Life Coaching

Become a Life coach through this Online course. Learn to help people make changes personally or professionally.

Course Code: BPS305
Fee Code: S3
Duration (approx) Duration (approx) 100 hours
Qualification Statement of Attainment
Get started!

STUDY LIFE COACHING

Help people improve their lives - become a life coach.

If you feel you have some life experiences worth sharing and you could be an inspiration to others, then life coaching may be just what you have been looking for. In this field, enthusiasm and a desire to genuinely see people thrive are important qualities but you also need to gain some insight into how to refine your skills to offer the best service you can to your clients.

What This Course Can Do For You: 

  • Provide the skills to set up and work as a life coach
  • Qualify you to join the Association of Coaching
  • Help you develop contacts and build networks within industry
  • Raise your awareness of opportunities within the Coaching Industry
  • Lay a sound foundation of knowledge and skills which can grow with experience and further study
Life coaching not only involves planning and engaging in processes to bring about change, it can also involve the life coach in motivating the client to accept the need for inner change in order to bring about outer change. In the end, the processes of recognising a need for change and for managing change may be even more valuable and contribute more to the personal growth of the client than the outcomes.

ACS Student Comment: [The course] provides a thorough introduction to the practices of Life Coaching. It provides very good learning materials and practical assignments at end of each lesson. The comments from my tutor are always very encouraging and positive. The services from school administrative staff are excellent ". Wai Ming Au, Singapore MA MSc MBA - Life Coaching course.

 

Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons in this course:

  1. Introduction
    • nature of life coaching
    • cognitive behaviour therapy
    • different approaches
    • the scope of life coaching
  2. Individual perception
    • psychology of self-perception
    • perceptual barriers
    • motivating clients to challenge their perceptions
  3. A well balanced life
    • the inter-relationship between psychology and physiology
    • stress
    • the psychology of balance
  4. Coaching processes
    • key coaching processes
    • assessment of the client's situation
    • dealing with emotions
    • setting goals
    • replacing negative habits with positive ones
    • leadership qualities in a life coach
    • imagination and enthusiasm
    • clarifying goals
    • recognition of limitations
  5. Coaching skills
    • understanding the communication process
    • body language
    • communication barriers
    • listening skills
    • assessing learning styles
  6. Coaching and physical well-being
    • human nutrition
    • important factors in nutrition
    • physical well-being
  7. Coaching and psychological well-being
    • the psychology of self-esteem
    • stress management program
    • identifying stressors
  8. Coaching success
    • high achievement
    • coaching success
    • career guidance
    • managing your money
    • beginning a business
  9. Goal setting
    • values
    • aims and goals
    • types of goals
    • planning
    • future goals
    • steps for successful goal achievement
    • effort and attribution.
  10. Review and adjustment
    • indications that a program needs to be reassessed
    • client's lack of confidence
    • personality clash
    • over-achievers
    • health and safety issues

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

  • Define life coaching and differentiate it from other professions such as psychotherapist, counsellor, personal trainer and so on.
  • Understand that people perceive the world in different ways and identify ways to help clients change counter-productive perceptions without excessive discomfort.
  • Define a well-rounded individual and well-rounded life.
  • Define different coaching skills including listening, analysing, planning and focusing.
  • Identify ways in which life coaching can contribute to physical well-being.
  • Identify ways in which life coaching can contribute to psychological well-being.
  • Identify the areas in which successful life coaching can benefit a client.
  • Understand the importance enabling clients to develop aims, plans and goals.
  • Recognise the importance of reviewing and adjusting the life-coaching processes.

What You Will Do

  • Interview a life-coach (or someone who offers life-coaching service as part of their professional counselling repertoire) for information on the nature of life-coaching.
  • Identify principles that differentiate life coaching from other helping professions.
  • Consider pros and cons of different approaches to life coaching.
  • Conduct case studies to reflect on and/or observe the effects of different life-coaching approaches on improving a person’s quality of life.
  • Design and administer a questionnaire to research some effects of negative aspects of self-perception.
  • Discuss the importance of balancing a client’s limitations and encouraging to step outside their comfort zones
  • Identify means of monitoring an individual’s self-perceptions.
  • Examine the relationship and interaction between mental/psychological and physical health and wellbeing.
  • Consider how to deal with clients with special needs such as disabilities.
  • Identify the processes involved in life coaching and describe what each can contribute to a client's personal growth and development.
  • Discuss ways individuals might resist life changes and ways to facilitate change.
  • Discuss the pros and cons of assertiveness training.
  • Identify reasons that individuals are unable to make decisions.
  • Identify different life coaching skills and when they are required.
  • Explain the importance of listening to the client and how to do it.
  • Consider factors that might make a life coach’s personal skill repertoire ineffectual.
  • Discuss the role and risks of physical life coaching in the life-coaching process.
  • Research factors that must be considered when setting out a life coaching plan to promote physical health, and psychological health.
  • Identify crucial information to be included in the development of a client’s plan.
  • Discuss ways to nurture a client's goal setting, planning and self-monitoring skills .
  • Research how much life-coaches use/do not use individualised client plans.
  • How can the life-coach monitor the effectiveness of his/her program for a client?
  • Create and evaluate an action plan for a real person/client, including monitoring.

ACS is an organisational member (OMAC) of the Association for Coaching (UK).

 Students on the Life Coaching course can apply for student membership


MORE ABOUT LIFE COACHING

Life coaching is a process that begins with identification of a need for change and takes the client through the micro-processes of planning, achieving and evaluating change to fulfill established goals. Although clients come to a life coach seeking to change their present circumstances or their feelings about their lives, many clients are very reluctant to actively and purposefully engage in the processes of change, and might expect the life coach to somehow bring about the changes without any real growth or development on their (the client’s) part.

At some point in their lives, everybody seeks advice from friends, family or professionals to help them make decisions or decide how to handle a particular situation or event. The life coach makes available the kind of consistent assistance and support that may be lacking in a person’s life or difficult to obtain when consulting family or friends who may have quite different perspectives.

A life coach can become a confidante, helping the client determine what is important, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and ascertain where they want to be in six months, a year, ten years. Life coaching involves assisting the client set personal and professional goals and establishing a workable strategy to attain them within a given time frame. For clients, a life coach can provide a life-changing experience, an invaluable opportunity to take control over their lives and fulfil their dreams. 

  • DON'T CHOOSE TO LEARN BY ROTE! Education is not just about temporarily absorbing facts then regurgitating them during an exam, only to forget them months later. It is about changing the way you think. ACS is NOT assessment based. Our courses are structured to teach you how to improve your thought processes, which you will apply over a lifetime, not just a semester.

  • With ACS, you are taught by people who are active in industry. If you want to learn Psychology, learn from someone who has sat in the Therapist's chair. If you want to learn writing, learn from a widely published author. This is what we offer you at ACS. Many lecturers and tutors have spent a lifetime within that institution. Our tutors are university educated, but work out there in industry; which means that once you have graduated, we can advise you on where to next!

  • Our courses are flexible enough to incorporate a student's own experience; it is personalised, therefore remaining with the student long after the award has been received - Agriculture students report on their findings at a farm; psychology students work through long misunderstood emotional situations in their lives. Theory is combined with self-direction and practical application. This is how a student actually EXPERIENCES the learning, rather than simply LEARNING BY ROTE.

  • In a class situation, there can be hundreds of students to one lecturer or tutor. At ACS you have easy access to a tutor – by phone and email. Our tutors get to know each student, and are invested in their learning.

WHY CHOOSE US?

  • Studying an Online Course doesn't mean you're going it alone - you have tutor support every step of the way 

  • Don't follow the crowd - develop uniqueness and skills unlike others in your field

  • Resources are extensive and under continuous revision

  • Study to suit your commitments - your education doesn't need to stop as life make demands . Study while you work

  • Our program design has less focus on assessment and more on your lifelong learning

  • Affordable study and payment options available 

  • Our independence from government accreditation means we can offer courses suited exactly to employer needs and wants chance of business success.

Other Study Options

If you are interested in this course, you may also be interested in -

Sports Psychology 

Certificate in Life Coaching

Counselling Skills I 

Careers Counselling

Stress Management

Introduction to Psychology

Certificate in Counselling (Care Professionals)

 

How This Course Could Help You

Following the emergence of coaching in recent decades, life coaches have become much sought after by some people. Sometimes people who seek out coaches are already successful and they need someone alongside them to push them further, in other instances they are people in need of a little more to help them reach their goals. This course encourages students to develop life coaching skills by working through case studies and testing out what they learn on friends or volunteers. Graduates will feel ready to go out and find themselves clients.

This course is of most appeal to people working in, or wishing to work in:

  • Life coaching

  • Business coaching

  • Wellness Coaching

  • Careers or Employment Services

  • Personal trainer

  • Youth Work

  • Teaching

  • Social Services

ACS is an Organisational Member of the Association for Coaching (UK).
ACS is an Organisational Member of the Association for Coaching (UK).
Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.
Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.
ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.
ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.

How can I start this course?

You can enrol at anytime and start the course when you are ready. Enrolments are accepted all year - students can commence study at any time. All study is self paced and ACS does not set assignment deadlines.

Please note that if a student is being assisted by someone else (e.g. an employer or government subsidy), the body offering the assistance may set deadlines. Students in such situations are advised to check with their sponsor prior to enrolling. The nominal duration of a course is approximately how long a course takes to complete. A course with a nominal duration of 100 hours is expected to take roughly 100 hours of study time to complete. However, this will vary from student to student. Short courses (eg. 100 hrs duration) should be completed within 12 months of enrolment. Certificates, Advanced Certificates and Awards (eg. over 500 hours duration) would normally be completed within 3 -5 years of enrolment. Additional fees may apply if a student requires an extended period to complete.
If a student cannot submit their assignments for 6 months to ACS, they should advise the school to avoid cancellation of their student
registration. Recommencement fees may apply.

Simply click on the ENROL OPTIONS button at the top of this screen and follow the prompts.

You can see the course price at the top of this page. Click 'enrolment options' to see any payment options available.

You can pay by Credit Card, PayPal, Afterpay or bank transfer.

Yes! We have payment plans for most courses. Click 'enrolment options' to see the available payment plans.
We also have Afterpay that will allow you to pay for your course or payment plans in four instalments (if you are in Australia).


What do I need to know before I enrol?

There are no entry requirements that you need to meet to enrol in our courses, our courses are for everyone.
If you are under 18, we need written permission from your parent/ guardian for your enrolment to continue, we can arrange that after you have enrolled.

You don’t need to purchase any additional resources to complete our courses.

We aim to teach you the essentials without you having to purchase any specific computer program.
We recommend that you have access to a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs, so that you can easily complete and submit your assignments.

You sure can. We are here to help you learn whatever your abilities.

Yes, if you are enrolling in a Certificate or Advanced Certificate, you might be eligible for credits if you have evidence of your previous studies or relevant experience. More information is here.

We recommend that you are able to browse websites, send emails and conduct online research. You will need to be able to type and submit your assignments.
If you have limited computer skills, we can make special arrangements for you.

This is possible, it depends on the institution. We recommend that if you would like to use our courses that you contact the institution first. Our Course Handbook is a good resource for this.

Our courses are written in English and we only have English speaking academic staff. If you can read and complete your assignments in English, our courses are ideal for you.

Our courses are designed to build knowledge, hands on skills and industry connections to help prepare you to work in the area, running your own business, professional development or as a base for further study.

This course has been designed to cover the fundamentals of the topic. It will take around 100 hours to complete, which includes your course reading, assignment work, research, practical tasks, watching videos and anything else that is contained in the course. Our short courses are a great way to do some professional development or to learn a new skill.

It’s up to you. The study hours listed in the course are a rough guide, however if you were to study a short course (100 hours) at 10 hours per week, you could finish the course in 10 weeks (just an example). Our courses are self-paced, so you can work through the courses in your own time. We recommend that you wait for your tutor to mark and return your assignment before your start your next one, so you get the benefits of their feedback.

The course consists of course notes, videos, set tasks for your practical work, online quizzes, an assignment for each lesson (that you receive feedback from your tutor from) and ends in an exam (which is optional, if would like to receive the formal award at the end), using our custom built Learning Management System - Login.Training.

Our courses are designed for adults to gain professional development and skills to further their careers and start businesses.

Our custom online learning portal allows you to conduct your learning online. There may be practical tasks that you can do offline. You have the option of downloading your course notes or print them to read later.

There is also the option to pay an additional fee for printed course notes and or USB (availability limited to location and deliverability).

Yes, if you don’t have access to the internet, you can receive the course as paper notes or on a USB stick for an additional fee. We can also make alternative arrangements for you to send your assignments to us.

We offer printed notes for an additional fee. Also, you can request your course notes on a USB stick for an additional fee.

Yes, your tutor is here to help you. Simply post any questions you have in your login.training portal or contact the office and we can pass on a message to your tutor.

We are more learning focussed, rather than assessment focussed. You have online quizzes to test your learning, written assignments and can complete an exam at the end of the course (if you want to receive your certificate). You will not receive a pass/ fail on your course work. If you need to add more details on your assignment, we will ask you to resubmit and direct you where you need to focus. If you need help, you can ask your tutor for advice in the student room.

Each module (short course) is completed with one exam.

Exams are optional, however you must sit an exam if you would like to receive a formal award. You will need to find someone who can supervise that you are sitting the exams under exams conditions. There is an additional cost of $60 incl. GST for each exam.
More information is here

There are practical components built into the course that have been designed to be achieved by anyone, anywhere. If you are unable to complete a task for any reason, you can ask your tutor for an alternative.

When you complete the course work and the exam and you will be able receive your course certificate- a Statement of Attainment. Otherwise, you can receive a Letter of Completion.

You can bundle the short courses to create your own customised learning bundle, Certificates or Advanced Certificates. More information is on this page.

Yes, our courses are built to be applicable for people living anywhere in any situation. We provide the fundamentals, and each student can apply their own unique flair for their own interests, region and circumstances with the one-on-one guidance of a tutor. There is also a bit of student directed research involved.

Employers value candidates with industry skills, knowledge, practical skills and formal learning. Our courses arm you with all of these things to help prepare you for a job or start your own business. The longer you study the more you will learn.

ACS has an arrangement with OAMPS (formerly AMP) who can arrange Professional Indemnity from Australian and New Zealand graduates across all disciplines. Ph: 1800 222 012 or email acs@oamps.com.au.


Who are ACS Distance Education?

ACS Distance Education have been educating people for over 40 years.

We are established and safe- we have been in education for over 40 years.
We are focused on developing innovative courses that are relevant to you now and what you will need to know in the future.
We are focused on helping you learn and make the most of your experience.
You can enrol at any time, you can work on your course when it suits you and at your own pace.
We are connected to many industry bodies and our staff participate in continuous improvement and learning activities to ensure that we are ahead of what learning is needed for the future.

Our courses are not accredited by the Australian Government. However many of our courses are recognised and held in high regard by many industry bodies.

Our courses are written by our staff, who all have many years experience and have qualifications in their speciality area. We have lots of academic staff who write and update our courses regularly.


How do I enrol my staff/ sponsored students?

Yes, you can do a request for a bulk enrolment and request an invoice on our Invoice Request Form

We can prepare an invoice, quote or proforma invoice. Simply complete your details on our Invoice Request form

We can arrange bulk discounts for your course enrolment, please get in touch with us to discuss your needs.

Yes, we have many students who are in locked facilities, such as prisons or hospitals. We can cater by also offering paper notes at an additional cost.


What if I have any more questions or need more information?

We can assist you to find the right course for your needs. Get in touch with us via email (admin@acs.edu.au) call on +61 7 5562 1088 or complete our course advice form.


What if I change my mind?

Please get in touch with studentservices@acs.edu.au if you would like to be removed from our mail list.

If you would like ACS Distance Education to delete your information at any time (whether you are a customer or a prospective customer), please contact our privacy officer and we will process this ( admin@acs.edu.au ).




Course Contributors

The following academics were involved in the development and/or updating of this course.

Tracey Jones

Widely published author, Psychologist, Manager and Lecturer. Over 10 years working with ACS and 25 years of industry experience.
Qualifications include: B.Sc. (Hons) (Psychology), M.Soc.Sc (social work), Dip. SW (social work), PGCE (Education), PGD (Learning Disability Studies).

Lyn Quirk

M.Prof.Ed.; Adv.Dip.Compl.Med (Naturopathy); Adv.Dip.Sports Therapy
Over 30 years as Health Club Manager, Fitness Professional, Teacher, Coach and Business manager in health, fitness and leisure industries. As business owner and former department head for TAFE, she brings a wealth of skills and experience to her role as a tutor for ACS.

Jacinda Cole (Psychologist)

Psychologist, Educator, Author, Psychotherapist.
B.Sc., Psych.Cert., M. Psych. Cert.Garden Design, MACA
Jacinda has over 25 years of experience in psychology, in both Australia and England. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Psychology and a Masters in Psychology (Clinical) and also trained in psychoanalytic psychotherapy at the London Centre for Psychotherapy. She has co-authored several psychology text books and many courses including diploma and degree level courses in psychology and counselling. Jacinda has worked for ACS for over 10 years.

Need Help?

Take advantage of our personalised, expert course counselling service to ensure you're making the best course choices for your situation.


I agree for ACS Distance Education to contact me and store my information until I revoke my approval. For more info, view our privacy policy.