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Life Coaches treating mental health illnesses is the focus of this particular blog today. We will discuss how Life Coaches simply cannot treat Mental Health Disorders mainly because of their lack of training!
Now, let’s take time and dive into this subject deeper, shall we? Frankly, it’s very important to make the distinction for your own personal knowledge & safety.
There’s a lot of confusion when it comes to Mental Health Practitioners and their different specialties, such as Psychologists, Master Level Therapists, and Psychiatrists. This is why it is important to know it actually happens where there are Life Coaches treating people with mental illnesses right now.
I wrote about this very topic in one of my previous blog articles Here is a link to that Blog. “Psychotherapist or Life Coach Hiring”
In addition, there seems to be a new trend in recent years or a rush to become a “Life Coach”. Certainly, I believe that there are some excellent Life Coaches out there. Quite frankly, some of them are my good friends and people that I respect.
Unfortunately, though, the majority of Life Coaches that I’ve come across here in South Fl don’t have the proper credentials and training. Equally important I believe too is they go into this particular field for the wrong reasons. For example, to make a “quick buck” but not really understanding at all true human behavior and psychology.
They have no business rendering services or offering advice beyond their true capabilities. It could be dangerous for the client! Whenever someone steps out of bounds and takes on too much without the proper credentialing it never ends well! Life Coaches treating mental health illness could be a recipe for disaster!
One of the reasons I say this is because recently I saw advertisements here in South Florida. The ads were offering courses on how to become a certified Life Coach in “only one short weekend.” This was in Natural Awakenings, a holistic magazine. Frankly, this is really disturbing in my opinion IF this course ends up being used inappropriately. Which I really hope is not the case!
If you decide to enter this particular field at the very least you should get proper training at a school that is accredited by the International Coach Federation (ICF). For example, in my case, I attended “The Institute for Life Coach Training“. This was where I was trained and received my specific credentials.
Point of fact, my training was not for just one single weekend but rather it took me over 6 months. If you wanted to you could go right to their website and locate schools that are accredited. As we all know you also get what you pay for. This is why I say it’s important to know your various options. Knowledge is power!
Additionally, to maintain my license as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I need to take ongoing continuing education credits. Just as it is in other medical fields or any other professional field. This requirement to continue your education is NOT required for Life Coaches, however. So please understand I am required to stay up to date! Each state varies, but credentialing is pretty straightforward.
There is a tremendous value as well when one does becomes a Life Coach. For example, after struggles and challenges, one now knows what it takes to find a solution. Whether it is a career change or for weight loss. It might be about finding your life’s purpose or learning new skills, such as how to become a better speaker.
However, my point here is, and a big concern I have, which I continue to notice, is that life coaches are starting to treat mental and emotional disorders, even traumas. Meanwhile, they don’t even have a basic clinical knowledge about the client’s symptoms. Very easily they can definitely do more damage than good.
Lately, I also see posts on Facebook for healers and Life Coaches who post inappropriate things about their clients. In mental health, our clients and patients are protected by confidentiality laws. However, these confidentiality laws DO NOT exist for Life Coaches or healers.
A short time ago I saw a post where a “healer” treated a suicidal patient! I am a healer myself, but since I am trained in both areas, I know that clients must be first properly diagnosed.
This is the main point of my post today. That is to help my colleagues and my clients better understand the situation when selecting the best practitioner for the challenge that they are going through. If a client is suicidal and has a history of mental illness, western medicine still has its value, and taking medication can be life-saving at times.
I think that the only solution here is to train doctors and therapists about alternative, holistic, and more natural ways of healing mental illnesses. This seems too obvious but also not to automatically prescribe medication but rather give their clients more options. It goes without saying we would want to work collaboratively with other holistic practitioners which is in the client’s best interest.
Unfortunately, doctors, including psychiatrists, have usually only about 10 minutes to spend with a patient when we’re talking about the managed health care model. This really affects the quality of care anyone receives.
Here is an explanation according to Wikipedia, “The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association, offers a common language and standard criteria for the classification of mental disorders.
It is used, or relied upon, by clinicians, researchers, psychiatric drug regulation agencies, health insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, the legal system, and policymakers together with alternatives such as the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD), produced by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The DSM is now in its fifth edition, DSM-5, published on May 18, 2013“ (for more see Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)
Often times this diagnosis is crucial in determining, based on the symptoms, what the best course of treatment would be. More often than not as well this typically includes individual Psychotherapy with a Licensed Clinician, such as a Marriage and Family Therapist, or a Mental Health Counselor.
Now after reading this blog you know this is where a Life Coach would not be able to properly diagnose a particular client. The reason again is for example sometimes underlying mental illness is not so easily observed by a layperson, even if this person is a Life Coach or a healer. Alternative healing methods can be of great benefit as complementary treatments, but not as a stand-alone approach. Above all the client cannot be put at risk!
Just think about it logically for a minute. Would you call 911 & go to a doctor or hospital if you were experiencing a heart attack or would you visit a local chiropractor? Each medical specialty has its importance in your overall journey to well-being.
In conversation, sometimes I explain to people what I do in my profession. What I have found is it encompasses so many different moving parts! The best thing I can say is that I am just like a medical doctor except I don’t deal with people’s bodies, but rather their minds and their hearts.
Please share this very important information with colleagues, family, and friends. My goal is to continue educating healthcare customers so as to prevent tragic deaths as a result of ignorance or injury that could have easily been prevented. Thank you for reading “Life Coaches Treating Mental Health Blog“!
I offer a COMPLIMENTARY 15-minute consultation. Ph 561-299-1028.
Currently, I do NOT see clients in person with the Covid 19 Corona Virus pandemic but rather utilize Online Therapy. For months now I’ve enjoyed helping my clients using telemedicine. Using the internet and meeting my clients online while they are in the safety of their homes has been terrific!
These video sessions have enabled my clients to get the help they need! Whether that’s online counseling, coaching sessions, or therapy sessions meeting online is so easy. Don’t let anything get in the way of you receiving the help you need for good mental health!
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