Curly Martin Life Coaching Handbook LCH - LCH Lifecoaching Diploma

Coming from a family of counsellors, I've developed an interest in personal development and in 2006 took a Diploma in Psychology with the Oxford College and the LCH Lifecoaching Diploma with The Achievement Specialists, run by no. 1 life coaching author Curly Martin.

Here's my review of the course:

College: Achievement Specialists
Qualification/level: Diploma - equiv to NVQ Practical qualifications
Subject: Life Coaching
Cost: Around £1200
The skinny:

• Course comprises of a weekend workshop, several modules of home study plus, a thesis and 50 hours coaching practise/experience in order to get qualified.
• There is no time limit to complete the course. I did in little over a year because I strung it out
• The 2 day workshop took place in Bournemouth, although I believe they now happen in London
• Having read the book, this course seemed like a good value option. The website lists many benefits and sells/markets itself extremely well.
• The two day course was ok, just ok. Curly Martin is very good at presenting, but there wasn't much 'how to coach' at all. She seemed to scratch the surface of alot of stuff, mainly marketing and business start up. After the workshop is when you go and practice, but I didn't come away from the workshop feeling confident, or like I knew how at all, let alone how to do it. In fact I felt more vague after coming away from the workshop.
• The 8 modules of home study material are all based around answering questions in the material (nothing too academically taxing) and taking steps in start up your own coaching practise (personalising agreements, sales pitches etc). There is a short Assessment, plus the 3000 word thesis basically showing that you've read 2 life coaching books.
• You complete all the above, plus a log of 50 hours practise and 2 case studies that you've written and send it back to Curly.
• Within a few days I received a certificate printed on some fancy paper (available at your local Staples now) and that was it. She didn't give any feedback or marking of any kind for any of my work, which I'd put considerable effort into. So I guess I passed as I received the certificate?!

Real deal or cowboy college: Hmmm... the course is accredited by 'International Institute of Coaching' and I've seen the 'Open College Network' mentioned on their website somewhere too.

It was a lot of money for not enough 'how to.' Curly is very good at marketing and I'm sure makes alot of money from running these courses. Good for her.

As life coaching is not a regulated industry there are no 'standards', so life coaching can mean completely different things to different people and professionals. curly swears that life coaching & counselling are totally separate entities, which in my experience is wrong - one can pick from either toolbox to serve the client's needs best.

If you're looking at life coaching, honestly, there's better value courses than this. The Oxford College does both a Life Coaching diploma (whose content is very in depth), and coaching diplomas specialising in health, personal training/sports, career and child coaching. All of these are ONE THIRD of the price of the LCH Diploma. You could then read books or take courses in business start up and marketing as you feel fit.

Don't get sucked into the marketing. I've taken my studies further to solidify my own ideas and style of coaching.