Who gets to call themselves a coach?

Are we ready to put this contentious debate to rest?

One of the most smoking hot Internet debates is not about politics, religion or the economy. It’s about one of the top growing industries in the world — online coaching.

The question is: who gets to call themselves a coach?

I can barely remember a week going by without seeing some version of this contentious debate on social media. Invariably, certain personalities seem drawn to this particular topic:

· A therapist who states she/he has spent years and thousands of dollars investing in a master’s degree, not to mention extensive hours spent in supervised mentorship. This person is usually convinced that coaches are secretly doing therapy in their sessions and is distressed that people with trauma are receiving the wrong services. They want coaches to be held to the same level of accountability as therapists.

· A coach with an ICF (International Coach Federation) certification, who spent years and thousands of dollars receiving training and mentorship. They usually lament about how the coaching industry is going downhill because anyone can take a $49 course and call themselves a coach.

· A therapist who’s disillusioned with their profession, feeling like they are on a…