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1. What does the Institute for Life Coach Training (ILCT) do?
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We are a virtual training school for persons wanting to transition into the field of life coaching. Ours is an abbreviated course of study targeting those who already have experience in people-helping capacities such as psychotherapists, professional or pastoral counselors, lay counselors, 12-step group facilitators, and similar service providers.
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2. How are the classes taught?
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All of our classes are taught via telephone using the latest technology to link up students throughout the world by telebridge. No special equipment is required; you simply dial a regular long-distance number and a computer hooks you up to our virtual classroom. Two professional coaches facilitate each class using a combination of lecture, class discussion, and live coaching. Readings for each class are assigned from two texts and homework assignments are provided in a 400+ page Training Curriculum. Each student is paired with another person from the class and they are assigned to meet weekly by phone to discuss integration of the material and try out new skills by practice-coaching each other.
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3. What is the policy on missed classes?
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According to ICF standards, you are allowed 5 or fewer absences and are still able to graduate with full credit for the 40 hour course. If you miss 6 or more, you must repeat the entire course in order to receive credit. If you'd really like to catch the lecture material, you can also listen in to any class on the website's audiopodium.
To earn Continuing Education Units (for clinicians and practitioners only) you must participate in 100% of the sessions. For emergencies situations you must contact Edwina Adams at the ILCT.
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4. What is the benefit of receiving formal training in life coaching?
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Although formal training is not yet required to practice life coaching, it is our firm belief that those who have been trained through a recognized institution are generally more skilled and professional in their service delivery. Coaching draws upon numerous disciplines and yet is a distinct profession. Our training clarifies these distinctions, covers the skills of effective coaching, addresses business development and marketing of a coaching business, and invites students to carefully examine their own lives to ensure alignment with coaching principles of a personal life vision, mission and purpose. Additionally, formal training aids the public in making an informed decision about selection of a coach, as they look to schooling and certification as marks of credibility.
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5. Are there any prerequisites for becoming a student in the ILCT?
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No. However, because this is an accelerated program (five months, as contrasted with some programs lasting 12 months or more), we recommend that students have a fairly good base of training and experience in people-helping roles. We assume participants have a solid understanding of active listening skills, ability to quickly establish trust and rapport, and good awareness of their use of "self" within a designed relationship.
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6. What does a person get upon completion of the program?
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Graduates receive a certificate verifying completion of the training and are able to download an icon for use on websites and other promotional material that identifies them as having received training at the Institute for Life Coach Training.
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7. Why does ILCT have a Christian Track?
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Life coaching is about examining the entirety of a person's life; their core values, sense of life purpose or calling, and the fulfillment of that calling on every plane of their being. In as much as this includes examination of one's spirituality and theological beliefs, Christians often prefer to train under facilitators who ascribe to their same core beliefs. Likewise, many Christians seeking to hire a coach prefer that he or she holds their same convictions and works within a Christian world view and value system. For those who desire training from a distinctly Christian perspective, we offer this unique track - the first of its kind. ILCT has trained more Christian coaches than any other professional program in the world.
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8. What makes the Christian Track different from the regular track?
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The classes are facilitated from a distinctly Christian perspective by our Director, Christopher McCluskey, and Judy Santos, President of the Christian Coaches Network. Their theological framework is nondenominational, fairly conservative, and evangelical. Chris and Judy are both full time practicing coaches who work from a model similar to that presented in Christian Coaching (Navpress) by Dr. Gary R. Collins (this book can be found at your Christian bookstore or purchased online at the Christian Coaches Network.)
All of the basic coaching skills, business development, marketing techniques, and self-examination covered in the regular track are also covered in the Christian track. The format of the classes, assigned texts, and curriculum guide are the same. Each class begins with a prayer for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and five minutes of mutual encouragement, sharing praises for God’s blessings through the learning and the development of students’ businesses. Coaching principles from the readings are examined in view of Scripture and a framework for a distinctly Christian approach to coaching is developed.
Most of the skills and principles of professional coaching are immediately transferable to a Christian model of practice. Some of the foundational assumptions, however, are quite different. For example, a common approach to coaching from a secular perspective can be summed up as follows: "We strongly believe that we are all the creator and director of our own life drama, able to create ‘on purpose’ what your life will look like, feel like, and be like. It is your opportunity and responsibility to write the script, be the producer and director and to gather the other characters in your life drama.”
By contrast, a core assumption of the Christian Track is summed up clearly by Tom Paterson in his book Living the Life You Were Meant to Live (Nelson): “A Life Plan is God’s plan for your life. It is not a plan that you conceive and develop, but a plan that you discover through a series of helpful exercises and processes” (p. 7 – emphasis added). These differing foundational assumptions can have a dramatic impact on the coaching alliance and the spirit in which the work of coaching is done.
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9. Do graduates of the Christian Track have the same credibility as the regular track?
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Absolutely. Neither the ILCT nor the International Coach Federation (ICF) draws any distinction between graduates of either track. Graduates of the Christian track even have the option of receiving a certificate that does not specify which track they completed, if they so desire. (Some prefer this if they plan to service both Christian and secular markets.) Please note that training through the Christian Track at the ILCT does not limit you to only working with Christians. It simply ensures that your faith base will be integrated into your training. Many of our students service both Christian and non-Christian clients.
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10. I’ve heard that once a training program is completed, people can go on to become certified in coaching. Can graduates of ILCT become certified?
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Yes. There are several coaching certifications available. All ILCT graduates receive 40 hours of coach-specific training, which count towards the education hours required for numerous certification programs including those of the International Coach Federation (ICF). Our program is accredited by the ICF. ILCT also offers a certification of our own – the Certified Life Coach (CLC) designation. For information on this, visit the Institute for Life Coach Training.
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11. When do classes meet?
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The Christian Track meets for one hour on Mondays and Wednesdays at 2:00 PM or 6:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, excluding holidays.
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12. What is the cost of the program?
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Tuition for the ILCT Foundations program (whether Christian or regular track) is $2,295.
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13. I'm not in an official people-helping profession. How do I know if I would qualify?
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If you're not a helping professional, but would be interested in taking our courses, please fill out this form and return it via email or fax to see if you qualify.
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14. How does a person register for the next class?
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Registration can be done online at the Institute for Life Coach Training (scroll down to bottom of page) or by calling Edwina Adams at (972) 867-1915. We accept Visa, Master Card, American Express, check, or money order. Payment plans are available. If you have further questions regarding the Christian Track, please email us at ilct@christian-living.com. You may also attend one of our informational phone bridgeline calls. Click here for more information on the schedule.
Three articles on transitioning into life coaching are available upon request at www.christian-living.com. You can also download two chapters from the book Christian Coaching on that site, which will give you a sense of coaching in practice.
To get a sense of what other Christians are doing in the field of life coaching, visit the Christian Coaches Network at www.christiancoaches.com
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15. How much homework should I expect? |
We estimate about an hour and a half's worth of reading & written exercises in the Curriculum Guide for each class. So with two hours of class per week, that would be an additional 3 hours of "homework" time. Also, everyone in the class is paired up with someone else from the class as a "coach buddy" to practice the coaching skills you'll be learning. The two of you will be connecting for one hour each week on your own time, outside of class, to practice.
So that's 2 hours of class, 3 hours of homework, and 1 hour of buddy practice per week for a total (minimum) of 6 hours per week. If you are also working on building the "infrastructure" of your coaching business while taking this course, you would want to factor in additional time.
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16. What is the time commitment for the course, other than the weekly 2 hours of class. |
This course typically requires 90 minutes of prep time prior to each class. All total expect to spend a minimum of 6 hours per week (2 for class, 3 for prep, and 1 for buddy coaching). If you are also simultaneously building the "infrastructure" for your coaching business (reserving domain name, building website, developing forms, setting up charge account, etc.), that would obviously require additional time.
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17. What method is involved in coaching and being coached during the course? |
Each student is assigned a 'buddy' with whom to practice the skills from the readings and class disussions. We also encourage (though it is NOT required) that students work with a mentor coach of your own to help establish the nuts & bolts of a business and marketing plan. If you are seeking ceritifcation, that would require you having been privately coached for at least six months (reference the section of the ILCT website at www.lifecoachtraining.com called "I want to become a certified coach").
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18. Does this course cover how to market and reach potential clients? |
Five of the forty hours of training are specifically targeted to marketing and business development. These will provide good general guidelines, but there are other advanced courses offered through ILCT which address marketing in far more detail. Marketing/business development is one of the primary things we recommend you partner with a private mentor coach you hire. Your marketing plan will need to be specifically tailored to the clientele you are trying to reach, and to your particular skills set & "style" of marketing.
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19. What is a reasonable expectation for building a coaching practice? |
A new business (ANY new business -- not just coaching) usually takes at least three years to develop to the point of really being "established". As far as income potential, that varies hugely depending on the niche markets being targeted and the vision an individual coach has for what they consider to be a successful coaching business. Some are only looking to pick up an additional source of income, so $10 - $20,000/year in something they can do from home is very attractive and constitutes success for them. Others are wanting to transition out of their previous work altogether and are able to bring in $60 - $80,000 or, with multiple streams of income (telegroups, teleclasses, speaking/writing, etc.) Some coaches are making well into the 6-figure range.
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20. Does the coaches tool box provides a structure of getting information from a client?
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Yes. And there are additional sample forms in the backs of some of the texts as well. You'll receive lots of sample forms and exercises to use and adapt for your own practice.
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