How to Become a Certified Health Coach/FDN-P
My step-by-step journey to this dream job of mine! The programs I used to become a Certified Health Coach and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, what I thought of them, and how they compare to other programs on the market!
One of the questions that I get asked the MOST is about HOW the heck I became a health coach/FDN and how did I build this business from the ground up?! And which program(s) did I use?!
When I was first getting started, I had NO IDEA what I was going to do or how it would work. All I knew is that I had spent the last decade of my life (all of my 20’s) healing from PCOS, IBS/IBS, a brain abscess & brain surgery, thyroid issues, high and then low (burn out) cortisol, abdominal surgery, SIBO + soooo much more. And after going through hell and back with my own health, spending 10’s of thousands of dollars, reading every book and listening to every podcast, I learned SO much along the way from my own research, as well as from every specialist and wellness practitioner that I saw. I knew I wanted to help others so that their healing experience was better, quicker, and more efficient than mine. I also became incredibly passionate about functional and preventative medicine and I wanted to help people earlier in their journey so that they never had to get to where I did.
Fast forward to now, and I am a full time health coach with hundreds of successful clients and a thriving business with multiple amazing people on my TEAM. Pinch me! It hasn’t been easy (it has been SO much work, but worth every second). HERE is HOW I got here…
FIRST: I received my Health Coach Certification from Primal Health Coach Institute (PHCI) in 2020. It’s an online, self-paced health coach certification program that I found to be the most bang for my buck and aligned with what I believed in + what I knew would help my clients heal.
Before committing to it, I talked with graduates of PHCI as well as graduates from other programs. After doing my research, PHCI felt the most aligned with what I was looking for, and I am so glad I trusted my gut when it came to the program that I felt would work best for ME (because clearly it has!).
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my learning experience and would highly recommend it to anyone considering the health coaching route. If PHCI feels like the right fit for you, use my link here to save money on your enrollment!
FAQ’s about PHCI
Why did you choose PHCI?
One of the reasons I loved PHCI before I even started was because of its ancestral approach. It covers a wide range of topics relating to all things health and wellness, while bringing us back to our ancestral roots as human beings. It emphasizes the idea of using food as medicine, which is a concept that I found extremely lifechanging in my own healing journey. It was also important to me that I learn from science backed information that I could educate and empower my clients through. The course is consistently being updated with new research and information to keep the teachings relevant and accurate. I was pleased that all of the information being taught was just that. Another bonus of PHCI was the fact that it included business building modules, which was different from other programs. PHCI program left me with a solid foundation on where to take my business when I was all done, which was SO helpful, as I had never started a business before (or even thought I ever would!).
How much does it cost?
Currently, the Primal Health Coach certification program costs $4,495.00. With my discount link, you can save $$$!
How long does it take?
The course is self paced, and they release one chapter a week. Since one chapter is released per week, you cannot finish it in less weeks than there are chapters, but since it’s otherwise self-paced, you determine how much time you need to take! It took me ~12 months to complete the course, I could have done it quicker but I was working at the same time and building my business so I dragged it out a littleeee! PHCI suggests that a real rockstar could complete the program within 6 months.
Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN) - use code mmqp3pjm for $500 off!
After completing PHCI, I had enough under my belt to hit the ground running with my online health coaching business! Wahoo! And I couldn’t be more thankful for that. However, as time went on, working with clients got me thinking about one of the missing pieces in my business – functional testing and personalized data. So, I started the process of researching programs that would allow me to fill this gap in my business and help even more people find the answers they deserve. I am SO glad I made the investment into this Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner program – being able to complete testing with my clients has truly been a game-changer! That being said, I am really happy with the order in which I obtained my certifications (PHCI then FDNP!) – I feel like the original health coach certification was the perfect start and stepping stone to the FDN program. However, there are no prerequisites to this FDN program, so you can dive right in if you’re ready!
FAQ’s about FDN
Why did you choose FDN?
I chose FDN because I knew many other women who had graduated from FDN and I got incredible feedback from each and every one of them. I am so glad that I went for it, because it has been the best thing for my business, and specifically for my clients. I have learned SO MUCH and taken my clients healing to the next level. I’ve lost count of how many clients have come to me feeling lost, hopeless, and SICK, after their doctor’s told them their labs were normal. FDN helped me help more of these people by providing functional testing that actually gives useful answers. This program emphasizes bio-individuality, working with the body instead of against it, and using knowledge from each individual’s test results to create customized protocols that promote healing and restore function in the body.
How much does it cost?
Currently, the FDN course costs $8,747.00. (you save $500 off with my code mmqp3pjm)
How long does it take?
The program gives you a full year to complete the course, however many people do it in ~8 months! The training modules are pre-recorded and are available 24/7, so you can complete those at your leisure. You also get two 1:1 sessions to review your functional test results, and nine 1:1 practical sessions with a mentor to provide you with real world practical experience and education. The program is very hands-on and set me up SO well for functional testing and a deeper understanding of functional medicine. I finished the program feeling set up for success, and empowered with knowledge right from the get-go.
Other well-known certification options that I considered:
NUTRITION THERAPY ASSOCIATION (Nutrition Therapy Practitioner program)
I cannot speak from firsthand experience about the Nutrition Therapy Association NTP program, however I know of individuals who have done it and have had very positive experiences! Similar to PHCI and the FDN program, it is fully online, yet it is instructor-led. It is 10 months long, and it leaves you with the knowledge of healing the body through nutrient-dense food, lifestyle choices, culinary wellness, and more. I believe this is a great option for those interested in learning more about the health and wellness space, with an emphasis in nutrition. This program costs $6,900. The reason why I chose FDN over NTP is because I was most interested in Functional Testing, which NTP doesn’t include.
INSTITUTE FOR INTEGRATIVE NUTRITION
The Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) is probably one of PHCI’s biggest rivals in the health coach certification industry! I have many people come to me and ask me how/why I chose PHCI over IIN. The two are similar, yet different of course ;) IIN is a year-long course with a module coming out every week. There are four open-book tests throughout the course, with six coaching circle sessions. These sessions are calls with other health coaching students led by an experienced health coach. Similar to PHCI, there’s some (however, slightly less) curriculum about HOW to start your health coaching business which I think is super helpful, in addition to the broad variety of course material covering all things health and wellness. I’ve actually mentored many IIN coaches after their program ended! I personally felt the business building modules and support/education in PHCI was more robust than IIN. This program costs $5,995.
CHRIS KRESSER ADAPT FUNCTIONAL HEALTH COACH TRAINING + CERTIFICATION
Chris Kresser is a leader in the functional medicine and ancestral health space, and he created his own health coaching program called the ADAPT functional health coach training program. It is 12 months long, with an additional few months for gaining practical experience. It currently costs $9,997.
An Overview
A Couple Tips:
When it comes to building your health coaching business – YOU GOT THIS. It’s the hardest, yet most rewarding thing I’ve done! And it certainly didn’t happen overnight, it all started as just a side hustle helping friends & family & then it grew from there. Here are a few of my tried and true tips for growing my business:
Work hard and rest hard. You will not become a successful coach if you don’t give it everything you’ve got. I almost burnt myself out after 2 years of full-time coaching…I should have rested harder, but I do know from experience from many coaches around me, it takes hard work and dedication, day in and day out.
When it comes to pricing your services & imposter syndrome – stop UNDERcharging. I learned this the hard way. At the beginning, I was insecure about charging too much. My imposter syndrome was strong (I have now learned that everyone’s is!!). However, when my prices were lower, I found that more people would half-ass my program and their results weren’t as good. Despite my fear, I upped my prices and found that it brought more dedicated clients that were just as determined as I was to find solutions that worked for them and heal. Increasing my prices and learning my worth was a huge obstacle to overcome, but I am SO happy I took that leap. The more I’ve coached and the more successful clients I’ve had, the easier it feels to believe in my prices. Charging more brings in clients who take coaching as serious as you do and actually get RESULTS!
BE CONSISTENT WITH MARKETING. This includes IG, Tik Tok, an email list, or all of the above. This is one of the BEST ways to get clients – MOST of my clients are from social media (and referrals from people from social media!).
Prioritize making your first several clients extraordinarily happy! Do everything you can to go above and beyond. Make them so happy that they can’t resist talking you up to their peers, and ultimately referring others to you. Referrals = an amazing source of business! This is all I focused on in the beginning, I spent so many extra hours to make sure that their experience was top knotch.
Worry less about your website and credentials, and MORE about prioritizing your clients' success and becoming an exceptional coach. Embrace continuous learning, personal growth, and refining your skills as you strive to be the best in your field.
Use a CRM platform like Practice Better! It’s professional, HIPPA compliant and saves SO much time. I WISH I used this in the beginning of my practice, I can’t believe I didn’t know about it. It pains me to think about how much time I wasted (trying to) organize & build my coaching practice before implementing Practice Better! My friend (and fellow FDN practitioner) Nicole Ritter has business automation courses for Practice Better & they’re LIFE CHANGING. Use my code MADDIE for 10% off. I promise this will save you SO MUCH TIME AND MONEY. It’s insane. I wouldn’t tell you this if it wasn’t true.
Eventually…. HIRE HELP! I now have two VA’s (virtual assistants), one OBM (online business manager), and two interns. I would not have grown in the way that I have without the amazing people on my team and all of their help. It was the only way I could scale (and stay sane/avoid burn out).
Closing Thoughts:
Regardless of which program you choose, I believe if you have the passion and determination for helping others heal and become the best, healthiest versions of themselves, you WILL succeed. I do, however, encourage you to do your own research and trust your intuition when it comes to which program will feel like YOU, and resonate with you, the most.
Happy Health Coaching! <3
XO,
Maddie
