How To Become A Certified Divorce Coach: Your Complete Guide
Have you ever found yourself comforting a friend through their divorce and thought, "I could do this professionally"? Or perhaps you've navigated your own separation and want to use that hard-won wisdom to help others? If so, becoming a certified divorce coach might be your calling.
Divorce coaching is rapidly gaining recognition in the UK as an essential service. Unlike solicitors who handle legal matters, divorce coaches guide clients through the emotional and practical challenges of separation. They're the steady hand that helps people rebuild their lives when everything feels like it's falling apart.
Let's explore how you can become that guiding light for others.
What is a Divorce Coach?
Before diving into certification, let's clarify what divorce coaches actually do. A divorce coach is a trained professional who provides emotional support, practical guidance, and structured assistance to people navigating separation or divorce.
Unlike therapists or counsellors, divorce coaches focus specifically on moving forward rather than processing past trauma (though there's naturally some overlap). And unlike solicitors, they don't provide legal advice but help clients organise thoughts, set priorities, and communicate effectively with legal professionals.
"I don't fix problems for my clients," explains one experienced divorce coach. "I help them discover their own strength to face challenges they never imagined they could overcome."
How To Become A Certified Divorce Coach
Becoming a certified divorce coach involves several key steps:
- Self-Assessment: Is This Right For Me?
Before investing time and money, ask yourself:
- Do I naturally empathise with others without becoming emotionally drained?
- Can I remain neutral and avoid taking sides?
- Am I comfortable discussing sensitive personal and financial matters?
- Do I have good boundaries and self-care practices?
As someone who's worked in relationship coaching adjacent fields, I can tell you that maintaining professional boundaries while showing genuine care is both challenging and essential.
- Choose the Right Training Programme
In the UK, there are several respected divorce coach training programmes. The two most prominent are:
- The Sara Davison Divorce Coach Programme: Founded by the "Divorce Coach" author Sara Davison, this UK-based programme specialises in training coaches using proven methods developed through years of experience
- International Divorce Coaching Organisation Excellence (IDCCOE): This global organisation offers comprehensive training recognised internationally
When evaluating programmes, consider:
- Accreditation status
- Course duration and format (online, in-person, or hybrid)
- Practical experience components
- Post-certification support and community
- Cost and payment options
Most quality programmes require 3-6 months of training and include both theoretical knowledge and practical skills development.
- Complete Your Training
What should you expect during your training? Most comprehensive divorce coach certification programmes cover:
- Coaching fundamentals and methodologies
- Divorce processes and legal basics (without crossing into legal advice)
- Financial considerations during divorce
- Child-centered coaching approaches
- Emotional impact management
- Building a coaching practice
- Ethical considerations and boundaries
- Gain Practical Experience
Theory is essential, but practical experience is where you truly develop your coaching skills. Most programmes include:
- Practice coaching sessions with peers
- Supervised coaching with actual clients
- Feedback and refinement opportunities
I found this hands-on experience invaluable. There's nothing quite like sitting with someone in distress and helping them find clarity—it's where the real learning happens.
- Build Your Professional Identity
As you complete certification, begin developing your professional presence:
- Create a clear niche or specialty within divorce coaching
- Develop your coaching philosophy
- Consider professional liability insurance
- Join professional organisations
- Build a network of complementary professionals (solicitors, mediators, therapists)
Do I Need Prior Divorce Coaching Experience?
This is perhaps the most common question we hear from aspiring coaches. The short answer is no—you don't need prior professional experience specifically in divorce coaching to begin training.
What's more valuable is:
- Life experience (personal or professional) with relationship dynamics
- Background in adjacent fields (counselling, therapy, mediation, law)
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Emotional resilience and self-awareness
- The desire and passion in helping others
Many excellent divorce coaches come from seemingly unrelated backgrounds—HR professionals, teachers, or corporate executives who excel at helping people navigate difficult situations.
What matters most is your willingness to learn, your empathy, and your commitment to ethical practice.
How Does The Training Programme Work?
While programmes vary, most follow a similar structure:
- Foundation Phase: Learning core coaching principles, divorce processes, and fundamental skills.
- Specialisation Phase: Developing expertise in specific aspects of divorce coaching (financial, co-parenting, emotional recovery, etc.)
- Practical Application: Supervised coaching practice with feedback.
- Certification: Final assessment of knowledge and skills, often including:
- Written examinations
- Practical demonstrations
- Case studies or portfolios
- Peer and supervisor evaluations
Training formats include:
- Weekly online sessions
- Intensive in-person workshops
- Self-paced learning modules
- Group supervision sessions
- One-to-one mentoring
Most programmes require 80-120 hours of training plus additional practice hours.
Is The Course Right For Me?
Deciding whether to pursue divorce coach certification is a significant investment of time, money, and emotional energy. Consider these questions:
Do you have the right temperament? Divorce coaching requires patience, empathy, and the ability to sit with others' pain without trying to "fix" everything immediately.
Can you maintain boundaries? Clients in divorce are vulnerable and may become dependent. Can you empower without enabling?
Are you willing to manage your own triggers? If you've experienced divorce yourself, can you separate your journey from your clients'?
Do you have the practical capacity? Training requires time, mental energy, and financial investment (typically £2,000-£5,000 for quality UK programmes).
Is there sufficient demand in your area? Research the local market for divorce support services before investing.
We believe the most successful divorce coaches have both professional skills and personal qualities that can't be taught—genuine compassion, ethical judgment, and emotional intelligence.
How Can I Become A Breakup & Divorce Coach?
If you're specifically interested in coaching people through both breakups and divorces, you'll want to:
Select a programme that covers both married and unmarried relationship endings. The Sara Davison programme specifically addresses this broader scope.
Develop understanding of the differences between divorce and non-marital breakups, including:
Legal distinctions:
- Financial entanglements (or lack thereof)
- Social perceptions and support systems
- Different emotional responses
- Create specialised offerings for both audiences once certified.
The skills overlap significantly, but the practical challenges can differ widely between legally married and unmarried couples.
From Certification to Career: Building Your Practice
Once certified, how do you build a sustainable divorce coaching practice?
Define your niche: Will you specialise in high-conflict divorces? Co-parenting? Financial transitions? Mid-life divorces?
Create your service packages: Consider offering different levels of support:
- One-off strategy sessions
- Short-term coaching packages (3-6 sessions)
- Comprehensive support throughout the divorce process
- Group coaching programmes
- Build your referral network: Connect with:
- Family law solicitors
- Mediators
- Therapists and counsellors
- Financial advisors
- Develop your online presence:
- Professional website
- Testimonials (anonymised as appropriate)
- Educational content that demonstrates expertise
- Consider complementary certifications that enhance your offering:
- Mediation training
- Financial coaching
- Child-centered coaching approaches
The Rewards of Divorce Coaching
While the certification process requires dedication, the rewards of this career are substantial:
Making a genuine difference: Helping someone transition through one of life's most challenging experiences is profoundly meaningful.
Professional flexibility: Many coaches work part-time, combining coaching with other professional roles or family responsibilities.
Ongoing growth: Each client teaches you something new about human resilience.
Financial potential: Established divorce coaches in the UK typically charge £75-£150 per session, with experienced specialists commanding higher rates.
Conclusion: Your Journey Starts Here
Becoming a certified divorce coach isn't just about adding credentials to your name—it's about developing the skills, knowledge, and wisdom to guide others through life-altering transitions with dignity and hope.
If you're drawn to this work, I encourage you to:
- Reach out to certified coaches for informational interviews
- Attend free introductory sessions from training programmes
- Reflect on your own experiences with relationships and transitions
- Consider what unique perspective you might bring to this field
The journey to becoming a divorce coach is both professional and personal—it will challenge you, change you, and ultimately reward you with the knowledge that you're making a profound difference during people's most vulnerable moments.
Ready to take the next step? Visit Sara Davison's Coach Signup or IDCCOE to learn more about upcoming training opportunities.