventative care strategies.
  • Practice the various elements of the Wellness Workshop with supervision.

Module 6: Final Project

Students demonstrate mastery of general holistic health and life coaching concepts as well as specialization in an area of interest. 15 hours.

Students will be provided with a list of possible directions they can take with their final project, but examples of projects include:

  • Facilitate a Wellness Workshop for a non-profit organization or school, and write a report on the experience.
  • Create a mini cookbook with original recipes and photos for a day’s worth of meals: smoothie, snack, salad, main meal and dessert.
  • Develop a Healthy Living pilot program for your local gym or another organization.
  • Author a book on addressing a need in the natural wellness community, such as compiling information specific to your local community or focusing on an under-covered topic.
  • American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) Certification & Accreditation Board. Accreditation gives public recognition to educational institutions that meet standards of quality and promises prospective students that the institution they are considering studying with is a reputable one.
  • International Hypnosis Federation

Natural Wellness Academy Review

In my opinion, from the research I’ve done, this is far and away the best Health Coach Certification program available online.

I have personally been in contact with the founder, Dr. LJ. She is super friendly and I can feel her passion oozing through her emails. I get a real sense of hominess and genuineness from Dr. LJ.

She was completely transparent with me when it came to answering my questions. In my opinion, she went over and above what I had asked.

Here is a complete transcript from one of her emails:

Hi again, Rob – no worries!  Glad that you got the email and thanks for the kind comments. 

There are definitely several aspects that set NWA apart: 

  • The one-on-one mentoring is really significant for the students as they have someone to either cheerlead, counsel or motivate them to get through the program as well as finding an area of specialization or niche market.  All of our mentors are successful coaches and very upbeat people.
  • We take a very holistic MIND/BODY/SPIRIT approach and it’s kind of “impossible” for someone to go through our program and not have a lot of personal transformation and growth
  • We were the very first holistic health academy (2013) to add the Life Coaching – this really helps the graduates cast a wider net and be able to face a lot of the deeper issues that are behind eating and lifestyle habits
  • We are starting to gear towards “hypno-coaching” – my background is as an international expert in the subconscious mind and in many cases, we will add on the Essential Hypnotherapy Skills as a gift or for a small fee to give the coaches an extraordinary extra skill and further reach.
  • Right now our “hot ticket” item is the CBD/Cannabis Coaching program, an explosive growth market. 
  • We do blended programs for incredible pricing and we can also create hybrid certifications for students.  For instance, we have one woman who is doing a “Mind and Manifestation Dynamics”
  • About 70% of our graduates go on to take another certification with us – I think this is a good indicator of the happiness factor of NWA students. 

That should cover it – by all means reach out if you have any further questions.

Stephen Barnes gneral 1
Natural Wellness Academy student testimonial - Dana Fabbro
Natural Wellness Academy Student Testimonial - Ally Bono

Get 10% OFF when paid in full

#3 Online Health Coach Certification Program

Primal Health Coach Review

Provider: Primal Health Coach Institute

Certification: Primal Health Coach

Full Price: $4495
Payment Plan: $413.58 x 12

Exclusive $500 Off Primal Health Coach Coupon Code:
500TODAY

Brief Introduction

Introducing the Primal Health Coach Certification Program

Watch this video for a look behind the scenes of their student portal.

Virtual Campus Tour - Primal Health Coach Institute

Watch these 2 videos of founder Mark Sisson for a little more info on the Primal Health Coach Certification program.

The Tour: What's Covered in the Primal Health Coach Program
The Role of a Health Coach: What a Primal Health Coach Is and Is Not

Primal Health Coach Review

Overall
8.5
Pros
All online
If you’re a Paleo or Mark Sisson fan this is the perfect program for you
Prestigious Primal Health Coach Certification
Accredited
Cons
Nutritional education is bias and one dimensional. I have nothing against Paleo but I do not believe in the one shoe size fits all approach.
The website is not very transparent with their pricing or curriculum. This to me, has raised some red flags.
No practice coaching sessions
No mentor

The Primal Health Coach program provides the most in-depth and up-to-date ancestral health education in the world, equipping you with an arsenal of well-informed alternative choices based on science and experience in order to best serve your clients’ goals.

Using the model of Integrative Health Coaching, rooted in developmental and humanistic psychology, we shape expert coaches into persuasive catalysts for behaviour change. Spark your clients’ craving for knowledge and help them access their sense of purpose and live according to their core values. Up-level your ability to motivate and inspire lasting change today.

Thirteen comprehensive chapters based on evolutionary health science teach you how to reprogram genes to direct optimal cellular function. Each chapter consists of a video overview from Mark Sisson, reading material, audio supplements, and an examination. An additional three chapters consist of videos with Master Coach Christine Hassler on the topics of coaching and sales.

As a Primal Health Coach you’ll master:

The Art of Listening

So you create the most effective prescription for health for your clients’ unique needs and goals.

The Craft of Intuition

So you can see beyond the surface and into the root of your clients’ issues and goals in order to better serve them.

The Science of Asking Questions

Asking the right questions in the right way is a science, and the coach’s most important skill when it comes to uncovering their clients’ motivations and desires.

The Knack for Collaboration

The coach/client relationship shouldn’t be a top down one, but one of collaboration and camaraderie.

The Inspiration of a Mentor

A mentor inspires, walks his/her talk and helps clients successfully maneuver around (or through!) the obstacles encountered along the way.

As soon as you are admitted as a student you will receive:

Lifetime access to all 20 chapters of the Primal Health Coach coursework and exams described above. Plus…

Multimedia Educational Materials:

Audio Books:

You will receive the following mp3 files for convenient download into your favorite audio player platform or for streaming any time from your login portal:

  • The Primal Blueprint: Abridged recording (3.5 hours) of the original best-seller, narrated by Mark Sisson himself!
  • The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation: Unabridged recording of the entire book, 5.5 hours in duration.
  • The Primal Connection: Unabridged recording of the entire book, 6 hours in duration.

Digital Books:

Digital copies in PDF format of five popular Primal Blueprint titles:

  • The Primal Blueprint
  • Primal Endurance
  • The Primal Blueprint 21-Day Total Body Transformation
  • The Primal Connection
  • The Primal Blueprint Cookbook
  • Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals

You can download these files onto the device of your choice, or access them any time at your online portal.

  • American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) Certification & Accreditation Board. Accreditation gives public recognition to educational institutions that meet standards of quality, and promises prospective students that the institution they are considering studying with is a reputable one.

Primal Health Coach Review

Who’s Mark Sisson?

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Mark Sisson, he is the author of the book: The Primal Blueprint, which was a catalyst to the Paleo diet becoming mainstream in 2009.

He is also the publisher of Marksdailyapple.com, said to be the #1 read primal/paleo blog in the world.

Website Lacks Transparency

The Primal Health Coach Institute website seems to be lacking a lot of important information that I would be looking for as a prospective student:

  • curriculum
  • how the program is delivered
  • how many hours are involved in the program
  • is there access to Mark himself? he seems to be a huge selling feature for the program so this would be good to know, especially for fans of his

Why? To Get You To Sign Up To Their Email List

It only makes sense, right?

The website is the appetizer, meanwhile, we’re hungry for the main course!

The solution? Sign up to their email list in order to receive more info. Classic sales approach old and stake in my opinion.

Most of the information on the Primal Health Coach Institute’s curriculum, I was only able to provide from subscribing to their email list and reading all of their emails.

A Bit Salesy In Approach (in my opinion)

One page on their website compares their tuition with that of other apparently similar institutions. In my opinion, any organization that has to convince you based on price is almost always lacking substance. Now, I could be very, very wrong here, as I have never taken their program, but I like to think I have a keen sense for this.

I signed up to their email list as well to get a better sense of the program. Being quite familiar with email autoresponders, as I have been subscribed to lists of some of the wealthiest internet marketers out there, their email series is quite typical from a marketing standpoint. Very little information was given regarding the program itself, and lots of talk about the industry and even a bit of scarcity to try and get you to act.

It appears that the sole purpose of the email series is to get you on the phone with one of their (sales) representatives. My guess, an attempt to sell you on enrolling in their program. The whole series of emails has been a turn-off for me personally.

Just a handful from the dozens of testimonials

Primal Health Coach Success Story — Joe DiBernardo
Primal Health Coach Success Story — Melissa Emmons
Primal Health Coach Success Story — Chuck Ciaccia

Exclusive $500 Off Primal Health Coach Coupon Code:
500TODAY

Best Health Coaching Certification Online Program Under $1000

health coach certification

 Provider: ACE

Certification: Health Coach

Full Price:
Basic – $599
Plus – $779
Advantage – $1079

Payment Plans:
Basic – none
Plus – $65/mnth
Advantage – $90/mnth

Intro to the ACE Health Coach Certification

Inside Health Coach

ACE Health Coach Review

Overall
7
Pros
All online
ACE Health Coach Certification
Highly-respected in the health and fitness industry
Cost-effective and value packed
Live classes and coaching practice with Advantage plan
Example coaching sessions
Intuitive ‘ACE University’ learnign platform
Affordable, interest-free payment plans
Accredited by NCAA
Cons
Not enough people know about this program
No live coaching practice in Basic or Plus plan

I. Coaching Behavior Change

Establish rapport with clients using effective communication strategies in order to build and maintain collaborative relationships.

Knowledge of:

  • Verbal and nonverbal communication
  • Considerations of diverse populations
  • The role of empathy in establishing trust
  • Elements of an inclusive environment for establishing rapport
  • Impact of personal biases on coaching effectiveness
  • Implications of personality types (e.g., DISC classifications) on communication and rapport

Theories and models of behavior change.

Skill in:

  • Using the principles of client-centered coaching (e.g., open-ended questions, affirmations, reflective listening, summary)
  • Listening with an intent to understand each client’s perspective
  • Giving and interpreting verbal and nonverbal cues effectively
  • Establishing a positive client–coach relationship
  • Fostering an environment for effective communications

Help clients take responsibility for personal health by identifying strengths, challenges, and available resources in order to make healthy lifestyle choices.

Knowledge of:

  • Common barriers to change
  • Motivational strategies
  • Facilitators of change
  • Resources that facilitate health behavior change (e.g., social support, technology, educational materials)
  • Evidence-based coaching strategies
  • Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation

Effective interviewing techniques (e.g., motivational interviewing, active listening)

Skill in:

  • Identifying and addressing obstacles to change
  • Identifying and encouraging facilitators of change
  • Helping clients discover personal strengths
  • Assisting clients in identifying and using available resources
  • Collaborating with clients to manage setbacks and celebrate successes
  • Helping clients gain insight and awareness of their health behavior–related actions
  • Helping clients understand their role in making healthful choices
  • Empowering clients to take responsibility for their decisions and actions

Facilitate client-directed behavior change using evidence-based coaching strategies to promote healthy lifestyle choices.

Knowledge of:

  • Theories and models of behavior change
  • Evidence-based coaching strategies
  • Strategies that build self-efficacy
  • Impact of lifestyle choices on health and quality of life
  • Health literacy

Skill in:

  • Applying theories of behavior change
  • Identifying appropriate coaching strategies to promote self-efficacy
  • Using evidence-based coaching strategies
  • Facilitating learning
  • Facilitating behavior change

II. Conducting Assessments and Developing Plans

Use available health, medical, wellness, and lifestyle information by employing appropriate assessment tools and standards in order to stratify risk, identify the need for medical clearance and referrals, establish baselines and facilitate plan development.

Knowledge of:

  • Purpose of assessment tools (e.g., health history, risk factor screening, readiness for change)
  • Appropriate use and interpretation of assessments that measure physical and behavioral health
  • Factors that impact plan development (e.g., risk factor stratification)
  • Appropriate referral sources and protocols
  • Theories of motivation and related coaching techniques
  • Effective interviewing techniques (e.g., motivational interviewing, active listening)
  • Modifiable risk factors
  • Health and behavioral factors that warrant referral

Skill in:

  • Recognizing if and when an assessment is indicated
  • Selecting, administering, and interpreting appropriate assessment protocols, including, but not limited to, physical activity, nutrition, lifestyle, wellness, medical and health history, and behavioral health
  • Communicating the purpose of the assessments and the rationale for the protocols being used
  • Using the principles of motivation throughout the assessment process
  • Building a referral network
  • Referring clients to appropriate resources
  • Conducting interviews

Design individualized plans based on interviews, screenings, assessment data, and goals in order to progress clients toward healthful lifestyle management.

Knowledge of:

  • Behavior, exercise, and nutritional sciences
  • Principles of weight management and obesity prevention
  • Motivation theories and strategies
  • Principles of stress management
  • Role of healthful lifestyle habits in the prevention and self-management of chronic disease
  • Physical activity and nutrition guidelines
  • Principles of plan development and program design
  • Considerations related to individualizing plans for diverse populations
  • Safety considerations and precautions
  • Delivery methods
  • Triggers and other factors that affect adherence
  • Considerations for designing programs for individuals with health or medical issues

Skill in:

  • Identifying appropriate behavior-change strategies based on assessment findings
  • Collaborating with clients in goal setting
  • Collaborating with clients to create individualized behavior-change programs including, but not limited to, physical activity, nutrition, lifestyle, prevention and self-management of chronic disease, and stress management
  • Identifying and addressing triggers and other factors that affect adherence
  • Prioritizing behavior-change plan components

III. Implementing and Adjusting Individualized Plans

Implement individualized plans using evidence-based coaching practices in order to progress clients toward healthful lifestyle and behavior change.

Knowledge of:

  • Theories of behavior change
  • Evidence-based coaching strategies
  • Verbal and nonverbal communication
  • Safety considerations and precautions
  • Methods for delivering health behavior change program components
  • Modifiable risk factors
  • Programming factors that facilitate health behavior and modifiable risk factor improvement

Skill in:

  • Using effective communication techniques, including, but not limited to, motivational interviewing, open-ended questioning, and active listening
  • Interpreting and responding to verbal and nonverbal cues
  • Recognizing each client’s current stage of change
  • Providing relevant information and guidance to client
  • Leveraging available technology in program implementation
  • Facilitating behavior change

Evaluate plan effectiveness in collaboration with clients to monitor outcomes and support progress toward goals.

Knowledge of:

  • Tools and techniques to monitor and support progress toward goals
  • Scope of practice and indicators for referral
  • Obstacles and barriers to adherence
  • Behavior-change techniques
  • Types of feedback
  • Strategies for overcoming barriers
  • Lapse-prevention strategies

Skill in:

  • Interpreting progress toward client goals
  • Communicating progress toward goals with clients
  • Assisting in reflection and providing appropriate feedback
  • Collaborating with clients to identify strategies for overcoming barriers
  • Collaborating with clients to develop coping strategies
  • Leveraging available technology to monitor progress and support the program
  • Teaching clients to implement self-monitoring techniques
  • Identifying lapses

Collaborate with clients to adjust plans based on ongoing evaluations in order to
promote adherence, personal responsibility, and success.

Knowledge of:

  • Evidence-based coaching strategies
  • Appropriate use and interpretation of assessments that measure physical and behavioral health
  • Verbal and nonverbal communication
  • Obstacles and barriers to adherence
  • Strategies that build self-efficacy
  • Lapse-prevention strategies

Skill in:

  • Interpreting and communicating progress toward client goals
  • Collaborating with clients to modify goals and adjust plans
  • Collaborating with clients to identify strategies for overcoming barriers
  • Collaborating with clients to develop coping strategies
  • Empowering clients to take responsibility for their decisions and actions
  • Supporting progress toward goals (e.g., celebrating success, affirmations)
  • Implementing lapse-prevention strategies
  • Adjusting the program based on modified client factors and goals

IV. Professional Conduct and Legal Responsibility

Adhere to legal requirements, the ACE Code of Ethics, and scope-of-practice guidelines in order to protect clients, maintain professional standards, and manage risk.

Knowledge of:

  • Scope of practice for ACE Certified Health Coaches
  • ACE Code of Ethics and Professional Practices and Disciplinary Procedures
  • Pertinent laws and regulations for health coaching in different settings (e.g., healthcare, workplace wellness)
  • Industry standards for health coaches
  • Fair business practices
  • Best practices pertaining to professional and personal boundaries
  • Roles of relevant healthcare professionals
  • Principles of risk management

Appropriate referral sources and protocols

Skill in:

  • Establishing and maintaining professional and personal boundaries
  • Building a referral network
  • Recognizing when to refer clients
  • Recognizing, preventing, and managing risk

Maintain accurate and confidential records using applicable standards in order to
ensure quality care and manage risk.

Knowledge of:

  • Requirements pertaining to protected health information (e.g., HIPAA)
  • Documentation systems (e.g., electronic medical record, SOAP notes)
  • Appropriate terminology
  • Risk-management strategies
  • Systems and tools for maintaining secure client information

Skill in:

  • Retaining client information in a secure and confidential manner
  • Communicating professionally and with respect for client confidentiality
  • Leveraging available technology for secure and confidential storage of client information

Respond to emergencies and high-risk situations following established protocols in order to ensure safety and reduce liability.

Knowledge of:

  • Emergency action plans and related procedure
  • Situations that pose risk to clients, coaches, and others

Skill in:

  • Performing CPR, using an AED, and activating emergency medical services
  • Recognizing and mitigating dangerous situations
  • Recognizing and mitigating risk
  • Executing emergency action plans as appropriate
  • Identifying and responding to emergencies and high-risk situations

Maintain professional competence by staying current on research, technology, and industry standards in order to build proficiency as a health coach and optimize client outcomes.

Knowledge of:

  • Emerging technology that has application in health coaching
  • Criteria for evaluating the quality and applicability of information
  • Reliable sources for evidence-based information
  • Current industry standards related to health coaching and program development

Skill in:

  • Identifying sources of credible information
  • Applying current evidence-based information to practice
  • Leveraging available technology in health coaching

Create an inclusive environment by developing awareness of, and demonstrating sensitivity to, diverse populations.

Knowledge of:

  • Characteristics of diverse populations
  • Credible sources of information about diverse populations
  • Influence of cultural beliefs, attitudes, and values on lifestyle behaviors
  • Credible sources of information about cultural beliefs, attitudes, and values as they relate to health and healthcare
  • Communication styles that facilitate an inclusive environment

Skill in:

  • Demonstrating a commitment to culturally and linguistically appropriate health coaching
  • Providing an inclusive environment
  • Recognizing social determinants and their influence on health and healthcare
  • Participating effectively as a member of a diverse healthcare team
  • NCAA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies) – The NCCA’s Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs were the first standards developed by the credentialing industry for professional certification programs. The NCCA Standards were developed to help ensure the health, welfare, and safety of the public. They highlight the essential elements of a high-quality program.

    The NCCA standards are consistent with The Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing  (AERA, APA, & NCME, 1999) and are applicable to all professions and industries. NCCA accredited programs certify individuals in a wide range of professions and occupations including nurses, automotive professionals, respiratory therapists, counselors, emergency technicians, crane operators, and more. To date, NCCA has accredited more than 315 programs from more than 130 organizations.

    Accreditation for professional or personnel certification programs provides impartial, third-party validation that your program has met recognized national and international credentialing industry standards for the development, implementation, and maintenance of certification programs.

ACE Health Coach Review

Coming soon

ACE PROfiles: Justin Seedman
ACE PROfiles: Angel Chelik

Best Under $400

health coach certification 9

Provider: IAP Career College

Certification: Wellness Coach Master Professional

Full Price: $377

Payment Plan: N/A

IAP career College Review

Overall
7
Pros
All online
Reputable company, educated over 500 million students since 1999
12 week, 120 hour instructor led program
Up to 3 hours of 1-0n-1 mentoring
2 textbooks included (ebook format)
Learn marketing and business development
Amazing price for a live curriculum
Cons
Can’t start anytime. Runs once every 12 weeks.
Not Accredited

Introduction

  • What is a Wellness Coach?
  • The Wellness Coaching Industry
  • Benefits of Being a Wellness Coach
  • Wellness Coaching Specializations

How to Deliver Wellness Coaching Services

  • Establishing the Coach/Client Relationship
  • Holistic Techniques for Attaining Wellness
  • Developing Meal and Fitness Plans
  • Helping Clients Develop Conscious Eating Habits
  • Customizing Wellness Plans
  • Wellness Events for Groups and Individual Clients

How to Learn Wellness Coaching

  • Getting Hands-On Wellness Coaching Experience
  • Learn From Other Wellness Coaches
  • Self Study

Starting Your Own Business

  • Creating a Business Plan
  • Financial Matters
  • Setting Your Fees
  • Working with Support Staff

Getting Clients

  • Choosing Your Target Market
  • Marketing Tools and Techniques
  • Marketing to Corporate Clients
  • None

Best Under $400

health coaching certification online

Provider: CHEK Institute

Certification: Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 1

Full Price: $347

Payment Plan: N/A

CHEK Institute Review

Overall
6.5
Pros
All online
Reputable company, well known in the health and fitness industry
Cons
Basic compared to the first two programs
An  add-on certification, not one you will make a career from

If you’re looking for ways to help your clients, patients and athletes reach sustained health and fitness, HLC 1 will be invaluable to your practice, with a truly insightful system of questionnaires that will let you see the underlying challenges your clients face, and a practical, step-by-step approach to overcoming those challenges.

HLC 1 will make you – naturally – better at working with your clients and athletes because you will have implemented and practiced every tool and technique yourself, and you’ll have the health and vitality to show for it!

Over the Course of 15 Lessons, You Will:

  • Learn how to apply the 1-2-3-4 approach to developing long-term body-mind changes.
  • Learn how to use the CHEK Nutrition and Lifestyle questionnaire system for assessing physiological load and making essential diet and lifestyle changes.
  • Understand the relationship between the 6 Foundation Health Principles and body-mind stress and learn how to apply these principles to balance your body systems so you can exemplify well-being!
  • Learn Paul Chek’s Zone Exercises as a means of “Working-In” which will show you how to use movement to “create energy” and cultivate the life-force needed to effectively express your creativity and Work-Out!
  • Identify common roadblocks to success with diet and lifestyle modifications and gain simple solutions.
  • Know how to implement key concepts of individualized eating using Paul Chek’s Primal Pattern® eating
  • Discover how and when to use the “less is more” principle of exercise prescription and how to apply the 5 essentials of program design.

Your Course Includes:

  • 15 lessons
  • Unlimited access to 83 streaming, online videos
  • Digital, downloadable participant manual in PDF format
  • Digital, downloadable forms and handouts to use yourself and with clients or family members:
    • Primal Pattern® Diet Introduction (PDF)
    • Primal Pattern® Diet Questionnaire from How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! ((PDF)
    • Nutrition and Lifestyle Questionnaire from How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! (PDF)
    • Nutrition and Lifestyle Score Sheet from How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! ((PDF)
    • The Nutrient Energy Diagram (PDF)
    • The Primal Pattern® Diet Fine Tuning Chart (PDF)
    • The Circadian Rhythm Chart (PDF)
    • The Tachometer Diagram (PDF)
    • Nutrition – The CHEK Approach (PDF)
    • Why Organic Food? (PDF)
    • Why Wheat/Gluten Free? (PDF)
    • The CHEK Shopper’s Guide (PDF)
    • The Poopie Police (PDF)
  • 15 online quizzes
  • Downloadable Certificate of Completion upon successfully finishing the course
  • Access to the HLC 1 Online Members Only Facebook Group

Not Included:

  • Pre-requisite book How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy! (There is an option to order this with your registration and save $8!)
  • Recommended audio program You Are What You Eat (There is an option to order this with your registration and save $20!)
  • DVDs or printed manual (this course is 100% online)

None

Best Under $100

spiritual life coaching certification

Provider: Transformation Academy

Certification: Master Wellness Life Coach Certification

Price: $497 (however, you can get 80% off through my link)

Payment Plans: N/A

Get 80% off through this link (discount applied at checkout)

This Program consists of 4 Certifications (4th is a choice of 3 )

Health and Nutrition Life Coach Certification

Health and Nutrition Life Coach Certification (Accredited)

Mindfulness Life Coach Certification

21 Day Mindfulness and Meditation Challenge

Diet Life Coach Certification

Diet Life Coach Certification

Transformation Academy Review

Overall
7
Pros
Reputable – Certified more than 150,000 students worldwide
All online
Start Anytime
Accredited
Master Wellness Life Coach Certification
4 separate certifications included
Private student community
Videos are fun and engaging
Full lifetime access to online learning material
Cons
I wouldn’t want to work with a health coach who’s the only certification is this one
  • American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) Certification & Accreditation Board. Accreditation gives public recognition to educational institutions that meet standards of quality, and promises prospective students that the institution they are considering studying with is a reputable one.

Get 80% off through this link (discount applied at checkout)

Honourable Mention

nickerson institute review

 Provider: Nickerson Institute

Certification: Integrative Health Coach

Full Price: $3799

Payment Plan: $975 x 4

Get more insight into the approach taken at Nickerson Institute.

Presented by Wendy Nickerson, Owner and instructor of Nickerson Institute

Nickerson Institute Review

Overall
7
Pros
All Online
200-hour self-paced program
Bi-weekly live group meetings with an instructor
Body, Mind, and Spirit integration
Monthly live online support meeting for continued knowledge, guidance and community (continued access even after graduating)
Four post-graduate business development webinars
Opportunity to collaborate with the Nickerson Institute after graduation on new course development
Accredited by 3 institutions (1 US, 2 CAD)
option to get registered as a Health Coach
Cons
the maximum amount of time to spread payments is 4 months, offering little flexibility

Nickerson Institute Course Outline

This virtual and interactive 15-module Integrative Health Coach Training Program provides the latest evidence-based techniques and strategies (mind-body-spirit) covering the following session topics:

  • Ethics, boundaries, and the biopsychosocial model of care.
  • Communication and motivational interviewing.
  • Using cognitive-behavioural coaching strategies for reducing depression.
  • Using rational-emotive coaching for reducing anxiety.
  • Alternative treatments for depression and anxiety.
  • Detecting suicide.  No stone left unturned.
  • The truth about food – know the details.
  • Foods and nutrients that determine the quality of mental health.
  • Helping clients work through the stages of grief and loss.
  • Stress and Coping:  Mindfulness evidence-based techniques.
  • The mind-body effects of trauma.
  • Chronic Pain and Illness:  The mind-body connection and the importance of thoughts and emotions on healing physical pain.
  • Dealing with the issues of the elderly population.
  • Teen depression and substance usage (spiritual revolution).
  • Develop advocacy skills – scoping out your community.

Course Objectives

At the end of this course, you will…

  • Evaluate theories, concepts, and treatments in behavioural nutrition, issues concerning the elderly, teens, and those experiencing substance usage.
  • Assess the interaction of foods and nutrients with brain functioning, mental health, and behaviour.
  • Understand the differences between the biomedical and the biopsychosocial model of healthcare.
  • Evaluate and discuss the ethical and cultural guidelines of an integrative health coach.
  • Develop a personalized integrative health coaching toolbox.
  • Understand the importance of setting boundaries in health coaching relationships.
  • Develop skills for effective communication, listening, and intuition.
  • Practice motivational interviewing skills and techniques.
  • Understand and assimilate cognitive-behavioural and rationale motive coaching skills.
  • Recognize symptoms of anxiety and depression and choose appropriate alternative coaching treatments for each.
  • Detect and assess suicide risk and develop an action plan.
  • Understand and synthesize the issues related to grief and loss.
  • Develop a repertoire of mindfulness stress reduction techniques.
  • Develop an understanding and knowledge base of the relationships between mental health issues and physical disorders.
  • Assess and combine a list of community healthcare resources and organizations.
  • Demonstrate your ability to conduct an integrative health coaching session with a client.
  • Understand and integrate concepts of trauma and the seriousness of this condition on mental and physical health.

It took a lot of digging to find this program and I’m glad I did—what a gem it is.

What I really like about this program

It focuses on training the mind to aid in the healing of mental, emotional, and physical illnesses. It encompasses interwoven evidence-based aspects of mindfulness, cognitive-behavioural techniques, neuroscience, health psychology, positive psychology, energy psychology and behavioural nutrition. Healing aspects of spirituality and the power of perception, insight, awareness, thoughts, and words are taught throughout this course.

This program targets mental health furthermore to physical and spiritual health. In addition, it targets behavioural nutrition since it pertains to mental health; and on psychoneuroimmunology, and that is clearly a big word for the way the mind, thoughts and stress create illness in the torso. Almost every other program concentrate on nourishment and exercise.

Option to become a Registered Health Coach

Not many Health Coach Certifications are qualified for this—especially at this price point. Why is being registered important? One word: insurance. It’s much easier (and usually cheaper) to receive professional insurance. Being a registered progressional also allows your clients to have a portion (or all) of your services covered by their insurance benefits, should they have some. 

How much time will you need to complete the modules and the coursework?

You will need 200 hours for the entire program — approximately 12 hours for each of the 15 modules. This includes watching the videos, completing the written assignments and discussion boards, and attending a minimum of 4 bi-weekly live zoom discussion meetings.  Additionally, there are roughly 20 hours of practical coaching sessions to perform.

Homework and Assignments

You will be given a discussion question and a written assignment vignette for each module. In addition, you will be continuously working on your personalized toolbox throughout the program. There will also be opportunities to audiotape portions of sessions and a complete session to show the application of the abilities taught.

Business and Marketing Support

After completion of the course, you can receive 4 webinar sessions on important areas of setting up your company. This covers areas of social networking, proper forms, brochures, website, and PowerPoint presentations, for instance. In addition, you’ll be given usage of their monthly meetings and that means you can build relationships additional IHCs and discuss projects and gain support.

Your own web page

You’ll also gain visibility for the Nickerson Institute website together with your personalized one-page Integrative Health Coaching business website. This professional webpage will be on the Nickerson Institute of Integrative Health Training website, under “Find an Integrative Health Coach”.

Additional Accreditations

As a graduate of the Nickerson Institute Integrative Health Coach Training Program, you have the option for additional accreditation as a Certified Coach for Highly Sensitive People. This 10-hour selfpaced supplemental course teaches the challenges and benefits of the Sensory Processing Sensitivity trait, which is present in 20% of the population and an estimated 30-50% of clients seeking mental health support. The content of this course includes a toolkit you can use with you HSP clients, as well as support material for how to market yourself as an HSP-trained mental health professional.

This course is accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP), the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), the Health Coach Alliance (HCA), the Canadian Association of Integrative Nutrition (CAIN) and is eligible for NBCC Home Study Credits. A discount is given to graduates of the IHC program.

Unique Marketing Opportunities

Write for their blog

Students and graduates are invited to submit articles for the Nickerson Institute blog.In addition to sharing your knowledge and polishing your writing skills, this is an opportunity to promote your coaching services and increase your online presence. Select articles may also be promoted via the Facebook and LinkedIn pages.

Presentations

One of the common ways for new coaches to attract clients / generate business to give presentations in their (live or online) community. Asan IHC graduate, you are invited to be a guest speaker at our monthly Zoom meeting where you can hone your presentation skills, introduce current mental health topics, demonstrate effective healing techniques or offer business solutions. This is also an opportunity to reach beyond the Nickerson Institute community, as the recording of your presentation may be used for your own marketing/promotional use.

Create your own online course

Graduates of the IHC training program are offered the chance to develop and instruct an online course relevant to integrative health. These courses will be promoted to the general public, as well as students in the Nickerson Institute programs.

The unique and valuable aspects of this opportunity besides gaining the experience and satisfaction of developing an educational program to help others achieve holistic health are that the course becomes residual income, and as the developer/instructor, you have a platform to promote your own coaching services to those who enroll.

Honourable Mention

health coach institute review

 

Provider: Health Coach Institute

Certification: Health and Life Coach

Full Price: Get emailed their catalog for the latest pricing (put fake phone # if you don’t want them to call you)

Payment Plan: Available upon request

Introduction video

Health And Life Coach Certificate Program | Health Coach Institute

More detail about their unique combination of health and life coaching

Get a Health & Life Coaching Certificate. Why You Need Both, From A Seasoned Health and Life Coach

Health Coach Institute Review

Overall
7
Pros
All online
150-hour self-paced program
Health and Life Coaching certification
Strong track record (100s of positive reviews on Facebook, Youtube, Trustpilot)
Not uncommon to have graduates making $5000-$10000 per month
1-on-1 mentoring
Weekly live peer to peer coaching practice
Proven done-for-you client programs that have earned coaches $1000’s
Extensive done-for-you client and marketing handouts
Foster a very tight knit and inspiring community
Most extensive business and marketing training of all programs
Accredited by 3 institutions
Cons
Price is a little steep, but be on the lookout for those discounts when you sign up to their email list!

Pillar 1: Holistic Nutrition for Coaches

Pillar 2: Habit Change Coaching Method

Pillar 3: Personal Growth (The Life Coach Certificate)

Pillar 4: Proven Marketing & Simple Business Systems

  • International Coach Federation (ICF) – The Become a Health Coach program is CCE accredited by the International Coach Federation. The International Coaching Federation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to professional coaching. ICF has been the gold standard in coaching for over 25 years.
  • Health Coach Alliance – The Become a Health Coach program has met strict Health Coach Alliance guidelines. Accreditation of educational programs is focused on quality of instruction, overall curriculum, program delivery, and determining whether students completing the program have successfully learned the materials by way of effective knowledge testing methods. Completing our Become a Health Coach Program will allow our graduates to receive the Registered Health Coach (RHC) Designation.
  • Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT) – The Become a Health Coach program is fully approved by the Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT). FHT accreditation ensures that course providers and prospective students can be sure that qualifications and courses have been independently and externally assessed, meeting the highest standards. The Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT) is the UK’s leading professional association for therapists. *The Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT) is the UK’s largest professional association for therapists, ensuring high standards in therapy education and practice since 1962. FHT runs the largest Accredited Register of complementary therapists to have been independently accredited by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, a body accountable to parliament, helping the public to choose a non-statutory regulated health practitioner with confidence.

Health Coach Institute Review

Done-For-You Materials

What I really really like about this program is the crazy amount of done-for-you materials. This is a HUGE time saver. If you’re not yet a coach, let’s just say you’re in for an eye-opener.

Creating detox and nutrition programs is a huge ask! Believe me! We’re talking about spending hours upon hours creating programs—only to ask yourself…is this what people want? Will it work? Will they stick to it? Will it create happy clients? Will it generate referrals?

Health Coach Institute provides these programs for you…and not only that…they’ve tested over and over again and been proven to work. These programs sell!

In addition to creating programs, you must think about creating handouts, infographics, checklists, and much more. Again, these are all handed to you and ready to call your own.

Business Marketing

You may be the most caring, inspiring and educated health coach out there—but nobody will ever know if you don’t know how to sell yourself and your services.

One of the best ways to know if a company’s business and marketing course is top-notch is to observe their own marketing. One can only expect to be taught what the other practices.

If you observe Health Coach Institute’s website, social media channels and ads, you’ll see how effective their marketing is. They stand out from the crown, it’s quite obvious.

Their marketing is top-notch, way ahead of the field, and this is what you can expect to learn to do for yourself as a Health and Life Coach once you graduated from their program. Stand out from the crowd.

Most courses have a lesson or two on business and marketing. Health Coach Institute has an entire module!

How is the Health Coach Institute program delivered?

The training is published in weekly modules and is accompanied by a myriad of resources to help you solidify your learning. Each lesson builds on the previous one so you know exactly what to focus on first, second, and third … in order to become a pro.

Multimedia Formats: Watch, Listen, or Read
Lessons come in three convenient media formats: video, MP3, and PDF so you can view, listen to, or read them depending on your learning method.

Short Lessons
They have broken our lessons down into short, digestible sections so you can ingest, act on, and grasp the information without cluttering or overwhelming the information!

Interactive Weekly Skills Labs
Since knowledge is meaningless without practice, also work with your peers in weekly skills labs where you can apply what you have learned in a safe environment and improve your skills to make you feel safe with paying customers. Labs give you practice, support, and accountability like nothing else!

Mentorship
They are there to support and guide you every step of the way. Your program will include phone calls with your personal success coach where you can ask questions, share successes, and overcome obstacles. lots of guidance and insights from your program mentors.

How is the Health Coach Institute program delivered?

The training is published in weekly modules and is accompanied by a myriad of resources to help you solidify your learning. Each lesson builds on the previous one so you know exactly what to focus on first, second, and third … in order to become a pro.

Multimedia Formats: Watch, Listen, or Read
Lessons come in three convenient media formats: video, MP3, and PDF so you can view, listen to, or read them depending on your learning method.

Short Lessons
They have broken our lessons down into short, digestible sections so you can ingest, act on, and grasp the information without cluttering or overwhelming the information!

Interactive Weekly Skills Labs
Since knowledge is meaningless without practice, also work with your peers in weekly skills labs where you can apply what you have learned in a safe environment and improve your skills to make you feel safe with paying customers. Labs give you practice, support, and accountability like nothing else!

Mentorship
They are there to support and guide you every step of the way. Your program will include phone calls with your personal success coach where you can ask questions, share successes, and overcome obstacles. lots of guidance and insights from your program mentors.

CommunitySurrounding yourself with uplifting and encouraging people has the power to change your life, and at HCI they wholeheartedly believe in the power of community. That is why your students experience so much of their training together! Access to your tribe. Whether you need help with a problem, a challenge from a client, or just need a breakthrough, this is a safe place for you to be yourself and feel seen.

Health Coach Institute: My Review Of The Health Coach Institutes Become A Health Coach Program
Health Coach Institute: My Review of HCI's Become a Health Coach Program
Health Coach Institute: My Review of Health Coach Institute's Become a Health Coach Program
BHC-HCI Review

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a Health Coach and a Life Coach?

In short, a Health Coach focuses on nutrition and lifestyle changes to promote better health whereas a Life Coach typically isn’t trained to give specific health or nutritional advice and focuses on broader aspects of one’s life such as relationships, career, money, life goals, spirituality, and personal growth. There may be some overlap in areas such as emotional well-being, spirituality, and generic health and activity goals.

How do you become a certified Health Coach?

You can become a certified health coach by completing any Health Coach certification in the post or elsewhere. You don’t need any prerequisites.

Can anyone become a Health Coach?

The short answer, yes, anyone can become a Health Coach. The Health Coaching profession is unregulated and therefore anyone can call themselves a Health Coach even without a certification.

Conclusion

In case you decided to skip parts of the post, I want to reiterate that the best all-around online Health Coach Certification Program is Natural Wellness Academy, hands down. This is regardless of whether you’re looking to make a career out of Health Coaching or if you’re already an established professional in the health and wellness field and looking to add Health Coaching to your current resume.

NWA is the best Health Coaching Certification program for those looking to make a career solely from being a Certified Health Coach, I do not recommend any of the other health coaching certifications if this is you. I can most definitely understand if $2795 sounds like a lot of money to some of you (Hint: sign up to their email list, discounts of up to 20% have been offered before).

Think about it this way, if you’re aspiring to create a career from being a great Health Coach then you need a great education AND a great mentor. NWA offers both of those. It’s an investment now that will definitely pay off later. If you cannot afford it now, I highly recommend you wait and save up, and don’t rush into a cheaper program that you won’t be able to build a career out of.

Detailed reviews of other areas of certification:

Holistic Nutrition Certifications

Online Life Coaching Certifications

Business Coach Certifications

CBD Coach Certifications

Online Meditation Teacher Certifications

I truly hope this helped you make an informed decision toward what step you want to take next.

If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact me, I WILL respond.

May you awaken
May you see clearly
May you be love

Take care ♥

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4 thoughts on “8 Best Health Coach Certifications For All Budgets (2023)”

  1. I was searching for a health coaching certification that would be affordable for me. I did a quick Google search and came across your site (glad I did). I’m happy to see that there are tons of health coaching certifications to choose from!

    Reply

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