The Three Types of People Who Become Health & Wellbeing Coaches (and why they all succeed)

Over my years of training wellbeing coaches, I’ve noticed something interesting: my students fall into three distinct groups.

They arrive with different experiences, different motivations, and different questions, but all three types succeed. They just use the training in different ways.

If you’re considering Health and Wellbeing Coach training, you’ll probably recognise yourself in one of these patterns. Understanding which type you are can help you see why this might be the right path for you.

Type 1: Already Helping People (Need the Credentials)

Who they are: You’re already helping people, you just don’t have the formal training.

You might be a personal trainer who finds yourself talking to clients more about their mindset than their macros. A healthcare professional who spends as much time on lifestyle conversations as clinical care. An HR manager supporting staff wellbeing. A teacher who’s become the person students confide in.

One student described it perfectly: “I know a little about coaching and I would say that in my current role as a family worker, I use some coaching techniques… I am always person-centred and have a compassion-based approach to supporting people I work with”

What you’re actually seeking: You don’t need to learn coaching from scratch. You need to formalise what you already do. You want the frameworks, the language, the professional credential that says “yes, this is coaching, and yes, I’m qualified to do it”

Your biggest question: “Will this training validate what I already know, or will I have to
unlearn everything and start over?”

The answer: The training will give structure to your instincts. You’ll learn the GROW model and think, “Oh, that’s what I’ve been doing.” You’ll understand the science behind why your approach works. And you’ll walk away with the confidence to claim “coach” as part of your professional identity.

How you’ll use it: Most people who fall under this type integrate coaching into their current role or add it as a specialist service. You’re not usually leaving your profession – you’re elevating it.

Type 2: Personal Journey Became the Purpose

Who they are: Your own journey through struggle has shown you the power of wellbeing. Now you want to guide others through similar challenges.

Perhaps you’ve navigated chronic illness and discovered what actually helps beyond medical treatment. You’ve been through burnout and found your way back. You’ve experienced trauma or loss and learned how to rebuild. You’ve transformed your relationship with food, exercise, or stress.

As one student put it: “I have a passion for helping people, and since going through my own transformational journey with my health and wellbeing, I want to change direction in my career to help others become the best version of themselves that they can”

What you’re actually seeking: You want to turn your pain into purpose. You know firsthand what people are going through, and you have insights that no textbook can teach. But you also know lived experience alone isn’t enough – you need the skills to actually help people change.

Your biggest question: “Is my personal experience enough, or do I need more formal training to help people properly?”

The answer: Your personal experience is a great asset, not a limitation. You already have the empathy, the understanding, the “I’ve been there” credibility that no textbook can teach. But lived experience alone isn’t the same as coaching skills. The training teaches you how to use your story effectively – when to share it, how to share it, and when to hold it back. Your story helps you to relate to the client’s struggle without trying to fix them based on what worked for you.

How you’ll use it: People who use their lived experience often build practices around their specific journey – birth trauma coaching, chronic pain support, menopause wellbeing, recovery from burnout. Your story becomes your niche, but your coaching skills make you professional.

Type 3: Been Comparing Courses for Months (or Years)

Who they are: You’ve been thinking about this for months. Maybe years. You’ve compared dozens of courses. You keep coming back to coaching, but haven’t quite taken the step.

One student admitted: “I have hesitated for the past 2 years whether to do this course or not, and was researching other coaching courses out there, but always returned to Raw Horizons.”

What you’re actually seeking: You’re not just looking for a course – you’re looking for the RIGHT course. You want comprehensive content, proper accreditation, and a teaching approach that fits how you learn. But underneath all that research is often a deeper question: “Am I really capable of doing this?”

Your biggest question: “How do I know this is the right choice? What if I invest the time and money and then discover it’s not for me?”

The answer: If you’ve been researching for this long, it IS for you. The hesitation isn’t about finding the perfect course – it’s about permission to claim this identity. People who research don’t struggle because they lack information. They struggle because they’re waiting to feel “ready”, and that feeling rarely comes.

Here’s what happens when researchers finally commit: relief. As one student said, “I researched dozens and dozens of coaching courses before registering with Raw Horizons, and it is clearly the most professional and in-depth course out there” They often become the most thorough, well-prepared coaches because they’ve spent so long thinking about it.

How you’ll use it: Researchers often take the most systematic approach to building their practice. You’ll use the business toolkit thoroughly. You’ll probably create the most organised systems. Your research skills become a strength in how you approach coaching.

Why All Three Patterns Lead to Success

Here’s what I’ve learned: there’s no “ideal” background for becoming a health and wellbeing coach.

Those already doing some sort of coaching in their current work bring expertise and professional credibility. Those driven by personal journey bring empathy and lived wisdom. Those who’ve researched thoroughly bring commitment and preparation.

What matters isn’t which pattern describes you. What matters is whether you’re willing to take the skills, combine them with who you already are, and use them to help people change.

The training doesn’t erase what makes you unique. It gives you tools to work with it.

So Which Pattern Do You Recognise?

You probably saw yourself in one of these descriptions. Maybe you recognised elements of all three.

That’s normal. These aren’t rigid categories – they’re patterns I’ve noticed. The important thing is understanding what you’re truly seeking from coach training.

If you’re already working with helping people, you’re seeking validation and structure. If your personal journey led you here, you’re seeking skills to match your wisdom. If you’ve been comparing courses, you’re seeking permission to stop researching and start doing.

All three are valid reasons to train. All three lead to successful coaching practices.

The question isn’t “Which pattern describes me?” The question is: “Am I ready to use what I already have and learn what I need?”

If the answer is yes, then coach training is how you bridge the gap between who you are now and the coach you’re capable of becoming.

Our 5-day Health & Wellbeing Coach Training works for all three patterns because it doesn’t force you to fit a mould. Those already helping people get the frameworks to formalise their skills. Those driven by personal journey get the professional foundation for their wisdom. Those who’ve researched thoroughly get comprehensive, accredited training they can trust. Whichever pattern describes you, the training works with who you already are.

Click here to learn more about our Health & Wellbeing Coach Training.