What life coaching certifications mean:
On September 10, 2019 by Tyra Woodall
CLC, ACC, PCC, MCC- What do all these letters mean?!?! Do you ever wonder what the letters behind a person’s name stand for… I am constantly “googling” to figure out. When it comes to Life Coaching certifications it is even more confusing and google is no help.
The chart below will help you better understand life coaching certifications.
(The descriptions in the last column are only to help you understand. Not to compare the certifications to getting those degrees 😊.)
| Abbreviations: | Requirements: | Think: |
| CLC= Certified Life Coach | 60 hours of training | High School |
| *ACC= Associate Certified Coach | 60 hours training+ 100 hours experience + Coach Knowledge Assessment | Bachelor’s Degree |
| *PCC= Professionally Certified Coach | 125 hours training +500 hours experience +Coach Knowledge Assessment | Master’s Degree |
| *MCC= Master Certified Coach | 200 hours training + 2,500 hours experience + Coach Knowledge Assessment | Doctoral Degree |
*Recognized by the International Coaching Federation.
There are many places (Coaching Institutes, Schools, online companies, etc) that will tell you how to become a life coach. However, they need to be a placed recognized by the International Coaching Federation as an Accredited Coach Training Program. To be a life coach, technically, you do not have to have a certification at this time. Although, it is being talked about in several states as the next step. This, unfortunately, leaves room for people to claim the title with little to no formal training. Therefore, they are missing the crucial competencies and skills of successful life coach.
Please always check with your life coach for their credentials. Make sure they are certified and have experience coaching.
Here are 5 questions to ask your potential life coach.