Certification"
About Behavioral Coaching Certification
What is behavioral coaching and why should you get certified?
Behavioral Coaching Defined
Behavioral coaching is part of a growing profession call behavioral consultation. Behavioral consultation in the field of mental health services is a new phenomenon which is to date both ill defined and misunderstood.
Independence Behavioral Coaching (IBC) chose the title “behavioral coach” to emphasize the need for parent and teacher support and guidance to help them help their children.
Behavioral coaches support the parents and teachers that already have the relationship with the child.
IBC believes that the key component to supporting children is through supporting and strengthening the relationships between child and adult so as to better allow the adult coach the child in ways that can best set them up for success.
Behavioral Consultation Vs Counseling
What is counseling and how is it different from behavioral consultation?
Counseling
Counseling focuses on examining and diagnosing the past. It has to do with problem identification and resolution.
Counseling focuses on emotional healing and resolution of past experiences by increasing awareness of dysfunctional thinking habits. Counselors utilize therapeutic techniques like psychoanalysis and cognitive-behavioral restructuring to help clients change their lives.
Behavioral Coaching
Behavioral coaching (BC) work primarily with the caregiver(s) around the child. Even though the overall goal may be behavioral success and growth for the child, the behavioral consultant focuses on supporting the child’s caregivers (parents, teacher, etc.) in order to achieve that goal.
BC focuses on relationships and behavioral growth.
BC focuses on increasing awareness of present environments and current behaviors. BC focuses on environmental changes, meeting children’s needs, behavioral growth through skill development and when necessary, behavioral management.
Behavioral consultation is not intended to take the place of professional therapy, counseling or medical treatment. Behavioral consultation is NOT intended as a substitute for medication, and should never suggest a child or parent discontinue a child’s medication without consulting a qualified professional.
What is certification and how can this help me?
Certification
Certification is the process through which an organization, college or university grants recognition to an individual for meeting certain established criteria such as education and experience in a given area of expertise. Certified individuals usually have to pass an examination and maintain their certification through retesting and/or ongoing continuing education. Certification is voluntary as opposed to licensure, which is regulated by the state.
Licensure
Licensure is the process through which is a governmental authority, grants permission to an individual to engage in a practice or activity that would otherwise be illegal. This governmental authority, usually the state, has the right to pass laws and take actions as it may deem necessary to protect the health, safety and welfare of its citizens. Each individual state may have their own variation on how they recognize certification and/or licensure.