An article in Psychology Today: Coaching the Coaches, is an interesting read. Published many years ago, in 2002, it’s a very quick read that dishes a little dirt on the coaching industry.

Is Psychology Better Than Coaching?

The brief article speaks about the fact that many coaches are untrained in the fields in which they work. It also explores the fact that coaches lack training in clinical psychology and this leads them to misuse psychological tools and to potentially miss deep-seated psychological problems and issues.

Does this make psychologists better than coaches?

Not necessarily. You can’t deny that psychologists are better trained overall than coaches. They all need to have a high level of training and education, while anyone can hang out a shingle and call themselves a coach. The Psychology Today, Coaching the Coaches article decries the lack of training for many coaches, but things are changing.

Coaching is Changing and Getting Better

Since this article was written, things have stayed the same, but they have also changed. It’s still true that there are no requirements that coaches need to follow when becoming coaches. They do not need any specific training or a professional license to be a coach.

However, with more people getting into the coaching industry and more individuals seeking help from coaches, the demand for proper training is increasing. Coaches are also seeking to understand psychological tools and assessments, and use some of the skills and tools from clinical psychological in their practices.

Psychology Today – Coaching the Coaches

Look online for the article in Psychology Today. Coach the coaches it seems to be saying, and that is certainly a viable solution. More and more coaches are getting the training they need to be successful in a competitive environment, and to provide the right outcomes for their clients.

In 2012, the International Coach Federation estimated that there were 47,500 coaches worldwide, with about a third of those in the United States. The numbers have probably increased since then. Membership in the ICF has grown to over 25,000 and it is estimated that about 15,000 of all coaches in the world are credentialed.

Coach Credentialing Will Increase

Though there are no legal requirements today for coaches to be credentialed, it is almost certain that credentialing will increase. Competition and public demand for trained and accredited coaches will surely increase, and coaches will strive to meet this demand.

Individuals go into coaching for many reasons – the Psychology Today: Coaching the Coaches article states that managed-care free environment as the main draw. Well, this may be one of the draws, but the ability to make a difference is why many people enter the coaching profession.

The article in Psychology Today: Coaching the Coaches is worth the read. It details an issue within the coaching industry – the lack of professional training. However, things have changed since this was written. More coaches are seeking out high-level training, and many of them continue their education even after becoming successful coaches.

Hope you took some great value out of this post today! I’d love to hear your feedback, so make sure you leave a comment with your thoughts or questions. And also, you can click on the Twitter button below to retweet this article… Thank you!

Fred Philips
Business Coach
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