[spiritualpractitionertraining.com] I have been trying to find if this is really certified ? is this the icf the right orgsnisation to ask ? I believe this training is not wht they picture and I have my red alarms for long as I know who is there with them ..

This industry is a shit-show riddled with mlm-style or cultlike dynamics, online program funnels, new-age jargon and crappy personal development techniques you can google.

Some coaches are alright - they actually have certifications and experience that support their methods - but some are very unqualified and ridiculously inexperienced, or flat out using methods that can cause co-dependency, or be controlling, misleading or harmful.

There's this nice idea that you can give someone a little behind you on your path a hand-up, so you only need to target those a little messier or less woke than you. Nothing inherently wrong here - and it's true for professionals also - where your qualifications and experience draws a certain clientele. But in the coaching world there is a lot of smoke and mirrors, even with the most grandiose coaches of all time.

A few new coaches I know personally have a recent history of trauma, cult involvement, addiction or mental illness that was not properly resolved (admitted by them). I understand that many in helping professions land there because of personal growth experiences, but there needs to be sufficient healing, processing and education if you want to enter into a therapeutic relationship or take responsibility for helping others professionally (for money).

Not all professionals have their shit together. I am on this forum because of my past cult involvement, which is related to my profession. Luckily, I was able to minimize the negative influence of this in my professional life. Many doctors and psychologists struggle with eating disorders, addictions, bad relationships, etc. However, they do have a scope of practice that they need to work within, where it's not a "side hustle" and many are capable of helping others with a sense of ethics and responsibility. Also, they have regulatory bodies that govern their actions both inside and outside the profession.

The idea seems to be that if a coach can generate enough social media influence and referrals, and there's no regulatory or legal recourse for dissatisfied or harmed clients, what's the point of wasting time and money on education? If you can get marketing advice and a script from an online program, why bother with accreditation?

I find it sad that as a culture we are so discontented and untrustworthy of our own minds and bodies that we create these systems and perpetuate these cycles. I am grateful for everyone's stories and experiences.