Is Life Coaching a Scam?

 

Before we do that, let me tell you a little bit about me and where I’m coming from because I do believe I have a unique perspective.

 

My name is Dr. Karin Nordin and I have a PhD focused on health behavior change. I’ve actually conducted and published research on mindset interventions. One of my core values is evidence-based communication, meaning that I’m going to do what I can to set aside the bias I have here and give you the real science.

 

The Validity of Life Coaching

The Big Question: Is Life Coaching a Scam?

Is life coaching a scam? It absolutely can be a huge scam, but it can also be a powerful tool for change. Let’s dive into what the evidence says, shall we?

The Problem with Defining Life Coaching

First, the evidence is pretty clear that life coaching is really poorly defined. When I dug into the scientific research to prepare for this video, one thing became abundantly clear. There is not a ton of research on the efficacy of life coaching.

 

Specifically in the world of research, there is a hierarchy of what counts as good research and bad research. Typically, you don’t want to base your conclusions on one single study. You want to look at meta-analyses, which are studies that look at conclusions that are supported across multiple pieces of research.

The Lack of Robust Research

I was only able to find one meta-analysis that was A, actually published in a scientific journal, and B, not directly funded by an organization that promotes coaching. That paper, published over 10 years ago now in the BMC Health Services Journal, scanned 4,000 citations and was only able to find five reputable experimental studies which even tested the effectiveness of life coaching interventions.

The Real Issue

If you’re tired of science speak, here’s the issue: because there’s no universal standard for what counts as life coaching, the methods that coaches are using are often pulled out of thin air.

 

That means some coaches out there could be using incredibly reputable tools that have been scientifically studied, like motivational interviewing and strengths-based coaching, but other coaches could be out there charging the same amount of money or more and not even knowing what any of those terms mean.

 

Evidence Supporting Specific Types of Coaching

Strengths-Based Positive Interventions

However, there are scientific studies that support the use of very specific types of coaching and very specific interventions. For example, a 2022 meta-analysis published in the International Journal of Wellbeing found that strengths-based positive interventions (SBIs) had a small but significant effect on behavior change.

Health Coaching Effectiveness

When you start looking at health specifically, the evidence gets even stronger. In 2020, a systematic review was published in the journal Patient Education and Counseling, which supported the conclusion that health coaching was effective in promoting lifestyle modification, including stress reduction, physical activity, and dietary changes.

 

This is exactly why we here at Body Brain Alliance, identify as health behavior coaches rather than life coaches. Whereas life coaching is ambiguous and unclear, our program relies on evidence-based interventions that have actually been tested on the general population and were effective in helping people change.

 

How to Avoid Being Scammed

Understanding the Difference Between Coaching and Therapy

You might be asking, okay, Karin, but what do I do about this? Do I bother hiring a coach? How do I prevent myself from being scammed? Let’s talk about three things you should do before hiring any coach.

 

First, you should know the difference between coaching and therapy. The American Psychological Association itself has identified that while therapy is focused on healing, coaching is future-oriented and centered around goal achievement. No coach should be claiming they can help you process trauma, heal you in any way, cure disorders, ailments, or diagnose or treat medical issues.

Checking Qualifications

Second, you should ask what qualifications that person has for coaching. Do they just have life experience and wisdom, or have they actually gone through a formal certification process to learn how to use evidence-based methods? You can also ask what evidence-based methods they are currently using in their program.

Here are a few methods you might want to be looking for in a coach:

• • Strengths-based approach

• • Motivational interviewing

• • Cognitive behavioral coaching

• • ACT

• • Growth mindset

If they are certified, look into the certification itself. Is there any connection to science or evidence on the certifying body’s website, or is it all about how people can make money by becoming a coach?

 

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is an example of somewhere that coaches can get certified, which actually makes coaches sign a code of ethics and regularly conducts research on best practices.

Beware of Discovery Calls

Finally, beware of discovery calls. They’re a commonly used coaching tactic that offers you a free 30-minute consult or discovery that you can use to decide whether you want to engage in coaching or not. Sometimes these can be a totally ethical and low-stakes way for you and the potential coach to get to know each other, but other times they are going to force you to get on the phone or on Zoom in order to know their pricing, incentivize you to make a decision right there on the call, and call it a mindset issue if you don’t commit—red flag.

Questions to Ask Before a Discovery Call

I recommend asking these questions ahead of one of those calls:

1. 1. What is your pricing and minimum commitment?

1. 1. Will I be asked or incentivized to make a purchase decision on this call?

1. 1. Is there anything that you can send me in writing about what you offer?

Conclusion

Personally, coaching has changed my life, but that change was possible because I was hiring highly trained ethical coaches who used evidence-based interventions and change techniques to achieve very specific outcomes that were clearly outlined before I started the program. Unfortunately, the vast majority of life coaches out there do not fall under one of those three categories, so stay alert and be cautious.

 

If you are looking for someone to help you build routines, achieve your goals, and create the future self you want to be using real psychology and evidence-based methods, you can check out our Body Brain Alliance coaching program.

 

Thanks for hanging with me during this science-heavy video, and I’ll see you next week.