Should You Become a Relationship Coach in 2024? The NYT says YES

The pandemic has changed just about everything we’ve come to assume about our relationships. Online dating has become the best – and perhaps only – way to meet someone new. The constant togetherness has strained the delicate dynamic of individuation and attachment in marriages. And how a partner handled the additional pandemic stress perhaps made you question the boundaries and maturity of your relationship. Traditional therapy also isn’t always the silver bullet we want it to be. Enter – the relationship coach in 2024.

“A Strong Uptick in Business”

In a post-pandemic article, “It’s a Good Time to Be a Relationship Coach”, the New York Times interviewed 4 coaches with focuses on dating, divorce, and relationships. They all reported a strong increase in their business. “Before the pandemic, Ms. Burns said she received about five applications from new clients a week. That number has since doubled, as people have had more time to look at their relationships and to work on themselves.“

What makes them choose a relationship coach over a traditional therapist? “Jessica Ashley, a divorce coach in Chicago who specializes in helping mothers go through the process, said that the goal-setting element of coaching has become particularly appealing to clients because it can deliver structure and tangible achievements at a time when both may be lacking in people’s lives.”

She also point out that “We are having a coaching moment because we need someone to stand beside us and make a plan, and then tell us we can do it.’ Like many coaches, Ms. Ashley offers her services via packages, including a three-month plan that starts at $3,300 and a six-month plan that starts at $6,000. Business used to be reliably seasonal, she said, but has become steadier over the last two years.“

How Do You Find Your Ideal Relationship Coach?

Locating the perfect coach may also not always be easy. As divorce coach Jessica Ashley points out in the article, “Settling on the right coach often comes down to fit, chemistry, trust and an understanding of experience.”

If you are looking for this chemistry, trust, and understanding, you will want to work with an experiential relationship coach and that’s where Somatica coaches come in. The difference between Somatica Coaches and other relationship coaches is quite profound – because you don’t just sit there and talk, you actually practice the tools of relationship success. These tools include development of emotional availability and intelligence, learning how to deepen intimacy through empathetic connection, love and appreciation, and the tools of repair. Plus, you learn how to communicate your emotional and sexual needs and to bridge differences you may have with your partner.

The Somatica Institute developed a comprehensive directory of Somatica-trained coaches. Here, you can find a coach by location if you care about in-person sessions or physical proximity. Or you can discover a coach who fits your very specific needs, no matter if they’re nearby or available via online tools like Zoom. Specializations include relationship-centric topics like dating & seduction, women empowerment, intimacy, kink, open relationships and erectile dysfunction, among others.

“Because coaches do not have the same approach as therapists,’ Ms. Stein said, ‘they can develop an intimacy with clients that can be helpful to achieving goals. Being a coach, you don’t have the same boundaries as a therapist. You show your emotions and are a human being. I’m a best friend who is still connecting as a professional.”

2024 is the Year to Get Your Coaching Certification

The article also points out that not every coach you encounter might be qualified to help you with your issues. “Coaching does not require any specific requirements or degrees, though, and Ms. Ashley warns it has become an industry flooded by people who aren’t experts. She advises anyone interested in hiring a relationship coach to look for credentials like certifications.“

We couldn’t agree more. That’s why we recommend – should you feel called to embark on the journey of becoming a Somatica relationship coach – to make sure you get your certification. Oversight and feedback from experienced professionals are truly vital components to ensure you become a knowledgeable, aware, and capable relationship coach. Plus, the 300 hours of education you get during the Somatica Training and Certification also satisfies the requirements for you to be individually accredited by the American Board of Sexology (ABS) and market yourself as a sexologist.

Ready to follow your gut and courageously jump into a new career as a relationship coach in 2024? Don’t wait – the next Somatica Training starts soon!