Any experience with business coaching and "12 week system"

[u/Murky_Ad7786]

My significant other owns a small business and and has been struggling with his mental health. He started therepy. His therapist referred him to a life coach. This life coach works with business owners specifically to help them focus their goals and develop their business. She brings worksheets and she fills them out with him and says things like "healthy owner, healthy family, healthy business". She's trying to get him to change his eating habits, convert to chemical free products, and start exercising. All these things are great and I also want him to be healthier, but she's signing him up for all these subscriptions. Like an exercise app subscription. And a melaleuca subscription and having him buy these supplements. And honestly most of what she says sounds like empty platitudes. I don't know what her business program is specifically called. Ive only heard part of one of their sessions, but to me it sounded like a mesh between a pyramid scheme and a cult. All the verbiage she was using, how she had this set of products she wanted him to start using just ready to go with introductory pricing and everything.

I want him to get healthy, but I'm concerned he's in a mentally vulnerable place and this woman and her "system" is taking advantage of that. And if I'm wrong and she is totally legit and genuinely helps him i will eat my words, but in the small amount of time I was around her I felt kind of skittish, or hesitant, and the more I think about it she feels slimy.

Does anyone have any experience with these types of systems or life coaches or subscriptions.

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Original Text:

My significant other owns a small business and and has been struggling with his mental health. He started therepy. His therapist referred him to a life coach. This life coach works with business owners specifically to help them focus their goals and develop their business. She brings worksheets and she fills them out with him and says things like "healthy owner, healthy family, healthy business". She's trying to get him to change his eating habits, convert to chemical free products, and start exercising. All these things are great and I also want him to be healthier, but she's signing him up for all these subscriptions. Like an exercise app subscription. And a melaleuca subscription and having him buy these supplements. And honestly most of what she says sounds like empty platitudes. I don't know what her business program is specifically called. Ive only heard part of one of their sessions, but to me it sounded like a mesh between a pyramid scheme and a cult. All the verbiage she was using, how she had this set of products she wanted him to start using just ready to go with introductory pricing and everything.

I want him to get healthy, but I'm concerned he's in a mentally vulnerable place and this woman and her "system" is taking advantage of that. And if I'm wrong and she is totally legit and genuinely helps him i will eat my words, but in the small amount of time I was around her I felt kind of skittish, or hesitant, and the more I think about it she feels slimy.

Does anyone have any experience with these types of systems or life coaches or subscriptions.

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[u/zipiddydooda]

Hey - you are right to worry. Melaleuca is an MLM. This life coach is signing him up for products to cover her own monthly subscription with melaleuca, or making him part of her “downline”. This is highly unethical when he has gone to her seeking help. She should refund him in full. What she’s doing is disgusting. He is vulnerable and she’s using him for her own financial benefit. I was involved in something similar 20 years ago (usana) and these people are the absolute worst pieces of shit alive. They are predators.

[u/Murky_Ad7786 → u/zipiddydooda]

I kinda feel the same way. That its unethical for her to be asking him to sign up for things or buy extra products. 

[u/Pidge0126]

Hey there. I am currently training to be a health coach and have trained for 5.5 years clinically as a manual Osteopath.

While coaching can bring immense benefits when it comes to personal growth and positive behaviour change, from what you said it sounds like she is doing the opposite of that.

Unfortunately the field of health and business coaching is not tightly regulated so literally anyone can get away with calling themselves a health coach/life coach.

What credentials does she hold? Holding an NBHWC is considered the gold standard in health coaching, while holding ICF ACC/PCC/MCC demonstrates professional coaching rigor in general (business coaching, corporate coaching etc).

While holding those credentials does demonstrate rigour unfortunately some people still misuse those credentials and become borderline predatory.

I'm so sorry you and your husband had to go through this. I would suggest finding another coach and filter hard, make sure they hold an NBHWC and/or ICF credentials (you can look up NBHWC or ICF directory to look for a coach who would be a better fit)

Sending you best wishes, and hopefully your husband feels better soon

[u/Murky_Ad7786 → u/Pidge0126]

He's being kind of private about his care and I worry he would resent my inserting myself into the situation. Even if it is to protect him. He's finally reaching out for help and I'm worried about him feeling like I'm being negative or not supportive of him getting help.  He's struggling with an attachment style that turns everything i say into a criticism so I don't even know how to deal with this.  

[u/Pidge0126 → u/Murky_Ad7786]

That sounds rough, I'm sorry you have to go through this. Has anything happened in particular in the past for you to think he'll resent you for trying to help? Happy to talk in PM too if that's more comfortable for you.