The organizations affiliated with life coaches and other paraprofessionals (or whatever you want to call them) can prove to be very careful in educating the professionals they "certify." Rightfully so. It's only ethical. Case in point--I was trained as a hypnotist before actually getting traditional education in the mental health field (I did it backwards). The NGH (certifying organization) is very careful to educate hypnotists about their scope of practice. For example, that they are not "treating" any "disorder" such as anxiety or depression, they are simply helping healthy people with simple habits or problems and are encouraged to give full written disclosure about their training and scope. I respect them for doing that. Do they attract cease and desist orders if they don't practice carefully and in full disclosure? Heck yeah. It is, also, very difficult to draw business if you are not on an insurance panel or employed by an agency, and these certified people are not well-rounded generalists, they tend to specialize in one area or another and they also refer to the licensed people when someone needs a higher level of care. Again, healthy people with specific life circumstances, who pay cash. This isn't going to be a big competition with licensed mental health professionals. If they do well, it's due to marketing and specialization.