What Makes for a Good Healthy Gamer Coach?

Much of the Healthy Gamer Community is very interested in becoming a Healthy Gamer Coach. They are people who are passionate about helping others. They have usually overcome problems in their own lives, and have a desire to give back.

In this article, we will go over the requirements for becoming an HG Coach and the qualities of a good Coach.

Prerequisites to becoming a Healthy Gamer Coach

People are surprised to hear that you don’t need a psychology degree to become a Healthy Gamer Coach. 

“Wait, I don’t have to understand the mind in order to provide Coaching to people struggling with problems in the mind?”

You definitely need to understand the mind, but that is part of the Healthy Gamer Coach Certification curriculum, in which Dr. K trains Coaches in his understanding of the mind. However, a psychology degree is not a prerequisite because the certification is what you will draw from.

It is also preferred if Coaches have overcome particular problems in their own life. Since Healthy Gamer Coaching is based on the peer-coaching model, having an understanding of what your client may be experiencing can help you be more understanding and empathetic.

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Should a good coach have been in HG Coaching before?

It is not necessary but does earn you bonus points. If you want to be a Healthy Gamer Coach, then joining Group Coaching is a place where you can evaluate if you are a good fit. 

If you like helping people, can be patient and listen to others as well as be authentic and compassionate at the same time, then you will do well in Group Coaching. 

Group Coaching can also help you uncover your own limitations, and determine your capacity to help others. If you are introverted and feel tired after helping others in a group for 90 minutes every week, then becoming a Coach may not be for you. You will be seeing clients for several hours a day, which can lead to burnout if you are not a good fit. 

Group Coaching will help you see if you are a good fit. It can also help you uncover situations that affect you negatively and work on that before you become a Coach.

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What are a good HG Coach's qualifications?

All coaches have the same training given by Dr. K, which is what they use with their clients. We do not ask Coaches to bring in their neuroscience/psychology backgrounds (or lack thereof). 

Here are some signs you can be a good Coach:

• You can be patient, compassionate, and curious.
• You avoid being judgmental.
• You avoid making assumptions and problem-solving for the client. Problem-solving is based on making assumptions.
• You want to truly understand a client for the person that they are.
• You can be ok with a client having a bad day and not taking that to heart.
• You can work with a client who’s very resistant and does not want to open up.

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Qualities of a Good HG Coach

We have noticed three qualities in our top Coaches:

Compassion

The Coaching Program works because our clients have been there and can relate to your struggle. One of the most important things a Coach can do for their client is to validate their experiences. Therefore, compassion is at the heart of the Coaching Program’s success.

Authenticity

One of the biggest reasons people are unable to overcome their challenges is because the people around them are not authentic with them. Moreover, people may not be authentic with them about their own challenges. By creating an atmosphere where the client feels comfortable being their true self, the Coach can help them dig deeper into their problems and help them understand where they come from and how to overcome them.

Presence

Having a person in your corner who is dedicated to your growth is one of the most important factors that determine whether a person can overcome their problems. Having the support and ability to be open with someone every week can go a long way. Therefore, our most successful coaches are there for the client, no matter how frustrating or challenging it may feel.

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What is the most important thing an HG Coach can do for their client?

The most important thing a Coach can do for their client is to build an alliance and establish rapport. Coaches aren’t here to judge their clients or tell them that their decisions were right or wrong. Helping the client have a sense of safety but also feeling helping them feel like they can be authentic is crucial. 

One of the biggest wins that a Coach can see is their client open up and be authentic. Compassion, authenticity, and presence are extremely important qualities in our best Coaches. Other qualities that supplement these are patience and resilience.

Does a good coach have to watch streams and be a fan of HG?

In a broad sense, yes. Coaches need to have a good understanding of their client base, which often comes from the community that watches Dr. K. It is good to have familiarity with what Dr. K does on stream, how it’s not therapy and the fact that he integrates eastern philosophy into his educational content. It’s important to understand that Coaching is different from what Dr. K does on stream.

Does a good coach have to be like Dr. K?

Yes and no. If you know primarily know Dr. K from what he does on stream, then that is not what you want to do in Coaching. Dr. K on stream makes assumptions, guides the conversation, and tries to speedrun through someone’s problems. As a coach, that is the opposite of what you need to do.

However, you do need to be like the Dr. K that teaches you during the HG Coach Certification process. When you’re new to Coaching, you need to follow the Coaching process closely. After a while of working as a Coach, you may start deviating and incorporating more of your own personality into Coaching.