FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Welcome to the FAQs section for the Health Care Life Coach certification program. This area is provided to you as a source of information that may be more clarified, related to questions you may have in regards to our 
certification program. Information regarding recertification, as well as information about our online continuing education courses, is also provided. We highly recommend that you first thoroughly review all of the information on our website, under the main page for Health Care Life Coach Certification. Access main page.
If after reviewing all of the provided information and this FAQs section, any other questions may be addressed by completing our request for information form online here. Thank you for your interest in our Health Care Life Coach program.
HEALTHCARE LIFE COACHING BLOG: Please visit our Healthcare Coaching interactive web blog. Our blog contains articles, news, events and information related the Health Coaching and Life Coaching field.
What is Certification?
Answer: Certification is a voluntary process provided by via an organization that through its qualified advisory boards develops comprehensive and quality standards for the practice of a type of specialty. The developed standards address high quality requirements for the practice of a certain specialty. The defined standards outline educational and/or practice requirements, any required prerequisites, and the need to adhere to a defined code of ethics for the practice specialty. Certification is different than any type of licensing. Certification is one means by which professionals may be publicly recognized as achieving a high level of education, knowledge base and practice skills for a certain healthcare related specialty. Certification also assists employer organizations and clients in their assessment of appropriate qualifications for candidates seeking positions in organizations and/or involved in private practices. It is commonly held that certification through an organization is fast becoming a “gold standard” for specialty practices. Certification testifies and provides a verification of defined educational requirements, adherence to a solid code of ethics, and in many instances prerequisites of practice experience for the practice in a variety of fields.
What Are the Criteria/standards I Will Need to Meet to Achieve Certification?
Answer: The educational criteria and standards are well and clearly defined within our website. Please access our main page to preview these requirements. Access here.
May I Apply for and Be Conferred Certification if I Have Been Practicing as a Health Care Life Coach in a Clinical Setting or Private Practice With Out They Need to Meet the Educational Requirements?
Answer: No. The Board that oversees the development and approval of defined criteria and standards for certification will not consider only practice experience as meeting requirements in full. This decision was made as those who are already in consulting practices have varied and different experiences related to life coaching in health care education and counseling and there is no insured uniformity that all who have practiced as a health care life coach have the same knowledge base and skills attainment. The evaluation of one’s past practice experiences in coaching and in health care is highly variable and subjective. As such, the Board has developed objective criteria/standards for the conferral of certification. For these reasons, practice experience without the attainment of education will not be considered as fulfilling criteria and standards for our certification.
Over the Years, I Have Completed Many Seminars and Continuing Education Courses Related to Life Coaching, Health Care and Nutrition/wellness. Will These Apply Toward the Education Requirements for Certification?
Answer: Please send in any transcript for review to determine if they can be utilized and an AIHCP course waived. You can contact us here.
What is the Major Practice Focus of a Certified Health Care Life Coach?
Answer: a certified health care life coach, as defined by the American Institute of Health Care Professionals, Inc, is a previously licensed or certified health care professional who has achieved a high level of education, knowledge and skills in the following areas;
- coaching and mentoring
- health care
- nutrition and wellness consulting
There is an emphasis placed on attaining wellness and an emphasis on disease prevention, as well as a holistic approach encompassing body/mind and spirit.
Certified Health Care Life Coaches are health care professionals who use their knowledge of change management therapies and strategies to work with clients or groups to facilitate major behavior changes in overall health care, such as weight loss facilitation, smoking cessation, physical fitness, and many other areas of personal health. The Health Care Life Coach uses change therapy and theories, along with motivational psychology and support therapies to assist clients in developing plans to change poor health behaviors, implement effective behaviors toward better health status, and/or develop and implement plans for preventative health care living.
The Health Care Life Coach is also schooled in nutrition and wellness consulting, allowing them to serve as teachers and mentors in client plan development for disease management and preventative health care. They assist clients in understanding the importance of good nutrition and eating habits to assist in their goals for health.
Certified Health Care Life Coaches also incorporate their knowledge and skills in change management and coaching/mentoring directly into their own specific practice specialty or specialties in health care. As such, they are able to offer a wide variety of care services utilizing a coaching/client mentoring model.
Where Do Certified Health Care Life Coaches Practice?
Answer: Health Care Life Coaches practice in many varied settings today. The services of well trained/educated coaches/mentors in health care are in much demand throughout our country and throughout the world. Health Care reform is mandating a new and more innovative model of care delivery, one that focuses on wellness and health care prevention. The need for such health care life coaches will continue to escalate well into the future. Our health care life coaches may practice in many varied settings, including; ambulatory care practices, wellness centers, managed care organizations, fitness centers, social agencies, hospital and health care agency patient teaching programs, community organizations, in private practice as allowed by licensing laws, in collaboration with medical staff, psychologists, licensed counselors, social workers, case managers, mental health agencies, therapists, etc. Potential practice settings are unlimited within the overall health care delivery system.
More specifically, health care life coaches incorporate their knowledge and skills in coaching/mentoring and in nutrition and wellness consulting directly into their own specific and current practice specialties. This offers clients a more synergistic approach to health care delivery and provides for multiple benefits to clients and populations receiving care. All licensed health care professionals are eligible to enter the program for Health Care Life Coach Certification.
What is the Process for Achieving This Certification?
Answer: There is a two-phase process. In order to provide clear and sufficient information on the process we have developed a separate page that defines the process. You may access this information on the certification process at this link: click here.
How Can I Submit an Application?
Answer: Making application is easy. We provide an online application form and a printable application form as well. Those wishing to make application can find these forms at this link. Please note that incomplete applications will not be reviewed. All applications that are submitted must include all required documents and verification as specified for review and consideration of certification conferral. Before making any application, you must meet the defined pre-requisites for a given program and have successfully completed the full continuing education curriculum, or a curriculum from a program that AIHCP, Inc. has officially approved.
After Certification is There a Recertification Process?
Answer: Yes. The American Institute of Health Care Professionals provides a full program for recertification. Detailed information on the criteria to be recertified, after the four-year initial certification period, is provided on our website. Access here.
I Am Currently Certified by the American Institute of Health Care Professionals. I Know I Am Required to Achieve Additional Education in Order to Qualify for Recertification in the Future. Do You Offer Any Continuing Education Courses That I May Take to Meet My Recertification Requirements?
Answer: Yes, we offer recertification CE courses. You can view them all by category at the following link. Access here.
Do You Have Any Testimonials From Professionals Who Have Become Certified Through Your Programs?
Answer: Yes. We have a testimonials page on our website that you may view at the following link. Access Here.