Top Life Design Coach Certification Programs

Last updated on August 1, 2024

Life design coaching is a captivating, dynamic, and fulfilling career path for individuals who want to help others design lives of purpose and fulfillment. If you’ve been contemplating a career in this specialized niche, life design coach certification can help you define your coaching profession and specialization.

There’s no one-size-fits-all training, so we’ll delve into the best certifications with different strengths and benefits. Let’s discover what it takes to become a life design coach and help you find the ideal training.

• Julie Reisler Life Designer® Coach Certification Program – Best for Comprehensive Training
• Designing Your Life – Best for Professional Development
• Transformation Academy – Best Budget Option

What Is a Life Design Coach?

A life design coach, or lifestyle design coach, is a professional who assists clients in crafting and achieving a life that aligns with their personal goals, values, and aspirations. This form of life coaching focuses on self-discovery, goal setting, and personal growth through which individuals can design the life they desire. Coaches hold individual or group sessions and deliver programs designed to help their clients discover their passions, set meaningful objectives, and support them along the way.

How To Become a Life Design Coach

In life coaching, you can begin from the ground up to establish a career as a coaching professional. With no strict regulations, the competition is fierce. To differentiate yourself and gain your clients’ trust in guiding their transformation, a certification program is the best route to take.

Certification acts as evidence of your education and expertise in life design coaching. This valuable credential builds trust with clients and enhances your marketing efforts.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Life Design Coaching Certification

As you start searching for the best certification, you’ll come across various options. Narrow down your choices by taking into account relevant factors such as the cost, length of the program, and accreditation. 

Program Cost

Having a budget in mind can be a useful filter for your search. Certification programs can be expensive, with price tags over $10,000, but there are also affordable certifications that provide comprehensive training. 

Course Length

The program needs to align with your time frame and your certification objectives. If you don’t want the pressure of deadlines or scheduled lessons, you can opt for flexible, self-paced courses.

Accreditation

Certifications can come with or without accreditation. Programs that aren’t accredited can be of high quality, but they choose not to pursue accreditation because they may prioritize flexibility and innovation in their curriculum.

On the other hand, an accredited program has been evaluated by a third-party accrediting institution, such as the well-known International Coach Federation (ICF). If your chosen life design training lacks ICF accreditation, you can obtain certification from the ICF-accredited Coach Training Alliance (learn more about CTA in this in-depth review). This step can enhance your professional reputation and widen your avenues to reach potential clients.

Best Life Design Coach Certifications

Comprehensive Training Option: Julie Reisler Life Designer® Coach Certification Program

The Life Designer® Coach Academy provides an extensive and experiential spiritual life coach certification program. The course is quite robust and is distinctive for its dedication to personal development alongside coach training. 

The program includes video classes and weekly calls for guidance, mentorship, a guidebook to build your coaching practice, a coaching practicum for hands-on experience, and group coaching. You’ll also learn about the proprietary SACRED™ coaching method. 

As a part of this program, you’ll receive several valuable bonuses, including bi-annual virtual retreats, free access to Sacred resources, membership in the Inner Circle for Conscious Coaches, a feature in the graduate directory, and a Sacred Money Manifestation course.

• Course Length: 4 months
• Program Cost: $6,000
• Accreditation: None
• Mode of Delivery: Online

Professional Development Option: Designing Your Life

Designing Your Life is a workshop for experienced life coaches who want to dive deeper into the life design approach. It includes three days of learning with Bill Burnett and Dave Evans.

The prerequisites for the DYL Coach Certification Workshop are as follows:

• Active practice in one of the following professions:
  • life or career coach (with certification from a recognized coaching institute, training program, or school)
  • a career counselor at a non-profit or university (or with your own practice)
  • mental health professional
  • human resources professional
• Reading both DYL books, Designing Your Life and Designing Your NEW Work Life
• Completion of one of the specified DYL workshops before attending the main Coach Certification Workshop. These may include:
  • DYL CreativeLive online class
  • DYL Virtual Journey
  • DYL Virtual Journey for Women
• Intent to use DYL principles and materials with individuals or small groups (up to 10 clients), but not for teaching commercial DYL workshops or delivering training events

You’ll receive training on all Designing Your Life tools, along with select tools from Designing Your New Work Life. All lecture videos are provided well in advance to allow you to prepare.

• Course Length: 3 days
• Program Cost: $2,100
• Accreditation: None
• Mode of Delivery: Online

Budget Option: Transformation Academy 

The Life Purpose Coach program is an excellent alternative to more expensive options that can be well-repurposed in life design coaching. This Transformation Academy course blends practical coaching techniques with a focus on guiding clients toward discovering their purpose.

You’ll be trained in techniques for purpose discovery and receive a comprehensive step-by-step system. The program also delves into the psychology behind creating lasting change in individuals. An added bonus is a wealth of templates, intake forms, worksheets, and questionnaires that you can use in your coaching practice. 

• Course Length: Self-paced
• Program Cost: $197
• Accreditation: CPD
• Mode of Delivery: Online

Special Offer: Get 50% off all certification programs at Transformation Academy by clicking our link or entering code LIFECOACHMAG at checkout.

FAQs

• How much does a life design coach make?

Life Purpose Institute reports that the average hourly rate for life coaches (including life design coaches) ranges between $50 and $150 per hour. 

• Do you need a certification to be a life design coach?

Certification isn’t a must for life design coaching, but it sets you apart from non-certified coaches in your field and gives you a clear advantage.

• How much does a life design coach certification cost?

The cost of a life design coach certification starts at around $100 and can exceed $5,000.

• Does accreditation matter in a life design coach certification program?

Accreditation is significant in a life design coach certification program because it adds credibility and recognition to your certification.

• What is the most recognized coaching certification? 

The most recognized coaching certification often varies by region and specialization. But, if you want universally and globally recognized certification, prioritize accredited certifications by renowned organizations like ICF or CPD.

Conclusion

Begin a life where you help people thrive by getting certified and officially becoming a life design coaching professional. You can dive right into specialty training with Julie Reisler’s program, Designing Your Life certification, Transformation Academy’s course, or hone your life coaching skills with Coach Training Alliance. From life designing to building a business and marketing your services, these courses will ensure that you enter the field of life designing coaching with complete confidence.

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