How to Become a Mental Health Coach: Certifications & Requirements
See the steps to become a certified mental health coach and get started today. Register for our next cohort now!
Registration now open for 2024
How Do You Become a Mental Health Coach?
To become a certified mental health coach, you must complete the following 5 steps:
Step 1: Earn an Associate’s Degree or Higher
This degree also does not have to be in a psychology or health related field, but if you are interested in becoming a mental health coach, taking courses in these areas is a great way to initiate the learning process.
Step 2: Complete an Accredited Coach Training Program
Wave’s mental health coaching program was the first accredited health and wellness coaching program with an emphasis on mental well-being. Our fully remote, National Board Approved course takes 16 weeks and leaves you ready to apply to sit for the national certification exam.
Step 4: Apply for and Pass the National Board Certification Exam
Our mental health coaching training program prepares you for the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching exam. We also offer specific board exam preparation sessions to support trainees in obtaining this top certification in the field.
Step 3: Log 50 coaching sessions
After completing your mental health coaching training program, you’ll need to log a minimum of 50 coaching sessions that are 20 minutes or longer. Wave supports its trainees in receiving these sessions through crowd-sourcing potential clients via the whole cohort. Learn more about NBHWC coaching log requirements here.
Step 5: Find clients and begin coaching
Finding clients can be one of the toughest parts of becoming a mental health coach. That’s why we’ve partnered with three different organizations to help you at this stage of the process.
Health Coach Training Programs
How Long Are Health Coach Training Programs?
Wave’s Mental Health Coach training program is 16 weeks long. We have chosen this duration to support trainees' ability to learn, integrate, and practice with the key concepts that are a part of our curriculum.
Our curriculum includes seven 2-week modules as well as one introductory week and one closing week to bookend the training experience. In the 7 core modules there are a mixture of asynchronous and synchronous, small and large group training sessions that are facilitated by members of our Coach Training Team.
We also offer three practical skills assessments where members of our training team review trainee coaching samples and deliver 1:1 feedback to help each trainee advance their skills.
After the third practical skills assessment, trainees can begin collecting the 50 coaching sessions required to apply for the National Board Exam. We align the timing of our program to support your efficiency in obtaining certification so you have enough time for this step before the application windows of the National Board Exam. Check out future exam dates here.
What Subjects Do Health Coach Training Programs Cover?
A good coach training program designs its curriculum so its students can become effective coaches. This means that it will cover core competencies of coaching including:
How to initiate coaching engagements with clients
How to structure coaching sessions
How to build relationships and rapport with clients
How to support clients with increasing motivation and pursuing behavior change.
How to help clients build autonomy in their own success
Our training program does all of this and is anchored from a behavioral health perspective. This means that we fully understand that thoughts, behaviors, physiological sensations and feelings are all connected. Along with this, we also believe in DEIJB, trauma-informed care, and emotional well-being, and that clients are best supported when each and all of those aspects are taken into account within the coaching experience.
Our mental health coaching curriculum takes intentional care to support coaches in building the skills to support clients as whole people from this vantage point, and we help trainees to do the same so they can best leverage our unique and proprietary model for emotional well-being.
Start the path to become a Mental Health Coach
Health Coach Training Cost
How much does it cost to become a certified mental health coach?
There are many factors that inform the total cost of becoming a board certified health and wellness coach. These include: education prior to your coach training program, the training program you choose, cost of applying for the exam, and the cost for taking the exam.
There may also be repeat costs if passing the exam takes more than one sitting.
We have priced and structured our mental health coach training program intentionally so our students can receive a high-quality training experience at an accessible price.
We support our students by providing the textbook for all trainees, as well as a digital library of free resources.
Our program is fully remote so you do not need to incur additional costs for travel to attend training sessions in person.
We offer free exam preparation courses (something that other programs generally charge for).
We offer payment plans to support students in choosing which option would best support them.
What happens after I pass the National Health Coaching Certification?
Results from the National Board Exam typically come 8-10 weeks after the exam period ends. If you do not pass on the first try, you are eligible to sit for it again.
Holding National Board Certification is not a requirement to begin working with clients, however it is an increasingly common preferred or required qualification for companies who hire coaches and offer coaching services.
Once NBHWC certification is obtained, each coach is responsible for maintaining their certification via continuing education. Each coach is responsible for completing 36 hours of approved continuing education material every 3 years, and paying an annual renewal fee for their certification.
Starting to Coach
There are many options available for coaches in how and where they want to practice. Some people prefer to create their own independent practices, others choose to work for companies or healthcare practices that employ coaches. Some people choose to do both!
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STEP 1: Tell us about yourself and what drew you to our program
Contact Information
Your Background and Resume
Answering a Question (written, audio, or video responses welcome!)
Demographic Details
STEP 2: Select Payment Preference
Financial Assistance, if needed
Payment Plans
1 Payment of $4000.00
3 Payments of $1333.33
5 Payments of $800.00
7 Payments of $571.43
9 Payments of $444.44