A challenge across all industries and all professional communities is identifying the “snake oil salesman” from actual, professional experts. Especially in service and care industries, this is an incredibly important discernment someone must be able to make because these professionals hold people’s mental and emotional well-being in their hands.
There is nothing more frustrating than someone calling themselves an expert with very little evidence that they are, in fact, experts. At a minimum, we can dismiss them. At worst, our lives are horribly impacted by them, and at a risk, we believe them.
As wellness professionals, we help, support, coach, develop, and guide human beings. We have a responsibility to their well-being, mental and physical safety, and ethical conduct within our own professional practice. Some professions, such as psychotherapy, teaching, medical, or legal have licensing and regulatory functions in place with processes for reporting violations of ethical conduct and for disciplining malpractice. Some professions, like coaching, training, and holistic wellness, do not. You might say, “Well, what about certifications?” Yes, these also matter along with education, training, and professional development but…well, the question remains, “What is an expert?”
Three Things That Make an Expert:
As an emerging expert, you can have one of three or two of three or varying levels of each but to be a true expert, you’ll have to show evidence of each in varying ways – over time.
Can a 25 year old be a life coach expert? Maybe. If you are a person seeking coaching, you need to be able to understand what an expert is, what parts of expertise are important for the person to have for you to be able to receive the support you need, and that the person is able to show professional evidence of expertise in education, experience, and reputation.
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Roam Your Soul is for women that are seeking more adventure, want more meaning in their daily lives, and crave a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.
With decades of experience in adventure-based transformational learning, behavioral science, leadership, mental health, and wellness, we take a holistic approach to developing unique experiences that help move people into new and deep learning that creates opportunities for transformative learning that is long lasting.
Christine is the founder and owner of Roam Your Soul. She has 20 years of people leadership experience and is passionate about advocating for radical care in the workplace. She knew that her passion for building communities and space for people to thrive was needed for women. Roam Your Soul launched in December, 2021. Christine’s coaching, consulting, and retreats focus on helping women who are confident yet know what they need to work on and for women who want to find deeper meaning in life. She believes that women need a support network, community, and opportunities to be vulnerable to engage in what makes life truly meaningful.
