Do you want to become a successful stress management coach?

Then you’re in the right place!

In this guide on stress management coaching, we’ll cover everything you need to know for setting up your own coaching business.

Let’s dive right in!

You’ll learn:

• What is stress management coaching? 
• What do stress management coaches do? 
• The best stress management coaching techniques
• How to become a (certified) stress management coach
• How to start your stress management coaching business

What is a stress management coach?

Stress management coaching is a specialized type of coaching that focuses on:

• Helping clients navigate their stress levels
• Identify stressors and triggers
• Reduce stress

And stress coaches can have a significant impact – stress is a major issue for many Americans.

According to the APA’s “Stress in America 2023” report, stress levels have shot up since COVID-19. This has led to more chronic illnesses, especially in people aged 35 to 44 – especially chronic stress can have a big impact on health. 

Another study by Aflac found that most US workers feel burned out, with many saying their burnout is moderate to very high.

Now, stress isn’t always bad. In fact, a little bit of stress can be useful. It motivates us and keeps us alert.

Too much stress does the opposite, though. It drains us and stops us from moving forward.

Typical stress symptoms include:

• Physical health problems like headaches, insomnia, and pain
• Mental health issues like depression and anxiety

We’ll look at how coaching can reduce stress in a bit, but first, let’s quickly go over what stress management coaching is NOT.

As a stress management coach, your role is different from that of a therapist.

You can’t diagnose mental health issues or prescribe medication.

What you can do is work with clients and their health teams to make sure their advice is followed. Or work independently with clients who want to reduce stress. 

How can coaching reduce stress? 

How does stress management coaching actually help lower stress?

Let’s explore:

• Emotional health: Stress messes with our emotions and leads to feelings of frustration, sadness, or anxiety. You’ll help clients understand and manage these emotions better. You teach techniques to turn negative emotions into more manageable ones, which lets clients feel calmer and more in control.
• Physical health: Stress isn’t just in our head; it affects our body too with symptoms like headaches, muscle tension, or trouble sleeping. To reduce these problems, you could suggest relaxation exercises, better sleep habits, or even simple changes in daily routines. When clients improve their physical health, they often feel healthier and more energetic.
• Coping skills: Without good coping skills, stress can overwhelm us. So, as a coach, you teach your clients tools to deal with stress effectively. This might include time management strategies, setting healthy boundaries, or learning to say ‘no.’ Developing these skills helps clients handle stressful situations better. This prevents stress from taking over their lives.

Now that you know how coaching can help with stress, you might wonder, what exactly do stress management coaches do?

Let’s get into that in the next section.

What do stress management coaches do?

What exactly will you be doing as a stress coach?

Here’s a breakdown:

Teach clients how to manage stress

When we handle stress better, it doesn’t impact us so negatively anymore.

That’s why one of your main roles is teaching clients good stress management techniques.

These could include:

• Meditation and yoga: These practices help relax the body and mind. When clients are less tense, they handle stress better.
• Mindfulness training: Teach clients to focus on the present to have less we worry about the past and future. 
• Breathing exercises: Show clients some breathing techniques to quickly calm down during stressful moments.
• Time management skills: Many people feel stressed because their schedule is too hectic. Help clients organize their time better to reduce stress related to deadlines and overcommitment.

Help clients prevent stress

Your job also involves stopping stress before it starts.

Here’s what that could involve:

• Build self-awareness: Guide clients to understand their stress triggers and responses. Knowing what causes stress helps clients avoid these situations or handle them better.
• Set boundaries: Teach the importance of saying ‘no’ and setting healthy boundaries. Otherwise, clients might take on too much.
• Improve communication: Clear communication can prevent stressful misunderstandings and conflicts.

Set goals and roadmap mental and emotional health

Having goals and a roadmap is crucial — they give direction on what to work toward and how to get there.

You’ll help clients set clear goals for their mental and emotional well-being.

For example, you’ll work with clients to:

• Cut out bad habits: Identify and work on removing habits that add stress.
• Introduce good habits: Work with your clients to build up habits like regular exercise, healthy eating, and good sleep habits.

Improve quality of life

Ultimately, stress management coaching aims to increase a client’s overall happiness.

Here’s how you’ll improve your client’s quality of life: 

• Boost productivity and performance: Offer strategies to handle work-related stress so they can increase their performance and job satisfaction.
• Strengthen connections: Less stress means more enjoyable interactions with family and friends. Teach clients how to stay calm and present in their relationships.

How do you make these positive changes happen?

The right coaching techniques are key.

Let’s look at those in the next section.

The best stress coaching techniques

A stress reduction coach gives clients tools to handle stress better.

Let’s go over six popular techniques that you can use to help your clients.

Mindfulness meditation 

Mindfulness meditation involves being fully present. Clients focus on what they’re feeling and sensing in the moment without getting caught up in it.

What are the benefits?

• Less stress
• Sharper focus
• A sense of peace and calm

How do you use it?

Have clients sit quietly and focus on their breathing. They can also focus on a word or phrase that they repeat silently.

They should allow any thoughts to come and go without judgment. When their mind wanders, they should gently bring it back.

Start with short sessions, like five minutes, and then slowly increase.

Journaling 

Journaling means writing down thoughts and feelings.

It’s a great mind-decluttering tool because it lets clients sort through what’s bothering them.

It also helps them notice trends in their stress and find solutions.

What are the benefits?

• Help express and understand emotions
• Track stress patterns
• Better problem-solving

How do you use it?

Ask your clients to write daily. It could be about anything — their day, their mood, what’s stressing them out.

Their journal is their space to process things.

Plus, rereading old journal entries helps clients see how they’ve handled past challenges. This can be a great reference for dealing with similar situations in the future.

Deep breathing exercise

Many of us take shallow chest breaths, which limits how much oxygen we get. This chronic lack of oxygen can increase anxiety.

Deep breathing, on the other hand, means breathing in a way that your lungs completely fill up and your lower belly rises.

It’s also called diaphragmatic or belly breathing.

What are the benefits?

• Boosts energy by bringing in more oxygen
• Stabilizes blood pressure
• Cuts down anxiety

How do you use it?

Here’s how you can teach your clients to breathe deeply:

1. Let your client sit or lie down
2. Ask them to take a normal breath first
3. Next, guide them into a deep breath: slowly through the nose, letting the chest and lower belly rise
4. Tell them to let their abdomen expand fully
5. Finally, have them exhale slowly, either through the mouth or nose

The 10-second pause

Sometimes, a tiny break can make a big difference.

The 10-second pause is a quick relaxation technique that acts as a nervous system reset.

What are the benefits?

• Quickly calms the mind
• Increases focus
• Can be used anytime, anywhere

How do you use it?

Tell clients to sit straight and breathe in and out deeply for about five seconds each.

Make sure they breathe deeply into their belly. And encourage them to relax any tense areas like their jaw and shoulders.

This technique can be used as a quick reset at the start or end of tasks, or whenever they feel overwhelmed.

5-5-7 stress relieving exercise

The 5-5-7 exercise is another simple breathing technique that helps calm down quickly.

Here, the exhale is a little longer than the inhale.

This leads to a shift from a stress-induced fight-or-flight state to one of relaxation.

What are the benefits?

• Quick stress relief
• Switches the body from tense to calm
• Improves focus and mental clarity

How do you use it?

Have clients sit comfortably, and instruct them to:

1. Breathe in for 5 seconds
2. Hold their breath for 5 seconds
3. Breathe out for 7 seconds

Repeat this 10 times.

As with the 10-second pause, it’s important to breathe into the belly.

The Circle of Influence

Too often, we waste our time worrying about things we have little to no control over.

The Circle of Influence helps clients understand what:

• They can control
• They can influence
• Is beyond their control

What are the benefits?

• Shows what part of life we can control
• Reduces worry about things we can’t change
• Puts focus on what we can do, not what we can’t

How do you use it?

Draw three circles, and let clients write:

• Smallest circle: what they control (like their actions)
• Middle circle: what they can somewhat influence (like their health)
• Biggest circle: what’s out of their control (like the economy)

This shows clients that worrying about things that are out of their hands is useless.

It reduces unnecessary stress. And instead of wasting their energy, they can direct it to where it counts, namely their circles of actual control and influence.

These techniques will make your clients see results faster.

And that’s why they hire you — the transformation you offer them.

Now, let’s look at how to become a (certified) stress relief coach.

How do you become a certified stress management coach?

Do you NEED a certification to start coaching?

The short answer is NO, but let’s dig into that a bit.

Most coaching niches don’t have strict legal requirements.

It’s much more about the outcomes you offer your clients.

How does working with you change their lives?

And what real results do they walk away with?

This means that what matters most is that you know how to coach — as in: deliver real results. (But more on that in a bit…)

Now, if you do want to get certified, then you must be picky.

Since the certification industry is so unregulated, not all programs offer value.

In fact, most of them are a complete waste of time and money. 

That’s why it’s best to look for programs that are accredited by recognized organizations.

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is a good example. It’s widely respected and sets high standards for coaching programs.

Reputable university programs are also a great option.

Let’s dive into the specifics of the ICF Certification Levels and what they mean for you.

The 3 ICF Certification Levels

In the world of coaching certifications, the ICF is one of the most reliable organizations.

It has clear, structured criteria, with three main certification levels.

All three levels have similar requirements. The main differences are the:

• Training hours
• Coaching hours
• Credential level of the coach mentoring you

Let’s take a closer look:

• Associate Certified Coach (ACC): This level is perfect for beginners. You need 100 coaching hours, with at least 75 being paid. You must have worked with +8 clients, and you have to complete 60 hours of coach-specific training.
• Professional Certified Coach (PCC): This is for coaches who already have some experience. Here, the requirements are 500 coaching hours (450 paid) with 25+ clients and 125 training hours.
• Master Certified Coach (MCC): This is the highest ICF level. You’ll need 2,500 coaching hours (2,250 paid) with 35+ clients and 200 training hours.

Each level also requires you to:

• Get mentor coaching
• Undergo a performance evaluation
• Pass a written exam

When a program is accredited by the ICF, it’ll mention at which level it is.

But how do you know which stress management certification program is best for you? Let’s get into that next.

How to choose the best stress management coaching certification program

Not sure how to pick the right certification program?

Keep an eye on:

• Course curriculum: What does the course cover? Does it fit with your goals? The best stress management training programs offer training in stress management techniques, coaching skills, and real-world practice.
• Accreditation: Go for programs backed by respected organizations. There’s a higher chance that they’ll be worth your time. As mentioned, the International Coaching Federation (ICF) is the gold standard. But there are also other good options, like the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC).
• Cost: Prices vary a lot. Find a balance between affordability and value. The most expensive option isn’t always the best. But too cheap can be a waste of time.
• Duration and format: How much time can you dedicate to this? Some programs last a few weeks while others take several months. The format also plays a role. Self-paced online courses are easier to fit into a busy schedule.

Unsure where to start?

Below, I’ve gathered four top certifications. I didn’t go through them myself, but I looked at their reviews and reputations.

Stress Management Coach Certification (CSMC) 

Are you already familiar with stress management concepts and just need certification?

Then the NCCB’s Certified Stress Management Coach (CSMC) national exam might be a good option.

It focuses purely on certification.

To prepare well, you can take up to six practice exams. Each practice exam has 30 questions drawn from the real exam’s question bank.

This way, you get the hang of what the actual exam will be like. 

Once you’ve passed, you’ve got an NCCB certification.

• Duration: No duration specified
• Cost: The certification exam costs $175 while the practice exams cost $19.95 each
• Accreditation: NCCB (National Career Certification Board)

iNLP Center’s Mental Health Coach Certification

The iNLP Center is a globally recognized coaching center. They offer a 10-week online Mental Health Coach Certification program that’s accredited by the ICF.

While the main focus isn’t stress management, mental health plays a big role in how we deal with stress. This can make it useful for your stress management coaching business.

You’ll learn about:

• Psychology
• NLP
• Coaching skills

At the end, you’ll receive five different certifications:

• Mental Health Coach
• Master Coach
• Certified Life Coach
• NLP Master
• NLP Practitioner

The higher cost is because the course is very comprehensive. It combines live classes, partner homework, and self-study.

• Duration: 10 weeks
• Cost: $7,500
• Accreditation: ICF

Stress Management Strategies Course

As coaches, we can only teach others what we already apply in our own lives.

That’s why the Health Coach Institute’s Stress Management Strategies Course starts with teaching you how to handle your own stress before covering coaching techniques.

There are six modules:

1. What’s stress? How does it affect the body? And what are your personal stress levels?
2. The different impacts of stress
3. Managing the physical aspects of stress
4. Managing the emotional and social impacts of stress
5. Managing stress through self-care
6. Your stress management plan 

You can go through the program at your own pace.

• Duration: Six weeks
• Cost: $497 (or three monthly payments of $199)
• Accreditation: No

Certificate in Stress Management

The University of New Hampshire’s Stress Management Certification helps you understand stress.

You’ll learn about:

• Physiology of stress
• Psychology of stress
• The effects of stress
• Stress and nutrition
• Workplace stress
• Stress reduction techniques
• And so on

The low price makes it very affordable.

You can choose between following instructor-led classes or doing it at your own speed. Both options are completely online.

• Duration: Six weeks access if you go for the instructor-led option or three months access if you pick the self-paced one
• Cost: $99
• Accreditation: American Nurses Credentialing Center

That’s it on certifications.

Next, let’s look at how to set up your stress management coaching business the right way.

How do you start a stress management coaching business?

Starting your stress management coaching business is simple (even if it isn’t necessarily easy). 

There are four key things you need to focus on:

●      Pick your coaching niche

●      Set up your business

●      Find your first paying client

●      Hold great coaching sessions

Let’s take a closer look at each step.

Find a niche 

First, you need to pick a niche.

Yes, stress management coaching is already a niche.

But it’s better to specialize even more.

Let me explain:

By narrowing down your focus, you become an expert in that specific area.

This means you offer more targeted, impactful coaching. And in turn, your clients see better results faster.

Plus, it’s much easier to market your services when you’re known for a particular specialty.

So, ask yourself:

• Who do you want to help?
• And what do you want to help them with?

For example, will you:

• Focus on business clients like entrepreneurs or corporate employees?
• Or help clients manage stress in their personal lives, like physical health stress?

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel.

Instead, figure out where your current skills meet what your target audience needs.

Learn more about how to find your niche here:

Once you’ve got your niche, you’ve got a clear path forward.

Start your stress management coaching business

Step two is all about laying the groundwork for your business.

Start by outlining the outcomes of your coaching.

What changes can clients expect? And how will you help them achieve those?

Once this is clear, you create your coaching packages.

Why packages instead of hourly rates?

Packages offer a structured way to work toward a transformation. Clients know what to expect at what time.

Plus, it puts the focus on the outcome, instead of the hours you put in.

The next question is how to price your packages.

I recommend my students to start with three-month coaching packages at $1,500.

This includes twice-a-month sessions for 45-60 minutes and regular email support.

As you get better at coaching and earn more testimonials, you can increase your prices.

As a coach, a six-figure income is completely possible. In fact, many of my students end up earning that and more.

If you’d like to learn how to make this happen, take a look at this video:

With your coaching packages set, it’s time to focus on finding your first client.

Find your first client 

When it comes to finding paying clients, focus on getting just ONE client at first.

Why?

Because it’s realistic and manageable.

Plus, it lets you improve your coaching based on their feedback.

Now, where can you find that first client?

This is where you’ll want to market your business.

Here are some good options:

• Podcast: Podcasts are a great way to reach a wider audience and network with other experts. You can either start your own podcast or be a guest on others’.
• Your network: There are, most likely, people in your network who need what you’re offering. Reach out to people who have asked for your advice before and see if they’re interested in working together.  
• Social media: On social media, you can connect with your audience at scale. Sure, it takes time to build up traction, but done right, social media is an effective marketing tool. (I used it to grow my business to seven figures in less than a year.) 

In the early stages, finding clients requires patience.

But as your reputation grows, you’ll find more clients coming to you instead of the other way around.

For more strategies on getting that first client, check out this video I’ve created for you:

Once you’ve got your first client, the next step is to offer them highly transformative coaching sessions.

Hold effective stress coaching management coaching sessions

Want to know how you can hold powerful coaching sessions?

I’ve got some good news: Coaching is a skill that can be learned.

The trick?

Make EACH coaching session count.

Here’s how to make that happen:

• Before the call: Coaching starts before the first call. Get to know your client beforehand by letting them fill out an intake form. This gives you a heads-up on their goals and challenges. Also, plan what you’ll talk about. You don’t need a full-on script, but having a roadmap helps you focus on your client’s goals. It also structures the call.
• During the call: It’s all about breaking down the client’s journey into manageable and achievable steps — aka. subgoals. These smaller goals add up to the main outcome, and they’re what you focus on during each call. For example, if you’re helping a client tackle job stress: one session might be about identifying stress triggers, while the next could be about developing coping strategies.
• After the call: Once the call is over, send your client a recording of the session. This is great for them to look back on. Keep in touch between sessions too. Answer their questions and check in to see how they’re doing.

These steps make your sessions count and help your clients see real progress.

Next up, let’s dive into what stress management coaches typically earn.

How much do stress management coaches make? 

What does a typical stress management coach salary look like?

While there are no exact stats for this niche yet, the general life coaching salary is a good reference point:

• Salary.com: average US life coach salary of $54K ($47K – $60K range)
• Glassdoor: average US life coach salary of $70K ($53K – $93K range)

Can you earn more?

100%.

As an entrepreneur, you set your own rates. 

YOU get to choose how much you charge.

It’s this independence that makes me call this type of business a ‘Freedom Business.’

And I’d love to help you achieve the same. (Just as I have with thousands of my students.)

Next steps 

There you have it! Everything you need to know about stress management coaching.

Ready to turn these insights into your new reality?

Then get my blueprint for a six-figure coaching business. It shows you exactly how to set up your own impactful coaching practice.

Read more:

How to Build a Life Coaching Business

How to Become a Wellness Coach

How to Become a Health Coach