Whether you’re just starting your coaching journey or you have coaching experience under your belt, it’s always a great next step to narrow your focus and become more specialized. Luckily for coaches, the list of specialties is nearly endless, but one of the most popular options is spiritual coaching.

Spiritual life coaching uses a lot of the same techniques as conventional coaching–behavior modification, pattern recognition, and identifying negative self-talk–but it does so with a focus on deeper healing, and how that healing can be seen through the perspective of the universe as a whole.

If you know you’d like to focus your coaching efforts along a more spiritual path, finding the best spiritual life coach certification program will be the ideal first step. In this article we’ll be doing just that, covering three programs that are all ICF-accredited and focused on the spiritual nature of self-healing.

Let’s get started.

Life Purpose Institute

Life Purpose Institute offers 60 hour programs, which can be completed in as little as three months. They offer a Certified Life Coach (C.L.C) program as well as a Certified Spiritual Coach (C.S.C) program. These are all ICF-accredited programs.

Having served clients from all over the world for a total of almost four decades, Life Purpose Institute has helped life coaches develop their skills to help their clients in all areas of their lives.

For each program, there is a six month online option that meets one night a week via video conferencing, as well as a three month option that meets twice a week.

Video conferencing may be a good option for those who are limited in their ability to travel to an in person course, those who need to be able to learn at their own pace due to current family responsibilities, jobs, learning style, etc., or those who already feel they have a good deal of coaching experience and are now pursuing certification in order to officially begin coaching.

Of course, there are downsides to meeting exclusively online – some find the technology to impede relationships which are vital to coaching success. There is also more risk of distractions or even technical challenges. Take these things and your own motivation level with online courses into consideration.

The cost for these programs regardless of which option you choose is $2,500. There is a separate $1,000 fee for Individual Mentoring & Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP) Completion.

The areas of focus for Life Purpose Institute include coaching methods, tools, and marketing strategies. Specifically, the Certified Spiritual Coach program teaches you tools like the Spiritual Mastery Process, a way to help clients embrace their spiritual life and ensure it is not disconnected from their everyday decisions and challenges. Additional continual learning opportunities are also available.

The Center for Transformational Coaching

The Center for Transformational Coaching boasts graduates from 36 different countries, and offers training that will give you advanced communication techniques, while also helping you to be able to recognize and meet ethical guidelines, establish trust with clients, and reap the advantages of active listening during sessions.

The Center for Transformational Coaching offers two different programs. They are both 60 hours of coach specific training. Both will enable a coach by fulfilling all ICF training requirements to be able to apply for the ACC, although one provides 10 hours of mentor coaching which is also necessary in order to apply and the other does not.

Training is achieved in two parts, with the first, Life Coaching Basics, being made up of six hours of calls (Support Integration Calls) between faculty and students and 12 hours of self-study for a total of 18 hours. In addition to the required materials for the self-study content, a wide range of additional resources are available.

The second part is the Deep Coaching Intensive (DCI). A minimum of 42 hours of training will include studies on mindfulness, principals from practical psychology, and spiritual wisdom. The DCI program package, which includes the Life Coaching Basics, is $5,349.

Completion of these programs will give you everything you need to serve your clients both in the coaching arena as well as the business tools you need.

The Coach Training Academy

The Coach Training Academy views spiritual life coaching as an opportunity to uncover deep-rooted beliefs while exploring a client’s spiritual connection. A spiritual life coach is expected to go beyond just understanding and being able to convey spiritual principles – he or she is expected to also live by them and experience growth because of them.

After a 24 week ICF coaching program, you can complete the two month long Master Spiritual Life Coach Program. The program costs $1,997 for the basic coaching program, with a payment plan option available, and then another $250 for the Master Spiritual Life Coach certification. Scholarships and additional payment plans are offered.

This program is virtual, employing tele-class, Skype, or a webinar. The 24 independent modules are delivered over telephone conference calls. Upon request, Corporate Coach Training, Leadership Training, and Team Training are possible to arrange. The organization has offices in Bangkok, Thailand; Manila, Philippines; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Blaine, Washington; Vancouver, Canada; and New York.

Conclusion

While these programs have various advantages and disadvantages depending on your budget, intended scope, and availability, you can feel confident with any of them, as they are all accredited by the foremost coaching authority worldwide, the International Coach Federation (ICF). As such, they will help you in creating a sustainable business which your clients can trust.

As a new coach, you’ll have a lot of work to do in finding an office space if needed, building your service offerings and setting your rates, getting referrals, and delving into your marketing. All of these programs should assist with these concerns as they arise.

A program is not the right fit if it lacks in daily life applicability to your anticipated work, costs too much for what you are able to recoup between your program and other startup necessities, or has instructors who are not skilled in the areas you need to learn the most. The program you select should give you evidence that you will gain field knowledge, business skills, and a sense of confidence.

In choosing one of these accredited programs, you will be well on your way to having your own successful life coaching practice.