Wayfinder Life Coach Training

Find the way. Be the way.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

We want to answer all your questions! Here are some of the most common questions people have before they register.

If your question isn’t answered below, email us! [email protected].

We imagine you might still have questions and we’re here to answer!

You have several options available:

Join us for one of our Q&A calls. The schedule for upcoming calls can be found on our Q&A page.

Unlike other coaching programs, Wayfinder Life Coach Training begins by teaching Martha Beck’s transformational “Change Cycle” model. This model teaches trainees to uncover obstacles that are holding their clients back so that they can move toward their unique destiny. 

This means that we don’t simply forge ahead and set goals. Instead, we facilitate a process that helps our clients access their inner wisdom and take inspired action rather than drive themselves externally (which is really hard, often tedious, and frankly not all that effective). 

We believe that each person has the key to their own right life within them. Our job is to help them access and act on that information rather than offer advice about what we think they should do.

Martha sees life coaching as something that arose out of a gap in the culture where things were changing so quickly that traditional institutions couldn’t keep up. People didn’t have a place to go for support when they were navigating change, so life coaching sprang into being.

The International Coaching Federation defines life coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires people to maximize their personal and professional potential. 

In Wayfinder Life Coach Training, we define coaching as a process to help clients connect with their inherent knowledge about the meaning, purpose, and destiny that is waiting for them specifically, and then we support them in creating those lives.

Absolutely! The skills you’ll learn in this program will make you happier and more effective in your professional and personal life, whether or not you decide to choose coaching as a career.

Many people go through the Wayfinder Life Coach Training program without any intention of setting up a coaching business. 

We like to say that our coaching is a “live it to give it” proposition. That means that as you go through the training, absorbing the tools and being coached, you will find yourself improving your experiences in any professional or personal setting. You’ll feel more confident and have a greater sense of purpose, across the board. 

Graduates have told us that this training enhanced their abilities to serve as creatives, as parents, as professionals, as leaders, as friends. Whatever your personal mission, this training will help you fulfill it.

Prepare to be a beacon of light for everyone who knows you! 

Simply put, therapy is conducted by licensed mental health professionals to treat conditions like clinical depression, whereas coaching addresses non-clinical issues such as personal growth, financial well-being, and professional development.

While therapy primarily focuses on the past, coaching is generally more present- and future-oriented. It is a process designed to serve people who already function well by enhancing, rather than restoring, that function.

We like to say that therapy is to life coaching what a physician is to a personal trainer:

A doctor helps sick people get healthy, and then a personal trainer will work with that healthy person to reach maximum fitness. Similarly, we support people who are basically stable and healthy so that they can achieve high performance in their minds and in their lives.

If a client has unresolved emotional issues, unhealed trauma, or is experiencing difficulty with daily functioning, these are signs that they should be referred to a mental health professional.

“Wayfinder” is an English word that refers to ancient Polynesian masters of navigation who could find their way across vast expanses of ocean with no charts or compasses to guide them.

In Wayfinder Life Coach Training, we use “wayfinding” to refer to our process for helping you navigate through the chaos of our rapidly changing world by identifying what you feel deeply drawn to do and supporting you as you move toward your goals.

As a Wayfinder you’ll learn to rely on your own inner wisdom, rather than traditional guidance that simply cannot keep up with the unprecedented rate of change we’re seeing in the world.

Wayfinding is about going to the edges of what you know and then going further—because the adventure and camaraderie of the journey is what lights us up and serves the world.

There is no previous training or education required to join the training. A wide range of background knowledge and life experience is expected amongst trainees and provides for a rich learning environment.

With that said, this training is for you if any of these feel true:

  • You feel called to help others.
  • You believe traditional career paths and ways of working aren’t working for you.
  • You want to make a living that feels connected.
  • You want to connect with a community of like minds who want to make an impact in the world.
  • You want to find your own compass and pave your own way.

Healing is for everyone. Being a Wayfinder has no gender, race, or religion. All are welcome.

To participate in this training, you must have:

  • a computer or laptop, 
  • an internet connection, 
  • Zoom Video Conferencing for live sessions, and
  • the ability to view and interact with documents in both PDF and Google Doc formats.

All classes are conducted via Zoom video conferencing technology. 

This serves two purposes:

  • Classes are as interactive as possible while also giving you the ease and convenience of attending class from wherever you are. 
  • Zoom and similar technologies are some of the most commonly-used means of life coaching. By becoming adept at using videoconferencing software in your training, you’ll have a head start with client sessions!

Our team will offer training and technical support to ease you into this system if it’s new to you.

Martha facilitates five classes per training with all of the different sections combined in one virtual classroom. For those classes, everyone will join at 1 pm Eastern Time (ET), USA. If you can’t make it at that time, remember that all our classes are recorded and uploaded to your online learning site within 48 hours.

The remainder of your classes will be at the time you select upon registration: either 1 pm ET or 8 pm ET.

Homework varies but we recommend that you set aside two to three hours per week. This homework is not like schoolwork! We passionately believe that people learn best through fun, relaxed experiences that delight and motivate them. If you often spend time talking to friends or family members about their lives, you’ll find that much of the homework is a fun version of what you are already doing.

Plan to review program materials AND practice coaching outside of class each week.

All our classes are recorded and uploaded to your online learning site within 48 hours. You must attend a minimum number of observed coaching and mentoring sessions to qualify for certification. However, that does not mean that missing a few classes is problematic. We have found that students who miss class, but make arrangements to conscientiously do the work outside of class, are well prepared for certification.

At this time, English is the only language used to deliver the training and the online training materials. You are welcome to coach in any language you choose! However, all recorded coaching sessions and transcripts submitted for evaluation and certification must be in English.

Yes. We offer an installment plan with eight easy payments. The eight installments will be automatically charged to your credit card approximately every 30 days.

Yes, we do offer a limited number of financial awards for the Wayfinder Life Coach Training program.

Award applications for the Spring 2025 session will open in November 2024. All applications must be received by December 11 at 5pm ET.

All Wayfinder Life Coach Training participants may request a refund until the refund window closes on March 14, 2025.

To request a refund, email [email protected]. We will refund whatever you have paid, less a $1,487 USD service fee. The service fee will not be applied to any future training or events. We will not offer refunds after the refund window closes.

While you don’t need to read these prior to the first class, it would be good to get started when you can. 

The books and resources you’ll need to read/reference for this training are:

  • Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck
  • Steering by Starlight by Martha Beck
  • Finding Your Way in a Wild New World by Martha Beck
  • The Little Book by Byron Katie

Additional recommended resources:

  • The Way of Integrity by Martha Beck
  • The Joy Diet by Martha Beck

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is the most globally-recognized independent credentialing program for coach practitioners. It also accredits programs that deliver coach-specific training.

The Wayfinder Life Coach Training is an ICF Level 2 accredited coach training program.

What does this mean for you? You will be taking part in a world-class training and this program’s Level 2 accreditation will give you the ability to pursue the ICF credential with more ease if you wish.

Anyone who successfully completes our 211-hour training will have the coach training, mentoring hours, and evaluation that they need to apply for ICF credential at the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) or Professional Certified Coach (PCC) level.

Professionals with coaching skills are increasingly sought after in the business and non-profit sectors. Becoming an ICF credentialed coach can open up opportunities in areas like leadership development, executive coaching, and professional development and team-building. In some sectors, your ICF credential can be a requirement for hiring, similar to how a CPA (certified public accountant) is treated in an accounting firm.

To learn more about the ICF, visit their website.

Not quite! Successfully completing our Level 2 training and becoming a certified Wayfinder Life Coach means you will have the coach training, mentoring hours, and evaluation that you need to successfully apply for an ICF credential at the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) or Professional Certified Coach (PCC) level. Visit the ICF website to learn more about acquiring an ICF credential.

No. We will give you everything you need during the training. This includes feedback on your observed coaching sessions, ten group mentoring sessions, and three individual coach mentoring sessions with a Master Coach Instructor.

Some students find that hiring a mentor coach deepens their learning and fast-tracks their practice, but that is not required for WLCT or certification.

You will be asked to read/reference the following resources for the training:

  •     Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck
  •     Steering by Starlight by Martha Beck
  •     Finding Your Way in a Wild New World by Martha Beck
  •    The Little Book by Byron Katie (This free downloadable excerpt from Loving What Is provides the essence of The Work of Byron Katie in an easy read.)

Some additional resources you may choose to read to help you with your training are:

  •       The Way of Integrity by Martha Beck
  •       The Joy Diet by Martha Beck

Finally, if you decide to pursue certification after your training, you’ll need to provide a transcript of the recorded coaching session(s) you submit. 

We are dedicated to continuously enhancing the accessibility of our programs to accommodate a diverse range of learning styles and capabilities. 

Below are some of the accommodations we currently offer:

  • Closed Captioning: All videos come with closed captioning to assist those with hearing impairments.
  • Accessibility Tools: We have installed an accessibility plug-in on MarthaBeck.com and our online course platform to help simplify website navigation and improve usability. 
  • Recordings: We provide video and audio recordings of live sessions to ensure that all students can engage with the material at their convenience.
  • Transcriptions & Audio: All pre-recorded course videos are accompanied by written transcripts and audios for download. 
  • Personalized Support Options: In the past, we’ve accommodated participants with specific visual, communication, and learning needs. Before the training begins, we work with each individual to determine what reasonable accommodations are possible to help ensure success within the training.

Before enrolling, please contact us at [email protected] to discuss your specific circumstances and determine how we can best support your learning experience.

At this time, we do not accept partial course credit from other organizations or programs. Even if you have completed another ICF-accredited program, you must enroll for the entirety of the Wayfinder Life Coach Training.

If you have additional questions, please contact [email protected].

Neither Martha Beck nor Martha Beck Inc. (MBI) regulates, oversees, or has a financial relationship with Wayfinder Life Coaches. Wayfinder Life Coach Training is an educational program. Wayfinder Life Coach certification signifies coaches have fulfilled the basic requirements of the course. Ethics and professional responsibility education have been provided to all coaches who have completed the Wayfinder Life Coach Training and it is expected that Wayfinder coaches adhere to the ICF Code of Ethics. While it is MBI’s hope that all coaches will conduct themselves at the highest level of professional and ethical standards, MBI cannot be held responsible for the conduct of individual coaches.

READY TO FIND YOUR WAY?
IF THE ANSWER IS YES:

JOIN US FOR OUR UPCOMING ICF-ACCREDITED
WAYFINDER LIFE COACH TRAINING

REGISTRATION FOR FALL 2024 IS CURRENTLY CLOSED
REGISTRATION FOR SPRING 2025 WILL OPEN IN EARLY NOVEMBER
SPRING 2025 CLASSES BEGIN THURSDAY, MARCH 6

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GOT QUESTIONS? CLICK HERE OR EMAIL [email protected]