Life Coaching: A Legitimate Profession or a Scam?  

A lot of the explanations of coaching sounds like none of these people actually know what therapy is or that there are different methods in therapy. The idea that therapy looks backwards and coaching looks forward is completely inaccurate, the idea that therapists Tell you what to do is inaccurate, the idea that therapy isn’t client centered or guided is inaccurate and so is every other comment the coaches make regarding therapy. Someone is not mention this video and I haven’t seen you mention, probably because it’s not part of your circle, is that life coaching is also very big in the non-binary and trans space. It’s really big in those spaces because people don’t feel safe going to therapists and as in the US we see something like 400 anti-trans bills being proposed just in 2023. The access is getting even less because some therapists, if their gender affirming couldn’t get a license in states with anti-trans laws and in the US you have to have a license in the state your client is in even for virtual therapy. And I think that this is really part of the harm done to non binary and trans people because there is no actual use for life coaching but in a situation where an actual mental health professional cannot get license in the state because the state is practicing Eugenics (which is the purpose of these laws, it was stated ar whatever the gop conference is made that the goal is to get rid of transgenderism) a non-binary or trans person that is coaching you through your feelings of gender dysphoria can be helpful but that paid coach is only necessary because the government of many states is actively engaged in attempting the genocide of trans folks. And I’ll be even more clear, Iowa has a bill proposing a ban on gay marriage so this issue is likely to grow in the LGBTQ+ community at large because the access of affirming and safe therapists is likely to decrease significantly.

The biggest concern I have about this issue is the life coaches that would continue seeing/charging someone who should really be seeing a therapist. The person being coached could wind up in a mental health crisis situation that the coach is totally unable to help them through. Very dangerous!

I agree...life coaching should absolutely NOT be a thing if no one is going to regulate it. We are going to see so much more harm than good come out of this and it's terrifying

I think all the 'life coaches' I know are messes - even if they're not necessarily aware of it 🤣 They fall either into the categories of 'grandiose know-it-all', or 'relentless attention-seeker' (sometimes both). And yes, 'woo-woo' hit the nail on the head: the woo-woo streak that permeates the 'coaching' industry in general, is particularly strong in this subset. Absolutely ridiculous. Which ties all the other shady stuff together - the completely made-up pricing, the lack of actual skills, the toxic positivity, the manipulation and fearmongering. This toxic (and often self-contradicting) mishmash doesn't need to make sense when you just operate on magical thinking!

Life Coaches are full of crap! Most of the lessons have already been taught. Its regurgitated info from different personalities. Most of the life coaches have major issues themselves and project that image on to their audience

I am curious :)....have you ever worked with a life coach? I agree with many of these, absolutely true! Therapy is amazing! There are some things we can only do in therapy. But many have been in therapy for many years, and still have not made progress. Many who come to a life coach make more progress with their coach than in years of therapy. I personally have many clients who were in therapy for years but made more progress working with me in a shorter amount of time. ...however...I agree. Many of the coaches out there are NOT trained or certified. As a life coach. I am also AM trauma-informed and trained. I have a certificate I received in college to work with trauma victims. I also have a degree in Human Services and spent over 18 years working in the mental health field with many different people. I also have MUCH training in mental health. I also am certified in meditation and mindfulness. I encourage my clients to go to therapy alongside coaching with me if I see things in their life that they need a therapist for. I have a coach and a therapist both myself. The overall belief that all are bad, is the same as believing all therapists are able to help you. Having worked in mental health all my life, I know first-hand that therapists also come to life coaches for support. Actually, many of my clients are therapists :). As far as coaches needing coaches... therapists also need therapists... I think its great to point out we need to be careful who we hire to coach us...but the overall belief that all are bad, and not certified or capable of providing the support needed, is not always true. It is not black and white! :)

The industry perpetuates itself 🤦🏾‍♀️ So much like a you know what.

Hey there! I'm excited to share my thoughts on this video with you. I have to say that I have mixed feelings about the content shared in this video. On one hand, I agree that life coaching is an unregulated industry and that anyone can call themselves a coach, which can be a red flag. I also appreciate the distinction made between life coaching and therapy, and I believe that it's important for individuals to seek proper mental health treatment if they need it. On the other hand, I think that life coaching can be a valuable tool for personal growth and development, especially when it comes to setting goals, overcoming obstacles, and improving one's mindset. I also believe that there are many qualified and experienced life coaches out there who are making a positive impact in their clients' lives. One thing that I found interesting was the mention of Elise Parker, who holds no credentials or education in the life coach profession and bases her practice on her life experience. While I understand the concern about individuals like Parker perpetuating the cycle of unqualified coaches, I also believe that life experience and personal expertise can be valuable assets for a coach. Overall, I think that this video raises some important questions about the life coaching industry, and I'm glad to see people discussing these issues.😊

This was such a fantastic analysis of this content, I saw it a few months ago and found it strange. There is definitely a conflation between new age spirituality and this new field of coaching...it's very sad that this level of gaslighting is becoming normalized. I am not surprised by it, but it's not something I would ever invest money in as a client or as a coach.

Having degree as well as being interested in life coaching I can confidently say that there is no scientifically proven psychological theory that works for everyone.I tried both life coaching as well as therapy and I cannot say one is better than the other as tbere are variety of different approaches and what works for one may be detrimental for another.Therapy doesnt work for everyone so doesnt life coaching.Therefore its important to find what works for ine rather than focusing on licensing policies which dont deliver the results.We also need to be aware that all these degrees are nothing but gov.buisness promoting and paying for the degree for 4 years only to get certified

For me, I looked at coaching after having terrible experiences with a couple of therapists, and coming out of religion where I would have gone for support and advice before. I was too young to understand that there are therapists who are bad at their job, like any industry. And I had this huge vacuum created in my life by leaving religion. I think if we want to deal with the coaching industry, more people have to want to be therapists, and that industry is experiencing its own difficulties with insurance issues, etc.

subscribed!!! this topic is so big and more people need to be talking about it

I lost my best friend in a car accident two weeks after a tragic birth. A life coach told me to practice gratitude and do inner work and manifestation exercises. I shut down completely and did not grieve for the loss until two years later after breaking down. I have 0 respect for many life coaches, they often attempt to replace qualified and experiences therapists. It should be regulated.

Another great video of yours. I agree. It is a shame that unregulated, or even accredited, life coaches can charge more per hour than licensed and trained therapists. Have you see the diploma mill type co's offering life coaching certification?

If I’m gonna pay you as a life coach, you better be the epitome of a perfect human. That just doesn’t exist. No one has life figured out. No one is qualified to be a “life coach”. You can get guidance about specific areas of life, but not life as a hole. See a therapist or find a friend. Don’t pay someone to be the in between.

I'm about to graduate the counsling program and I would disagree with focusing on the past. Sometimes but most of the time its the present and then Sometimes on the future. We have goals for our clients and don't tell the clients what to do.

Therapists don't just focus on the past. They can help identify triggers and learn new adaptive coping skils

My LCSW does the whole 6 month thing, so... Also, I understand your criticism, but there are many professions that require no licensure. For instance, it take no license to be a college professor. It takes no license to be a financial advisor. There is nothing wrong with giving life advice like "Go to sleep earlier" or "Start a journal" or "Stop spending so much money." Do we need to see a psychologist to help us create a budget? I mean, good advice is good advice, regardless of who's giving it. I get that it isn't the same thing as mental health counseling, and they shouldn't market it as such. However, if it's done appropriately, life coaching can be useful and effective.

“The client is the expert.” I mean, sure, when you’re helping a friend work through things, you generally want to help them decide what to do themselves instead of telling them what you think they should do. But she really said that about her profession? That she’s not the expert?

It should be a regulated profession. But I’ve had good experiences with life coaches for setting goals and having someone hold me accountable. It was nothing like therapy. There are good and bad life coaches. And yes, the client is the expert in creating their own personal goals. The coach helps with identifying the goals and breaking them down. In such a complex world, why wouldn’t that be helpful?

Awesome video, keep doing you. I am so annoyed of these life coaches wanting to charge all this money. As much as i love to listen to Brendon Berchard I am not going to spend all this money on his coaching. I know he is legit but still I don’t have the means to go that route. What do you of think of those seminars?

The sad thing is that I have every right to call myself a coach as Danielle and I've only taken a couple of community college courses that's just messed up.

I agree. The only point I would like to make is I understand people who go to life coaches for narcissistic abuse, because based off of my own personal experience, go to three different therapists, it seems as if most therapists are not educated properly on what narcissism truly is, nor do they have the tools or Kobe mechanisms to heal or deal with this type of pain. It appears that it is one of those things you have to go through to understand possibly I’m not sure.

Hey girl, you'd be great at NETWORK MARKETING. Have you ever considered working from your phone to have time and location freedom? (This is a joke for those who are about to rip me a new one).

I think that the stigma around mental health issues and seeking therapy, has allowed this life coach industry to proliferate and become so predatory. In addition, it can be hard to even find a good therapist who is right for you and isn't booked out for months. At least that has been our experience (we are in the US). It can be affordable if you have good insurance, but not everyone does. These factors put life coaches out there as a viable option for some people, at least that is the bill of goods being sold. I'm so glad to see more and more exposure of these practices on social media. Nice job.

I am a stage 4 throat cancer survivor for 13 years. Does that make me qualified to provide advise to people about cancer treatment? NO! But I can provide anecdotal observations of what it is like to live with the long-term effects of cancer treatment. Is this life coaching? I don't think so.

I struggle to understand the hating around Life Coaching. Just be discerning when it comes to choosing your support! Therapists are obliged to go through their own therapy, so why can't coaches have coaches?

Whenever I hear about a Life Coach I think of the Calvin and Hobbes Comic where Calvin is stilling in front of something that looks like an old fashioned kids lemonade stand but instead of Lemonade his sign says "A Swift Kick in the Butt $1". Then complains to Hobbes about how bad business is and he doesn't understand because everybody he knows needs one.

Well done video. Seeing the various life coaches and their styles of ethics, is eye opening

I came across this video while watching a video about is therapy a scam…

What would you rather have, a 24-year, old certified life coach or a 50-year-old uncertified coach?

The true life coach is your self and your own soul. This is pathetic to say the least.

The one positive thing I can say about Alyse Parker is, she has a VERY cute dog.

Danielle, a coach needs a coach too, from time to time. It's called supervision. Just like a therapist needs constant check-ins with a therapist too - it's called supervision. All professionals need objective feedback in their own field of expertise because every person has cognitive biases and blind spots. These issues need reflecting, which can only happen by someone not emotionally invested in the relationship.

"Coaches NEED Coaches"...the coaching pyramid scheme lol

As I'm watching more of this video.... these life coaches make my skin crawl. This is absolutely a scam. It's crazy how that lady was explaining she does a 6 month contract just so they can guarantee their own selfish financial gain under the guise of "oh, that's the recommended time for "the mAgiC" to have the effect. Such BS. And a terrible path to go on if it's just about the money. Pretty paradoxical, in fact. It's like: "I will help you improve your life and learn good values, while I engage in this amazing value of stealing your money" Sounds airtight solid to me. /s I find myself in an interesting situation because prior to learning about all of this, I am in the middle of actually studying to be a life coach. I have finished 3 courses this past year and I am taking the 4th (Process) next week. (The five are: Fundamentals, Fulfillment, Balance, Process, and Synergy). I went into this field simply because I wanted to help people, I didn't even know life coaches charge so much. So watching this video has definitely raised awareness for me and has made me a LOT more wary of these issues. I'm still going to be a life coach, I'm still going to finish my courses, but the clients I receive will know I didn't do a 4 year degree, they'll know that if they need a therapist, they should absolutely see one before even thinking about hiring me. And they will be encouraged to have mentors and friends first. Also, a life coach shouldn't be charging for their services unless they really have something unique to offer. People only pay for things that are of value. If ANYONE can become a life coach, if anyone can say they are a life coach, it longer has any value, and the charge should be absolutely $0. Unless that person is really darn good at it... Much like a RU-vidr's subscriptions, they will be paying to see me because they believe in me, and like my 'content'. In that sense, I really don't see how a RU-vidr is much different than a life coach. Practically of course there are differences - like being able to see what they produce all laid out. As it's less personal than 1 on 1 support so it has that benefit. Sometimes certain subsets of people in a given field ruin it for the rest of them. From what I've seen in this video, I would never want to be a life coach. But these people are not the face (or should not be the face) of life coaching. So I believe it's a good path for me. I can talk for hours about life coaching and would love to collab with someone and debate. I do genuinely believe in life coaching. I think a discussion about this topic would not only be fun, but also informative and important! Oh, and I don't think life coaches need life coaches, that seems so scammy lmao

The legitimacy of a profession doesn't always correlate to official licensing. For example, legitimate men's grooming companies can legally make the claim that their product "can make your beard soft with an amazing, invigorating scent" without FDA approval. The company only has to register with the FDA and comply with labeling requirements. Outside of that, there is no further regulation unless the company claims its products can treat a specific condition, etc. I think it's a bit unfair that you've labeled the entire coaching industry as bad when like anything, there are good and bad companies.

I can't help but think how naive Alyse's fans have to be to ask advice from an iNfLueNCeR coach, who asks for a buttload of money and has no credentials. Only aesthetic. Asking your clients to get a loan to pay for your program is the cherry on top. Go to a therapist if you are struggling! I can't stretch that enough! Great vid!

My mom wanted me to have a life coach a few years ago I refused and stayed in therapy which has helped me more than anything.

So a Life Coach is paying a "friend" to listen to you and attempt to give you advice? I didn't realize how sketchy they actually were, it was just a word I'd heard used. I have a cousin seeing a LC and I've just realized how vague that is. They've had a break with their family and gone off their meds because of it because they want to be their authentic self. They are very impressionable and anti-conformity and already went through a lot of issues growing up. I'm also concerned about a friend who is seeing a Spiritual LC. They've been being told they need to cut themselves off from other people who are toxic and are getting messages in other languages. So many red flags and sounds cultish. But if we say that we're the bad ones who aren't supporting their spiritual journey.

The claim that therapy is all about going back and figuring out why is not true. There are many types of therapy that mostly deal with present (eg CBT, ACT, Solution-focused etc). The only type of therapy that deals with the past is psychodynamic/psychoanalyst therapy

Is it mandatory my life coach teaches me from a living room floor?

For everyone that has negative views on life coaches, can you explain to me what conditioning or experience has led you on the path to forming these opinions? I have another question that I'll preface with some context. The only relevance this topic has to me as that I intend to build a business that probably fits into the life coach box despite me not wanting to actually be in that box. I just want to be a source to contribute towards people in the world that are fighting to improve themselves to achieve their vision. I want to build a brand around that but don't want to be in this whole life coach fiasco. I've just been that friend and eldest sibling that inspired everyone around them with my ambition, drive, curiosity and resolve to bring my dreams life despite coming from such a low place. I've been a make-shift therapist for friends of all ages 16-55 throughout my 23 years of life and I want to monetize what I love to do and something I do well. How do I go about this without being misunderstood and lumped with whoever people have negative opinions on when they hear "life coach"

In the U.S., CNBC is seen as a reliable news source with a low partisan bias

"Center Field" by John Fogarty comes to mind....

Weather is good or bad let the free market decide.

Life coaching is just a short cut way to get around therapy. Therapy isn't all that bad, different therapists will apply different modalities that are evidence-based. Where as a lot of life coaches are trained in business marketing and pseudoscience. Therapy is a needed service, life coaching is a business scheme.

My partner went to a “famous” transitional coach who is based in California. He doesn’t have any certification. He caused so much damage with his “Think Bigger” style of coaching that my partner now needs long-term psychiatric help. Another of his clients ended up thinking that they would become the next president of a CEE country. This person is now on a psychiatric ward. Another couple who were sucked into his USD 25,000/year 4PC program have contacted me that they were shocked by the language he used and are now so relieved that they could break free from his grasp. He has even just released a video on RU-vid of him coaching someone I know who suffers from depression and can have months of deep depression. This coach just wants this persons money. This is all about coaches coaching wannabe coaches how to become coaches who in turn coach wannabe coaches how to become coaches. In other words it is all about MLM!

This whole industry is scummy, no doubt. But the idea of a therapist being in therapy - don't know how it works for coaches - is pretty standard practice, I believe. Phenomena like (counter)transference happen and are sometimes hard to pick up on if you're in it. Even if you're a therapist!

You bring up a lot of good points especially the lack of notable experience and the obvious and blatant scam aspect of coaches needing coaches. Additionally, coaches who assume the role of a therapist is clearly not only a terrible substitute but extremely dangerous, especially if someone has been through trauma or has a real need for ... well ACTUAL therapy. However, I wholly disagree with coaching being a scam. I am curious if you would like to hear my point of view of an alternate perspective on why I believe it is not only totally legitimate in most cases, but also something that today's world may really benefit from. Then again, I'm not sure if you are arguing for the subset of coaches who believe all those harmful ideas and assume to be 'the answer' for everyone's struggles. btw, just subbed! you make great content! and this vid was really informative and important for people to be aware of self-professed life coaches trying to take advantage of them!

"The midpoint between drawn out analysis and psychopharmacology really is coaching" - I like how Dr. Berglas goes from literally Freudian analysis to pill pushers ignoring over a century of psychology. That there is no other type of psychotherapy other than Freudian analysis is absolutely hilarious to me - this quite literally has not been true for almost a century! The fact that our esteemed psychologist is also an "executive coach" (whatever that means) makes me question him even more. He is quite literally ignoring evidence based treatments in favour of the grift. I've also noticed that the coaching examples include a knock-off of Adlerian therapy, while others are relying on basic counselling techniques.

What does a therapist know, that you don’t know?

Life coaches are soooo sketchy 😮

All these coaches are selling water by the river.

It’s not pyramid shaped but the step ladder from coach to BCC is very MLMy. I would even argue that the ideas for many of the coaching labels in MLM are inspired by the life coaching esthetics 😢

Definitely feeling your take on this vid and agree! Especially because it’s unregulated and everything is relative within the life coaching realm, this gives too much room for opportunists and manipulative people to operate as coaches and do harm to vulnerable people seeking help. I too think that this should be abolished and left to the professionals who are trained and have the necessary skills and understanding to deal with mental health issues and all related.

While you have a lot of valid concerns and criticism, many of which I agree with, there is one area that appears to be a blind spot for you. You’ve said it in many videos including this one that you believe that a life coach gives life advice, and that is simply not what an ICF trained coach does. The one guy even described it in this video and you said, “again maybe I just don’t get it, but can’t we just find a mentor that will help us do these things”. So based on this comment it seems that you believe that we all have access to free mentorship by people who are trained with an ICF coaching skillset? Is that what you are saying? If so, that’s a really interesting take. I support what you do and I would like to see you incorporate more understanding of what ICF coaching is and the value of it in order to give a well rounded perspective on the industry. The answer to the question: Is life coaching a legit profession or a scam? is both. It’s dependent on the individual calling themselves a coach.

I wonder what Danielle Ryan thinks of Tony Robbins. He is a life coach

Life coaching is a scam.

(Im NOT a life coach or therapist ....BUT!) The thing is therapists cant really tell you what to do. Therapy is just about sitting down and listen and ask "how do you feel about that?". They cant tell you "well if you do X it will lead to X successfully". You cant be brutally blunt and tell people what to do as a therapist, it's against their job and ethics. Therapy is for people who wanna ventilate feelings and such things. Life coaches however are for people who are willing to "gamble". DONT spend what you CANT afford to lose. Is it ethical to be a life coach? That's the question. But anyone should be able to do whatever the person wants with his/her income, and if the person fully wanna take a course and have advice then you cant do therapy you gotta talk to someone that directs you. The other problem is "who is a life coach?" as you talk about. Well that's extremely subjective. Imo, you cant get a "degree" in life coaching, so once again, it's a gamble for whoever are willing to deal with it. I never done it and never will, but some people cant turn to therapy for their issues. And many degrees in the world we live in are just nonsense tbh, (and Im from Sweden a country who praises all kinds of education).

7:54 the fact that they mixed up the positions of west and east Europe doesn’t make me feel confident about their fact checking skills..

Where do you even go to become a life coach.

One of the things I don't like about life coaching is that they don't provide any guarantee of a result. What do you get out of these sessions? Happiness? Motivation?

projection..?

Life coaches became more popular during the COVID pandemic.

She's giving Teal Swan vibes! 👀

Sorry, but you are mistaken about life coaches. There are good and bad ones just like there are good and bad therapists. I help run a course for training and certifying life coaches, and we have actual licensed therapists taking our courses. While they have prior skills for talking with and diagnosing their patients, they have all said that our technique (the Lefkoe Method) is the fastest method for resolving their patients' issues they have ever seen. Life coaches and therapists can learn a lot from each other. Our goal should be mental wellness for our patients and clients, no matter the method.

Do you think licensed therapists and counselors can solve all people’s issues? They need mentors as well. 😂

Mary Morrissey another life coach scammer.