Tracy and Debra are back on their microphones telling some truths this week. One of our absolute core values is to advocate for the professional practice of divorce coaching and yet we keep coming up against 2 things that make us crazy. The first one, we talked about a couple of weeks ago and that is individuals using the title of divorce coach without the proper training. If you missed that episode, it’s #74 and we recommend you give that a listen before you dive into this. It might give you some background and context.
But today, we really want to wrestle with the idea that there is no oversight in the divorce coaching industry. There’s no organization that determines which training programs meet minimum standards. Hell, no one has even defined what those standards are.
We review some of the components of most professional designations and what's missing in the profession of divorce coaching including:
Finally, we tackle the trademark fallacy. A trademark is NOT an assurance of quality, it's NOT an assurance of standards, recognition or status - it’s just branding. For about $250, you file some paperwork with the USPTO and, voila!, you've got a trademark to protect the name of your company, your logo, or your program. Any language that suggests otherwise is intentionally misleading.
All we can do for now is continue to remind both potential learners and clients to pause before they believe everything they read. Encourage them to take responsibility for their own process and do their research, ask questions, and make sure they’re getting what they think they’re getting. A name, a trademark, fancy language, or a title doesn’t mean a thing in this world. It’s buyer beware.
Learn more about DCA™ or any of the classes or events mentioned in this episode at the links below:
Website: www.divorcecoachesacademy.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/divorcecoachesacademy
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/divorce-coaches-academy
Email: DCA@divorcecoachesacademy.com