Earth-Based Institute is committed to increasing your confidence in facilitating transformative experiences in nature, and will place you on the path to obtaining your International Coach Federation (ICF) coaching credentials. Whether you strive to work as a wilderness guide, an outdoor educator, a life-coach, counselor, or therapist, our Professional Guide Trainings will enhance your skills.

1. Coach or Professional Coach
There isa bigdifference betweenbeingacoach and beinga professionalcoach.Today,there are many
people callingthemselvescoacheswhoinfacthave noformal traininginthe practice.Likewise,many
trainingprograms existthatuse the term"coaching"simplybecause theydon’tknow how else to
appraise the skillstheyare offering,ortheybelievetheywill avoidsome misappropriationbylabeling
theirpractice “coaching”rather than "therapy"or"counseling."
Like the words“therapy”and “therapist”,“coach” and“coaching” are notownedbyany one profession.
It’strue - anyone whois helping,guiding,orsupportinganotherintheirjourneytowardsself-
improvementmaycall themselvesa“coach”,justas anyone whohelpsanotherpersonfeelbettercan
call themselvesa“therapist”of some kind.There are manypeople outthere who,indeed,are bornto
be listeners,helpersandguides.Theyhelppeople everydayandyet,theyhave noformal training.Isit
wrongfor these individualstocall themselvescoaches?Forperhapsthat’swhotheyare,at theircore.Is
it wrongfor themtotrade skill,passionandvisioninexchange formoney?Personally,Idon’tthinkso.
But, itis a misuse of powerwhensomeonecutsthe cornersinsofarasthe critical path of experienceand
training,andusesprofessional titlesforpersonal gain,essentiallycapitalizinguponthe painand
strugglingof others.Of course,makingalivingisa necessarycomponentof whatitmeanstoexistinthe
modernworld,butmisuse of powergivescoachingabadname.Thisappropriationcreatesnegative
stigmathat Professional Coachesmustnavigate astheynetworktogenerate clientele (Forexample -
"coach" means:presumptuouslife-coachwhowilltellme whattodo to change my life.Or,wannabe
therapist.Or,athleticcoach.Or trainer,etc.)
In contrast,ProfessionalCoaching Nature Therapy isacredentialedcareerpaththatrequiresafairly
rigorouscombinationof educationandpracticum, aswell asapproval byan overseeingorganization:
The International CoachFederation(ICF).Earth-BasedInstitute’sNature-ConnectedCoachtraining
program isapprovedbythe ICF as a ProfessionalCoachtrainingprogram.
ProfessionalCoachingisamodalitythatsupportspersonal andprofessionalchange andgrowth.Itis
differentfromotherformsof coaching,suchas AthleticDevelopmentCoaching,aswellasfrom
psychotherapy,consultingandmentoring.

2. Here are some of the waysthe ICF definesProfessional Coaching:
• “ICF definescoachingaspartneringwithclientsinathought-provokingandcreative processthat
inspiresthemtomaximizetheirpersonal andprofessional potential.”
• “Coacheshonorthe clientasthe expertinhisor herlife andworkand believeeveryclientis
creative,resourceful andwhole.”
• “The coach's responsibilityisto:Discover,clarify,andalignwithwhatthe clientwantstoachieve;
Encourage clientself-discovery;Elicitclient-generatedsolutionsandstrategies;Holdthe client
responsible andaccountable”
• “Professionalcoachingfocusesonsettinggoals,creatingoutcomesandmanagingpersonalchange.”
• “Coaching[…] supportspersonal andprofessionalgrowthbasedonself-initiatedchange inpursuit
of specificactionable outcomes.These outcomesare linkedtopersonal orprofessional success.
Coachingisfuture focused.While positive feelings/emotionsmaybe a natural outcome of coaching,
the primaryfocusis on creating actionable strategiesforachievingspecificgoalsinone'sworkor
personal life.The emphasesinacoachingrelationshipare onaction,accountability,andfollow-
through.”
•
• “With coaching,the assumptionisthatindividualsorteamsare capable of generatingtheirown
solutions,withthe coachsupplyingsupportive,discovery-basedapproachesandframeworks.”
• “The coachingprocessdoesnotinclude advisingorcounseling,andfocusesinsteadonindividualsor
groupssettingandreachingtheirown objectives. “
• “Professionalcoaching,unlike athleticdevelopment,doesnotfocusonbehaviorsthatare being
executedpoorlyorincorrectly.Instead,the focusisonidentifyingopportunityfordevelopment
basedon individual strengthsandcapabilities.”

3. As a Professional Coach,youare alwaysstrivingtotake yourself outof the equationof yourclient's
growthby puttingthe powerof insightanddirectionentirelyinthe client’shands.Asacoach,you are
showingyourclientsthattheyalreadyhave everythingthattheyneedtomake the change that theyare
calledtomake.In otherwords,one mightsaythat a measurementof goodcoachingiswhenyourclients
gainsuch confidence inthemselvesthattheynolongerneedyou!