The Primal Health Coach Course is impressive. It exceeded my expectations. The course work was in-depth, intense and challenging. It’s presented in a variety of formats – video, audio and text – which means the concepts are tapped into from different angles, and take advantage of the very way that the brain learns: through repetition. It took me six months to complete, averaging one hour of study a day. It was an investment which I’m extremely glad to have made.
Why I Embarked on the Primal Health Coach Course
Just want to know what I loved about the course? Scroll down.
There were 4 main reasons why I wanted to do the course:
- Knowledge I wanted to deepen my knowledge of ancestral health, so that Fiorenzo and I could continue fine-tuning and improving upon our own health situations.
- Credibility I wanted to be able to speak with confidence about the concepts, and hoped that the certification would give my blog more credibility.
- Help Others I wanted to assimilate as much information as possible, thus enabling me to reach out and help others transform their lives.
- Be a Part of the Team I wanted play an active role in Mark Sisson’s vision of a health revolution and be part of his team.
Why I Hesitated
Money. The course isn’t cheap. In 2016, I closed my Yoga Studio and my business license – the combination of my health issues and the Italian taxation system made it impossible to continue. I really didn’t know if the PHC Course would be an investment – meaning that it would set me up with an income, or whether it was simply going to be a project of personal self development. I also wasn’t sure if the Certification actually had any credibility outside of the Paleo world. Especially being here in Italy, I didn’t know if it would be recognised by potential clients or health professionals.
What Happened
- Investment What happened was that my first clients arrived before I actually finished the course. I offered them a 12 Week program and made back almost all of the cost. I must say, however, that I wouldn’t recommend doing that to anyone! Finish the course first, and then go seek clients: those last modules are really important. There are tried-and-true strategies and techniques around coaching that really need to be practiced and assimilated. Having said that, those first clients have helped me establish my price, clarify how and with whom I want to work, and what kind of programs I want to develop.
- Knowledge I can’t tell you how much I learnt! I’d been digesting Paleo books, blog posts, podcasts and articles for the last 3 years – I thought I had a pretty good grip on what the key concepts were all about. But the PHC Course took it all to a completely different level: a cellular, molecular, hormonal level. It’s brilliant.
- Credibility Doesn’t that PHC Certification Badge look great in the Paleomantic sidebar? I think so. Having only just finished the Course, I have people who want me to lead group programs, physiotherapists who want me to present what it’s all about, and people asking me questions because they want to know more. I truly feel as though I have something valid and significant to offer. And I know that influential people like Chris Kresser are really promoting the need for Health Coaches in combating the global health crisis.
- Helping Others Having the knowledge is one thing – having the Coaching tools and techniques is another. I now know how to really bring out the best in clients, how to help them set goals, strive towards them and stay motivated.
- Part of the Team The team is fantastic! More about the online groups and the Admin team below.
- Personal Growth As mentioned earlier, the course work is challenging. I’m an avid note-taker, and there were times when I felt like I was never going to get to the end of a chapter. But, with the help of the community, I stayed motivated and resilient. My passsion for the Primal Diet and Lifestyle was intensified, and the Course encouraged me to try out aspects which I hadn’t yet considered. For example, I was set in my habit of having to eat 3 times a day, and now I’m liberated. I don’t feel obliged to eat breakfast. Sometimes I’ll skip a meal, or just have a bowl of bone broth before going to bed. I don’t know that I would have had the impetus to change those habits had I not done the course. And then, the coaching modules made me look inwards into my own limiting beliefs and stories, and to set upon positively re-writing them.
Here are 5 things that I particularly loved about the Primal Health Coach Course.
5 Things That I Particularly Loved about The Primal Health Coach Course
- Administrative Support The support team is right there for you, in person, in real time. They were quick to organise a catch up on Skype on the couple of occasions when I needed to connect with someone, and this made the whole experience very personal and friendly. In the Facebook groups, the admins are prompt to clarify any tricky questions that pop up. On a bureaucratic level, everything has been smooth and effortless.
- Community My concern before signing up was that, being an online course, I would feel isolated. I had no need to fear. The community of students, graduates and administrators is incredible. From the beginning, I was made to feel very welcome, supported, and part of the team. The closed Facebook Groups are nurturing, energised, intelligent and fun. Ask anything, and answers flow in: from health and wellness queries to advice for working with clients, from how to set up websites through to legal disclaimer concerns. And, of course, there’s a lot of sharing of the good stuff.
- Course Work and Exams The material is intense. The certification is not a giveaway, not by any means. The chapters are based on Mark Sisson’s 21 Day Total Body Transformation book, but they go into a lot more detail. Some of the modules are excruciatingly long, and if you don’t have a biological science or sports medicine background, then you really need to study. The exams at the end of each module are a series of multiple choice and true/false, and a lot of them are very difficult. I had to consult my notes for every exam. It took me 6 months of studying an average of 1 hour a day to complete the course. That said, I loved every part of it. Throughout every module, I kept saying, ‘Oh, that’s fascinating!’. I actually delayed finishing the final chapter – I didn’t want it to end!
- Our Coach, Chrisine Hassler Christine is like the icing on the Paleo Cake. Once all the nitty gritty of the Primal Health Coach Course is covered, Christine steps in to take you through the actual coaching side of things. She’s great, she’s so motivating. She explains, very accesibily, how to find your ideal clients, how to establish your price, how to ask questions and listen, and how to deal with objections. The best thing is that once a month she coaches us via a live webinair where we can shoot her our questions about coaching and business.
- The Business Resource Centre We’re not just talking about logos and brochures here. The PHC Business Resource Centre is much more thorough and complete. There are step-by-step modules for setting up business, from web pages and social through to winning your first client, as well as masterclass videos and a comprehensive guide to a 12 week coaching plan.
The whole course is thorough and professional. As I said above, it exceeded my expectations and was worth every cent.
And Now?
Now, I’m focusing on how I can best serve others. One on one? Groups? In person, Skype or online? I want to keep improving the blog by continuing to freely share information about evolutionary health. And I want to get myself out there, let people know how excited I am about being a certified PHC, and help people in very concrete ways.
My priorities are – in the words of Christine Hassler – to be my own best client: to identify my goals and strive towards them, to embody the Primal Diet and Lifestyle and thus be an inspiration to all, and to organise my time, energy, skills and passions so that the work flows beautifully.
I’m full of gratitude for for all the paths which led Fiorenzo and I to Primal, for our health which continues to improve, and for being able to help others transform their lives. And I’m extremely thankful to the incredible team of people who put the Primal Health Coach Course together, and for all the administrators, students and graduates who enrich it through their motivation, compassion and intelligence and fun.
Are you feeling pulled towards doing the Primal Health Coach Course? Dive in! Click through one of the banners here, find out all about it, and make an appointment to chat with the admin team. If you’re passionate about Ancestral Health principles, love a challenge, and want to help others towards health and happiness, then you’ll love this course.
Big thanks for your time here on Paleomantic. Thanks for spreading the Paleo message through all your Shares on Social and for your Pins – when you’re fluffing around Pinterest, check out my boards ‘On the Blog’ and ‘Paleomantic Recipes’ where you’ll find the fun graphics.
And thanks so much for choosing to shop through the Affiliate Links here. Affiliate Links are a great way to support your favourite bloggers – you never pay more, and the small commissions help keep our blogs sustainable, and keeps the information circulating freely for all.
Best wishes, Good Health, and – if you jump on board with the Primal Health Coach Course – Good Luck, and Welcome!
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Congratulations, Angie, on completing your class and living with such inspiring intention!
Thank you so much, Pamela! It was a fantastic course, and it feels great to be a Cerftified PHC! A
I’m considering the PHC course as well. I’ve been a big fan of Mark Sisson for a long time – eight years or so. I just found your blog; it’s very well done! Thank you for your review of the PHC course – I’m trying to learn as much as I can about it. Also eagerly waiting to see what Chris Kresser has in store. He should be announcing the details of his new coaching program soon.
Hi Annika, Thank you for your kind words about the blog – glad you like it! Yes, we’re all curious to see what Chris K comes up with – we’re so lucky to have so many brilliant people leading at the forefront of this health revolution. Do consider the PHC Course – it’s so good on so many levels, from the course content and presentation right through to the networking and graduate support. There’s a lot of dialogue and generosity, it’s great. And – as I said above – as well as being a part of Mark’s team, there’s Christine Hassler, and she’s so motivating. Oh, you’ve great year coming up! Whichever course you decide on, good luck, enjoy every moment of it! The world needs more health coaches!
Hi Angie
I love your site! Thank you for taking the time to do such an in-depth review of Mark’s course. It’s the first comprehensive review I’ve read without any hype, where I actually felt I knew what I was getting myself into. Like Annika (above) I’m also interested in what Chris K has on offer, but feel very aligned with Mark having walked silently alongside him for the last 8 years, via his site. I’m also an Australian and have been living overseas with my family for many years. I don’t have any fitness background, which most people do, and not one ounce of digital footprint… and wondered how that might effect my abilities to work in the health coaching world? Thanks for your help. Happy holidays, kind regards, Rachel
Hi Rachel, I’m so glad you’ve found my review helpful – thank you! Don’t let not having a fitness background hold you back. The course will give you an excellent education in the biology of fitness, and the importance of low level cardio, strength training and sprinting – but that certainly doesn’t mean we’re all into Crossfit or hitting the athletic track. What will happen as you work through the course is that you’ll work out where your personal passion lies, and from that you’ll get a clear idea as to how you want to work, and who your ideal clients are. There are so many people who need health coaches, and each has a different story. It’s about connecting with the clients who are a good match for your specific personality and program.
You will need to create an online presence – it’s just the way things are done now – but again, don’t be daunted. Setting up a website is really easy. And just the fact that you’ve left a message here means you’re a little tech savvy! If you have the kind of curiosity to dive into a Health Coach Course, then that same curiosity will take you, step by step, through all of the necessary stages of setting up a business.
Good Luck, Enjoy!
Hi Angie!
I loved your article and I’d like to make you some questions. I’m an Italian girl. I read that you live in Italy, so I’ll write you my message in Italian. If you prefer to read in English, please tell me and I’ll translate it.
Da un po’ di tempo ho capito che vorrei dedicare la mia vita al wellness e, in particolare, mi piacerebbe diventare una wellness coach. Sto cercando una scuola online e mi sto orientando verso quelle americane, vista la scarsissima offerta in Italia. Ho scoperto il PHC Institute e mi sembra valida.
Vorrei sapere: io conosco l’inglese (diciamo livello C1…) ma non sono madrelingua e non ho basi di biologia/anatomia. Pensi possa essere molto complicato studiare certi capitoli per me?
L’esame finale in cosa consiste? Ho capito che ci sono delle verifiche durante il percorso, ma che tipo di esame devi superare per poter ottenere il diploma?
Ti ringrazio in anticipo per l’aiuto.
Ciao, Daniela
Ciao Daniela, I’m glad you found my review useful. The PHC Institute course is brilliant, but, yes, it’s exactly as they describe: “It’s an intensive educational program that’s similar to an upper-division level college course in health sciences”. Have you downloaded the free Digital Guidebook? That gives you an excellent overview of the course material, and explains the qualification process. As you’ve understood, at the end of each module there’s an exam (true/false, multiple choice) and you need to score at least 75% on each of them to receive certification. The questions aren’t easy, I can assure you. Many non-native English speakers have completed the course, but my feeling is that you need a reasonably high level of English… or a lot of patience and persistence. It might take you one year instead of 6 months, for example. Do what I did: send an email and set up a Skype call to discuss your issues. All the staff are very helpful – you could ask to see a sample of the course material. Hey, if you want to see what I’m up to in Italy, my website is http://www.angiebqualitylife.com And if you do decide to sign up for the PHC Course, I’d be so appreciative if you book through my link here. Good Luck! A
Thank you very much Angie for the complete answer! I’ll do what you suggested: I haven’t downloaded the guidebook yet. And then, I’ll make them some questions.
Of course, if I decide to sign up for the course, I’ll use your link 😉
I’m happy to have a look at your site!
Thanks again and have a happy Easter.
Bye
That was an awesome write up. I am on Chapter 5 now. It was quite a leap of faith given the cost. But it called to me as soon as I heard about it.
Hi Roger, Oh, how brilliant that you took the plunge, congratulations! The course work is fascinating, isn’t it? It’s so great to go into all the topics in such depth, and I’m finding with clients that a bit of the background science is really motivating. Good luck with the exams – some of them are really tricky – and it’ll be great to connect with you over in tbe Grads Facebook Group! Glad you liked my review – thanks! Angie