NBHWC Approved Program: Become a Nationally Certified Mental Health Coach

Our 16-week online NBHWC-approved mental health coaching course will prepare you for the national certification. Once you complete the online coaching training program, you will be eligible to sit for the National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach exam.

Join the upcoming cohort in 2025!

Our Nationally Certified Mental Health Coach Program

Our virtual NBHWC prep course will give you the foundation you need to get your national certification. Learn more about our curriculum and the rest of the NBHWC certification process.

Step 1: Earn an Associate’s Degree or Higher

Wave’s nationally accredited coaching training program requires an Associates degree or higher. We have aligned this requirement with the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching to support our program’s goal of increasing representation in the mental health Coaching field. 

If you are in process with your Associates, or another degree, please reach out to us and we can speak with you about options for taking our online NBHWC prep course.

Step 2: Enroll in an NBHWC-Approved Training Program

The Wave Coach Training Program is approved by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC). Graduates of this program are eligible to apply for the Health and Wellness Coaching (HWC) Certifying Examination to become National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC).

Wave’s training program was the first emotional well-being focused program to receive the NBHWC-approved designation.

Our mental health coach training curriculum is anchored from a behavioral health perspective, and covers:

  • Core competencies of coaching

  • Motivational interviewing

  • Behavior change frameworks

  • Trauma informed care

  • DEIJB

  • Risk management

  • Common physical and behavioral health conditions 

  • Our proprietary model of Emotional Well-being

During our online national coaching training program, trainees will also complete three practical skills assessments where students record samples of their coaching, which are reviewed and assessed by a mentor coach on our Coach Training Team. After review, the mentor coach will prepare feedback and review in 1:1 sessions with the trainee.

Step 3: Apply and sit for the National Board Exam

Once you’ve completed an NBHWC-Accredited coaching program, you’ll be ready to apply and sit for National Board Certification. After receiving your Wave Certificate, the next steps are to complete 50 practice coaching sessions that are 20 minutes or longer in duration. 

After you have completed your required coaching session log, you are able to begin the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching exam application. Applications are processed and you will receive approval to register for the National Board Exam.

Exams are offered 3 times per year: spring, summer and fall, and results are received 6-8 weeks after the exam is complete.

When Can I Sit for The National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching Exam?

  • It takes about 6-9 months to become a National Board Certified Coach. 

  • We aim to align the timing of our cohorts so there is time to complete your session log, apply and study, and sit for the exam in an efficient manner. 

  • Results are given about 6-8 weeks after the exam is completed.

  • Please view the following timelines to see how the sequence can work for you.