How to Become a Health Coach

How to Become a Health Coach

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What is the Institute for Integrative Nutrition Health Coach Certificate?

With IIN’s Health Coach Training Program, you’ll have endless opportunities to live a life you love.

grad holding health coach certificate

The Integrative Nutrition Health Coach Certificate is earned after successful completion of The Health Coach Training ProgramTM. You’ll have the opportunity to choose a learning pathway that will enable you to transform your health, your career (or both!) to align with your personal and professional goals. Dive into diverse content that teaches you integrative nutrition and nutrition science, coaching, and business skills. Our certificate sets you apart from other Health Coaches, demonstrating your deep understanding of holistic health and behavior change.

Apply what you’ve learned to create your own wellness business, earn continuing education with one of our global partners, as well as work towards becoming a board certified Health Coach with the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC).

How to become a Health Coach

IIN’s online Health Coach Training Program can be completed in six or 12 months, in English or Spanish, and has evolved to become the most respected, in-depth, and interactive training available. You’ll learn from over 95 visiting faculty on a wide spectrum of wellness topics that you’ll embrace as a Health Coach. Plus, you’ll learn our signature IINtegrative Coaching MethodTM, teaching you the art and science of coaching that has set the foundation of success for our graduates over the last 30 years.


Refine your skills during virtual Coaching Circle sessions with professional Integrative Nutrition Health Coaches, preparing you not only to coach yourself to great health, but also to create a career that is emotionally and financially rewarding. You’ll walk away from the training program with the skills and resources you need to nourish, heal, and thrive in all aspects of your life, and work with clients to do the same.


Not all health coaching schools or certification programs are created equal, so it’s important to select a credible school or program that is licensed and recognized by third-party organizations for excellence in wellness coach education. Learn more about The Health Coach Training Program Curriculum.

Why would someone want to become a Health Coach?

A Health Coach is a wellness entrepreneur with limitless opportunities to create a flexible yet lucrative career doing what they love—helping others! If you want to get educated on the multidimensional aspects of health, from physical and mental health to spiritual health; if you desire a career that fits with your healthy lifestyle; or if you want to advance your existing career, becoming a Health Coach with IIN’s Health Coach Training Program may be right for you.

What is a Health Coach and what do they do?

Health Coaches share knowledge on how to create sustainable behavior change, but their role is not to dictate what’s best for the client—they provide information and resources for clients to make informed decisions that work best for them and align with their unique needs and goals.


Health Coaches who graduate from the Health Coach Training Program can work in traditional healthcare, such as coaching clients one-on-one, in groups, or partnering with healthcare professionals in doctor’s offices, as well as in entrepreneurial wellness settings, such as gyms, spas, or food, beauty and supplement companies.


The career paths and earning potential for Health Coaches are limitless, especially those who graduate from the globally respected and recognized Integrative Nutrition Health Coach Training Program.

The demand for Integrative Nutrition graduates

IIN pioneered the field of health coaching 30 years ago, and the demand for people skilled in holistic health and behavior change has never been higher. As holistic health practices become more popular, there's an unprecedented opportunity for IIN graduates to demonstrate their knowledge and provide resources, whether simply for themselves or for their families, for better physical, mental, and emotional well-being.


The demand for Health Coaches has also increased as the acceptance of telehealth services has opened doors for Health Coaches to work remotely, such as through wellness technology apps and insurance companies offering virtual health coaching. The American Medical Association approved health coaching CPT codes, the uniform language for coding healthcare services and procedures for insurance, highlighting the need for Health Coaches to continue to improve health outcomes and lower healthcare costs.


By completing your training online and learning how to build an online business and brand, you can showcase your expertise with a global audience and reach more people than ever before. The world needs Health Coaches—the world needs YOU!

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Health Coaches Are Needed Now More Than Ever!

Health and wellness coaching is a vital aspect of creating and sustaining healthy lifestyle changes. Isn’t it amazing that the world is finally catching up? The New York Times even wrote We Could All Use a Health Coach, stating that “chronic disorders are responsible for the majority of the trillions of dollars now spent on health care... insurers would be wise to include health coaching among the services offered.”


Health Coaches are becoming recognized as integral parts of people’s health and well-being, working alongside other wellness professionals to address the global health crisis and ignite positive change.  


Frequently Asked Questions About IIN

Upon graduating, you will earn the title of Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, and you will receive both a paper certificate and a digital badge to display your accomplishment across your online channels. We offer a certificate of completion, not a certification.

Currently, no governmental agency requires any health coach certification. However, IIN offers graduates the pathway to certification and further credentialing so that Integrative Nutrition Health Coaches can continue to set themselves apart from other Health Coaches. Not all health coaching schools provide such certification opportunities and may make false claims about what you are able to do after graduating from their program.

Learn more about IIN’s pathway to certification:

  1. Coaching Intensive Practicum: This course is approved by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC), which means that graduates of this program will be prepared to apply and sit for the NBHWC board certification exam to become a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). The NBHWC was founded by leaders from academic and vocational coaching programs and aspires to standardize the education and certification process for Health Coaches around the world. All Health Coach Training Program (HCTP) graduates are eligible to take the Coaching Intensive Practicum, and non-HCTP graduates are also eligible to take the Coaching Intensive Practicum. Learn more about Coaching Intensive Practicum.
  2. International Association for Health Coaches (IAHC): All IIN Health Coach Training Program graduates are eligible to take the IAHC certification exam, no further courses or education required. This exam tests knowledge on the scope of practice and ethical responsibilities of a Health Coach. Graduates who pass the exam earn the title Certified International Health Coach. The mission of the IAHC is to advocate on behalf of Health Coaches and continue to develop the profession in concert with other healthcare professionals.
The short answer—the possibilities are endless. Our graduates not only create part-time and full-time health coaching businesses, but they spread the ripple effect of health and happiness in a variety of ways and in a variety of fields. Learn more about what some IIN graduates are up to and how IIN transformed their life here.
Founded in 1992, what started as a small macrobiotic cooking class in New York City has evolved into a global school that has trained over 155,000 students and graduates in 175 countries with our Health Coach Training ProgramTM. The incredible global IIN community is fulfilling the school’s mission of spreading the ripple effect of health and happiness, impacting millions of people around the world.

While we have a lot to be proud of, our role in creating the profession of health coaching comes with a deep sense of responsibility to protect the integrity of what a Health Coach certificate is (and isn’t), and what it stands for. For this reason, we've outlined the critical elements that set us apart from other health coaching schools:

  • IIN created the field of health coaching: We’ve been around the longest, and we take pride in igniting the movement that has created other health coaching schools (many are founded by IIN graduates!), as it demonstrates the need for, and the power of, Health Coaches and their incredible work.
  • IIN is dual-licensed by the New York State Education Department and the Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools: This licensure means that our curriculum is regularly reviewed to ensure that our content is both up to date and accurate. Being held to these high standards is important to us, and ensures that we can provide a world-class education that anyone, anywhere can apply to their lives. This also means our graduates can feel confident that their certificate will provide them with a competitive advantage in the job marketplace.
  • IIN provides the most comprehensive education that fosters personal transformation and prepares graduates for career success: Students learn from over 95 experts in fields such as integrative health, public health, nutrition, functional medicine, spirituality, alternative healing modalities, business, marketing, and coaching.
  • IIN provides the flexibility to learn anytime, anywhere with our state-of-the-art Learning Center platform and mobile app: The Health Coach Training Program can be accessed from our online Learning Center, also now available on the new IIN mobile app. IIN makes a Health Coach education even more accessible by providing students with the power to learn on their schedule and in a way that fits their unique lifestyles and career goals.
  • IIN has forged strategic partnerships with coaching organizations and higher education institutions, encouraging graduates to pursue unique professional and personal paths: The Health Coach Training Program allows graduates to make the most out of their IIN education, such as being eligible to earn board certification with the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC), network as a member of various coaching organizations, pursue a higher education degree, or earn continuing education units (CEUs) to advance an existing career. For more information, visit our Accreditations & Partnerships page here.
  • IIN is the only health coaching school with staff in Washington, D.C. who are advancing and advocating for the Health Coach profession: We advocate on behalf of the Health Coach industry by working with leaders and policy makers in government. This advocacy aims to promote the work and value of Health Coaches, which not only impacts the health coaching industry in the U.S., but also around the globe, as more countries catch on to the value that health coaching has on improving health outcomes. Most recently, the approval of CPT codes by the American Medical Association underscore this value, paving the way for health coaching services to eventually be covered by insurance!
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