Why the NBC-HWC Credential Matters More Now
Wellness coaching was once a loosely defined role, but has evolved into a profession with standards, extensive research backing, and increased credibility with its own credential. This matters especially if you're a healthcare professional, HR leader, consultant, or already a coach who wants to expand into a well-being coaching focus in a way that's respected in the marketplace.
A powerful example of this professional shift in the marketplace is the rise of the National Board Certified—Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) credential, administered through the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC). The credential means that a coach has been trained within a defined scope of practice, assessed for practical coaching skills, and prepared to sit for a national board examination recognized in professional health care. If you are considering training and certification in wellness coaching, it's important to know what the NBC-HWC credential represents.
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The Wellness Coaching Field Has Moved Toward Certification and Standards
How we manage or prevent chronic disease, adopt healthy lifestyle patterns, and prevent or recover from burnout are central to our quality of life. The CDC reports that 90% of the nation's $4.9 trillion in annual healthcare expenditures are for people with chronic and mental health conditions. Because it's such a staggering number, interest has built for wellness and well-being coaching.
Coaching clients increasingly bring well-being-related goals to coaching sessions. The International Coaching Federation's 2024 snapshot on coaching and mental well-being notes that 85% of coaches report clients requesting support related to mental well-being.
The demand for wellness coaching is increasing, which prompts a need for professionalism and clarity about what coaching is and isn't.
What Makes the NBC-HWC Credential Different from Many "Certificates"
Many programs offer a "certificate in wellness coaching," but the NBC-HWC is different because it is tied to nationally defined university research standards, an assessment process, and an ethics code.
To be eligible for the NBHWC board exam as a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach, candidates must:
- Complete an NBHWC-approved training program
- Complete 50 health and wellness coaching sessions
This is not difficult to achieve, but it does require completing specially approved 75-hour NBHWC training.
NBHWC maintains a public directory of approved training programs, such as College of Executive Coaching's Positive Psychology-based Wellness and Well-being Coaching Certification. Graduates of such programs qualify the coach to apply for board certification. If you want your training to "count" toward the National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach Credential (NBC-HWC), your training program choice matters.
The Importance of the Connection between NBHWC and NBME
One reason the NBC-HWC has gained credibility is that the NBHWC board exam is a joint program with the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME).
NBME is widely known in medicine for its role in licensing physicians. When a credentialing exam is created and managed through collaboration with an organization such as the one that licenses physicians, it signals seriousness and credibility.
The NBHWC accreditation of College of Executive Coaching's Positive Psychology-based Wellness and Well-being Coaching Certification is important if you want to work with:
- Healthcare organizations, wellness programs, or integrative medicine settings
- Corporate well-being initiatives
- Health systems seeking referrals to trained behavior-change professionals
- Clients who want a coach with specialized training and a well-respected credential
Major Institutions are Choosing National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coaches
Another reason the NBC-HWC has become a strong credibility signal is that well-known university health centers, such as Mayo Clinic and Duke University, hire coaches who have the National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach Credential.
Why Prospective Clients and Employers Care About the NBC-HWC
From a client perspective, they want confidence that their coach has been trained to help them change behavior sustainably, so that it is a worthwhile investment.
From the employer side, the value is risk management and consistency: organizations increasingly want well-being services delivered by professionals who:
- Understand the scope of practice and ethical boundaries
- Know when to refer to medical or mental health providers
- Can document and structure coaching engagements
- Can work within evidence-informed approaches
Why This Matters for Experienced Professionals
Many of the professionals drawn to wellness coaching are already accomplished. They may be clinicians, HR leaders, psychologists, nurse leaders, physician coaches, organizational consultants, or seasoned coaches who want to expand their practice.
If you are an experienced professional, it is important to recognize that the field is becoming more professional, and the Health and Wellness Coach board certification is a differentiator from less-trained coaches.
College of Executive Coaching's Positive Psychology-based Wellness and Well-being Coaching Certification curriculum is known for:
- Credibility and reputation
- A unique curriculum that covers the foundation, plus incorporates the science of positive psychology
- Ethical clarity and scope discipline
- Eligibility for a national credential
- Coaching tools grounded in evidence, not fads
- Teaching quality and helpfulness of the faculty
Where Positive Psychology Fits into the Professionalization Story
As I've written before, "wellness coaching is most effective when it leverages the science of living the good life." Positive psychology belongs in a high-quality wellness coaching curriculum because it is a research-driven field that studies what helps people build well-being, resilience, meaning, appreciating, and utilization of strengths, all of which help support long-lasting, healthy lifestyle changes.
When a wellness coach is trained to use strengths-based goal setting, gratitude practices, values alignment, and resilience-building strategies appropriately, clients maintain changes longer than willpower-based approaches plus have greater subjective well-being.
A Note for Coaches: College of Executive Coaching's Path for Both the NBHWC Credential and the ICF ACC Credential
Some prospective students want two outcomes at once:
- Formal training for board-eligible wellness coaching (NBHWC pathway)
- A recognized coaching credential for broader coaching credibility (ICF ACC pathway)
This strategy allows you to address two markets:
- Clients and employers seeking well-being support within a health-oriented framework
- Clients and organizations seeking ICF-aligned coaching professionalism
If your goal is to position yourself as a coach who can work credibly in both areas, choose a training pathway that supports both outcomes and you will be efficient and make a smart move for your career.
What this Means If You're Choosing a Training Program Now
When a profession moves toward standards, the training decision changes. The question is no longer only, "Will I learn something useful?" It becomes:
- Will this training qualify me for the credential my clients and prospective clients recognize?
- Will I be assessed for practical competence and given feedback on my coaching skills?
- Will the curriculum give me evidence-based methods I can use immediately?
- Does the faculty have extensive experience, and will they expand my thinking and sharpen my skills?
Learn more about Positive Psychology-based Wellness and Well-Being Coaching Certification.
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About Jeffrey E. Auerbach, Ph.D., MCC, NBC-HWC
Dr. Auerbach is a world-recognized expert in wellness coaching and positive psychology. In addition to his Ph.D. in psychology, he holds a post-graduate diploma in behavioral medicine and conducted his research with UCLA and Menninger's psychoneuroimmunology researchers. He is the author of Personal and Executive Coaching, the Well-Being Coaching Workbook, and the co-author of Positive Psychology and Coaching. Dr. Auerbach has presented his research and wellness-coaching techniques internationally as an invited expert speaker at the American Psychological Association, the International Positive Psychology Association, the International Coach Federation, and several other organizations. His research and techniques have been presented in numerous professional and peer-reviewed journals, including Psychology and Health, the Association for Applied Psychophysiology, the American Psychological Association Monitor, Men's Fitness, and the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. Dr. Auerbach developed, manages, and teaches in the College of Executive Coaching's Post-Graduate Positive Psychology-Based Wellness and Well-being Coaching Certification.
