Coaching is becoming a profession....?

Published in NorthJersey.com, this article highlights some interesting points of the coaching profession:

- "The ICF, coaching's most prominent organization, says there are more than 8,200 accredited members worldwide, up from 1,800 in 1999. In the United States, there are just under 5,000 ICF members. There are no reliable estimates of the number of clients, but the ICF estimates perhaps five per coach."

- "I don't know I would call it a profession yet because I don't think most people know a lot about it," said Dr. William Greenberg, president of the New Jersey Psychiatric Association, with a private practice in Ridgewood. "I don't know that they have the expertise to help people when they need it." But he added, "I think conceivably they might have complimentary roles. That would sound logical."

- "With so much confusion between the two professions, there is a danger that the wrong client could wind up in the wrong chair. Anything dealing with substance abuse, domestic abuse or major emotional issues holding a person back are issues for a therapist, not a coach. Most ICF-accredited coaches are trained to be able to identify the differences between coaching and therapy issues, but some (no one knows how many) are not accredited at all."

- "If we're going to be serious as a profession, we need everybody to be accredited. "Therapists have gone through it; most basic professions have credentials. You're looking for a common standard."

So basically, to become a recognized profession, accreditation is necessary.

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Personal coaches gain in popularity, seek respect