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Original poster

Life coaches- it’s a scam isn’t it?

106 replies

TrollTheRespawnJeremy · 07/12/2020 19:46

I am seeing a LOT of women in their 40s rebranding themselves as life coaches. Is this some kind of MLM thing?
They have an accreditation of some sort but I have no idea what qualifies them really.

OP posts:
TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 07/12/2020 19:51

Is this the thing where they claim to manifest everything you desire? A friend (who already sells Tropic) has just posted something on her FB about being excited about a new opportunity. I clicked on the link and it’s only £5000! For 16 zoom hours with a life coach. Yes it’s a scam.

Alicesweewonders · 07/12/2020 21:28

An girl I know has also just qualified as a 'Life Coach' at the cost of over £100,000😲

I'd hate to see what she charges to recoup that cost

Mreggsworth · 07/12/2020 21:58

I get a lot of it on my Instagram feed.

From what I have gathered its coaches coaching other coaches. Or coaches offering coaches online training on how they can do online training to get other coaches to coach ?

I've seen posts saying "how to make six figures in your first month of coaching" ...so unless they are telling then to charge thousands per session it seems as if it's more about selling a product (courses). Which does give a mlmish vibe

GivingItAMiss · 07/12/2020 22:05

I have a friend who has gone down the life coach route after leaving a successful career. I tend to think its all bullshit and when she tries to life coach me I resist strongly but I wouldn't describe it as MLM.

SomeoneInTheLaaaaaounge · 07/12/2020 22:12

It’s a massive pile of wank!!! Unregulated wank at that. Peddled by people who don’t know what to do with their lives, so they ‘coach’ other people who don’t know what to do with their lives.

Wandafishcake · 07/12/2020 22:18

@SomeoneInTheLaaaaaounge You just hit the nail on the head!

LakieLady · 07/12/2020 22:20

I decided that "life coaching" was bollocks when the woman who worked in my local convenience store told me that she was a qualified life coach.

I was tempted to ask why she didn't coach herself into a job a bit better than earning min wage in a corner shop.

YonderTweek · 07/12/2020 22:21

Someone I know is heavily into it and she's now a life coach/manifestation mentor/etc. I cringe myself inside out when I see her social media posts because I know that it's nothing what she is like in real life. She has said it herself that she just wants money. Not sure it's an MLM though for her as she doesn't recruit anyone.

I also know someone who is a life coach who seems really genuine and who also has a degree in psychology (or something similar). She is lovely and the polar opposite of my other acquaintance, but I still couldn't work out the life coach aspect of her life. I think she just listens to people talk about their issues and suggests things to do? But wouldn't that make her a therapist? Confused

TheDaydreamBelievers · 07/12/2020 22:44

It makes her an unqualified person working as a therapist who may do harm as well as good @YonderTweek (even if she has the best of intentions!)

Theres no evidence base for life coaching, no proof it helps people. And no regulated accreditation.

Pippin2028 · 07/12/2020 22:49

I think life coaches are mostly self proclaimed, but sometimes when people are lost in life, the thought of a life coach appeals. I know there is also therapy but many therapists have more issues than the actual clients they deal with (that's a bad generalistion I know but if you look at the personal lives of certain coaches and therapists, it tells you all you need to know)

thosetalesofunexpected · 07/12/2020 23:14

@Pippin2028
I have disagree I think if a some one is a life Coach and has genuine qualifications such as pschologically/and other relevant qualifications required/desirable ones .
(I also think having life experinces good/challenging ones, such as overcoming adverse crap life/childhood experiences etc, if someone who is a Life coach or Therapist has managed to overcome Crap stuff in life in way that is made them emotionally stronger person for e.g
(Then surely this will be beneficial for the Life coach or even Therapist ,as they can understand much better what their particular Client has been through for e.g not having a pull yourself together etc attitudes
(I mean as Life coach or Therapist has healed themselves before hand and has a professional qualified person to seek advice such as looking after yourself/not taking Clients problems back home, creating issue work/home life balance etc..

I am not sure,I am quite surprised no regularity Gov body in that particular field,that'd seems very weird to me.

(I think in most Professional fields you get the good/bad/a few or some who are ugly.
(You just have to go with intuition/gut reaction,they don't second Brain for nothing,its primeval instinct humans have had since stone Age men/Nethernderal times..

JayDot500 · 07/12/2020 23:21

I did a life coaching course for free in London. My mum 'treated' me. I don't remember anything about it, other than the 'extras' that could be paid for after that free session and the ice cream we ate afterwards.

UrAWizHarry · 07/12/2020 23:23

Yes. It's utter bollocks.

PanamaPattie · 07/12/2020 23:24

Life coaches, therapists and counsellors are all selling snake oil. IME, it's a case of "Physician- heal thyself".

Casschops · 07/12/2020 23:25

Its a load of tosh.

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 07/12/2020 23:29

hmm, was seeing a life coach who is also a qualified therapist.
I talked to her about a business idea that I wanted to develop on a not for profit basis - either as part of an existing charity that I am involved with (aligned to its process and aims, would generate funds to support charitable activities) or as a standalone social enterprise.
I bumped into her a few months later - she breezily said that she was taking MY idea forward (as a profit making enterprise for her), would I like to pay to participate?
If life coaches had a professional body, I'd complain to it.

Clymene · 07/12/2020 23:29

The only person I know who is a life coach has repeatedly fallen out with senior management in every job she's had and is married to a cocklodger.

So yes, it's a pile of crap.

thepeopleversuswork · 07/12/2020 23:29

There are life coaches and life coaches. A handful of them are very good and I know people who've had some good experiences with them. Particularly ones who blend some therapeutic training with practical careers advice. I've known people who were at a crossroads or stuck and benefited from their services.

Unfortunately the vast majority of them are dodgy rebadged MLM salespeople and so forth.

I think it you're going to do it you have to do a lot of research (and probably spend a bit of money). I wouldn't buy it based on a recommendation on FB .

Pipandmum · 07/12/2020 23:31

Except my husband worked with one and he was excellent. He was for work- helped guide him through obstacles and management issues and having to make decisions that affected 100s of people. He didn't give advice, but he was able to help my husband work through issues and figure out ways through problems that high pressure jobs entail. He also helped with continual professional development.
Obviously not qualified through a get rich quick scheme, but had a degree and post graduate training. So there are some legit life coaches out there!

bobbiester · 07/12/2020 23:31

Life Coach Coach - I hear that's a well paying job.

SimplyRadishing · 07/12/2020 23:32

Almost everyone I know who did life coaching after a redundancy discovered their calling in life wasnt account management/media director etc... surprise surprise! It was in fact, to be a life coach.

"Life coaches" are the new "Personal Trainers"
Do what you love! Live! Laugh! Love! Etc

Load of old clap trap.

HerselfIndoors · 07/12/2020 23:35

I think a properly trained, regulated counsellor or therapist can do a lot of good, especially to help someone get over a trauma or childhood issues, rather than to decide what to do with their life. But life coaching isn’t regulated and seems much more dodgy.

I know two women who’ve recently become life coaches in their 40s. Both of them are quite woo, unhappy and directionless, and one is seriously messed up. And it was just the latest in a string of things they decided to do then dropped when it turned out not to be very lucrative.

I think there is a such a thing as a wise person who listens and gives good advice - but life coaching doesn’t attract those people IME!

Leaannb · 07/12/2020 23:43

There is a legit profession of being a life coach. There is also a Life Coach MlM. Professional Life coaches can help you immensely. Whether its getting you organized, helping you reach filial,finial, goals etc. MLM is just bullshit

Leaannb · 07/12/2020 23:46

@HerselfIndoors

I think a properly trained, regulated counsellor or therapist can do a lot of good, especially to help someone get over a trauma or childhood issues, rather than to decide what to do with their life. But life coaching isn’t regulated and seems much more dodgy.

I know two women who’ve recently become life coaches in their 40s. Both of them are quite woo, unhappy and directionless, and one is seriously messed up. And it was just the latest in a string of things they decided to do then dropped when it turned out not to be very lucrative.

I think there is a such a thing as a wise person who listens and gives good advice - but life coaching doesn’t attract those people IME!

True life coaches are accredited with ICF. Its actually pretty tough to get accredited
HerselfIndoors · 07/12/2020 23:55

Oh sorry - I didnt know you could officially be a “proper`’ one - because so many aren’t, they have done a short course if anything.

In in that case I assume the accreditation involves training in psychology and ethics and so on, so they would be helpful in a similar way to a trained counsellor.