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> credentialed coach Is this a legal term? Is there any real qualification, proven behind this? Or is it like in Germany, where anyone could call themself a "c

> credentialed coach Is this a legal term? Is there any real qualification, proven behind this? Or is it like in Germany, where anyone could call themself a "credentialed coach" and "help" other people. Because professional help from a therapist would surely be called such, wouldn't it? Especially from a platform that allows racist hatred onto their comment section.

christalwang 2y ago
The 2 credentialing bodies we hire from are International Coaching Federation (ICF) and National Board Health & Wellness Coaches (NBC-HWC). But yes, anyone can call themselves a coach. They would not be credentialed though. That's one of the challenges I personally felt when I was looking for a coach when I was diagnosed and couldn't really figure out what was legit and what wasn't. That's part of the mission behind Shimmer too, so that members know that if they come to Shimmer, they're getting a qualified coach who has went through a robust screening process, and undergo ongoing supervision, training, and community! Actually only 3.7% of qualified coaches who apply actually get through our 4-step process.
- sdoering 2y ago
  While ICF and NBC-HWC provide some structure, these certifications are inadequate for supporting individuals with ADHD and mental health conditions. ICF requires only 60-125 hours of general coaching training and NBC-HWC, while more health-focused, still lacks deep mental health and neurodiversity education. For comparison, mental health professionals complete 4-8 years of specialized education, thousands of supervised clinical hours, and must maintain state licenses. The risk isn't just about qualification inflation - it's about potentially harmful advice. Coaches without extensive mental health training may miss red flags, misinterpret symptoms, or suggest strategies that conflict with evidence-based treatments. While coaches can provide supplementary support, positioning them as primary mental health support for ADHD individuals, even with these certifications, could delay proper treatment and worsen outcomes. A 4-step screening process is good, but the baseline credentials still fall short for mental health care. The focus should be on integration with licensed healthcare providers rather than positioning coaching as a standalone solution.
magnetowasright 2y ago
ADHD 'coaches' are such a predatory scam. It's so prevalent and it's just revolting imo. If someone is using the term 'coach' it's because they have no credentials thus can't use a term protected for use by only qualified professionals, so like you said anyone can just call themselves a coach. Additionally, like OP says, as they're 'coaches' they're not actually qualified health professionals of any kind thus won't be covered by insurance. Here in Australia our socialised healthcare system doesn't cover them (nor should it! See a psychologist, which our healthcare system needs to really increase its funding of) Inappropriate, harmful, or unethical behaviour by these people goes unreported because they're not covered under our national regulatory body for healthcare as well. It's not just an expensive scam, there's absolutely no protections at all. I really hate it. I'm genuinely happy for people who have an ADHD coach who isn't terrible but the problem is that there's so many gaps in care and filling them with totally unqualified randos with no registration or regulation who charge at least as much as an actual qualified professional on top of that is just horrendous, abysmal, and not at all a solution to these problems.

christalwang 2y ago

The 2 credentialing bodies we hire from are International Coaching Federation (ICF) and National Board Health & Wellness Coaches (NBC-HWC). But yes, anyone can call themselves a coach. They would not be credentialed though. That's one of the challenges I personally felt when I was looking for a coach when I was diagnosed and couldn't really figure out what was legit and what wasn't. That's part of the mission behind Shimmer too, so that members know that if they come to Shimmer, they're getting a qualified coach who has went through a robust screening process, and undergo ongoing supervision, training, and community! Actually only 3.7% of qualified coaches who apply actually get through our 4-step process.

sdoering 2y ago
While ICF and NBC-HWC provide some structure, these certifications are inadequate for supporting individuals with ADHD and mental health conditions. ICF requires only 60-125 hours of general coaching training and NBC-HWC, while more health-focused, still lacks deep mental health and neurodiversity education. For comparison, mental health professionals complete 4-8 years of specialized education, thousands of supervised clinical hours, and must maintain state licenses. The risk isn't just about qualification inflation - it's about potentially harmful advice. Coaches without extensive mental health training may miss red flags, misinterpret symptoms, or suggest strategies that conflict with evidence-based treatments. While coaches can provide supplementary support, positioning them as primary mental health support for ADHD individuals, even with these certifications, could delay proper treatment and worsen outcomes. A 4-step screening process is good, but the baseline credentials still fall short for mental health care. The focus should be on integration with licensed healthcare providers rather than positioning coaching as a standalone solution.

magnetowasright 2y ago

ADHD 'coaches' are such a predatory scam. It's so prevalent and it's just revolting imo. If someone is using the term 'coach' it's because they have no credentials thus can't use a term protected for use by only qualified professionals, so like you said anyone can just call themselves a coach. Additionally, like OP says, as they're 'coaches' they're not actually qualified health professionals of any kind thus won't be covered by insurance. Here in Australia our socialised healthcare system doesn't cover them (nor should it! See a psychologist, which our healthcare system needs to really increase its funding of) Inappropriate, harmful, or unethical behaviour by these people goes unreported because they're not covered under our national regulatory body for healthcare as well. It's not just an expensive scam, there's absolutely no protections at all. I really hate it. I'm genuinely happy for people who have an ADHD coach who isn't terrible but the problem is that there's so many gaps in care and filling them with totally unqualified randos with no registration or regulation who charge at least as much as an actual qualified professional on top of that is just horrendous, abysmal, and not at all a solution to these problems.