Someone who claims to be a raw foodist..

[catscharm74]

I found on a blog that I frequent quite a bit that someone has converted over to raw food, which is great but she is advertising her "services" as a raw food coach. I contacted her and she has not certifications or even taken a uncooking class. I felt that it is wrong to advertise that you can teach someone the "raw" lifestyle and charge for it when you have had no formal training in any capacity. Am I being to harsh? I mean, I think it is great she is promoting the raw food lifestyle but would you charge someone if you had no training? Just wondering.

[Stina]

I'd say yes if she's demonstrated quite a committment in the field. How long has she been raw? Is she 100%? A track record helping others? What's her angle? Does she got the notorious raw glow? Don't hire anybody who's not getting the results you want.

[tiggerbounce]

I would hire someone with experience before I would hire someone who just recently graduated from Harvard. Seriously. I know a guy who is a Harvard grad who doesn't have the sense of a flea. I know lots of people who have no formal training but are pros at what they do. My father had no formal education and farmed all his life. He could fix equipment far faster and better than any trained mechanic at any implement. He could tell what nutrients the fields needed better than any agronomist just by looking. And he was a pilot. And he invented a piece of machinery that a professional design person could not get to run properly and then bought out the local competition and built his own business. And did his own investing. And today he is a millionaire many times over. I know a lot of college grads who NEVER become millionaires. He did it by the time he was forty. No degree. Not even a seminar to speak of. Just hard work,dedication, focus and determination and a good plan.

Also, I have NO formal education in my field. But on a daily basis I teach two professionals who have trained and gone to school for what we do how to do things that are very basic and no one in the business should be in the business without knowing. Sometimes people like to do things but aren't good at it. Just the way it is. On the other hand, sometimes things come naturally to someone else. Go figure.

The thing about it is this, some people think that after being raw a month and taking a 3 day certification that they are qualified to teach. Maybe they are. Maybe not. I doubt it. Unless they were very focused and read a lot and asked a LOT of questions in that month.

If this person is good at what she does, she will be successful enough. If not, clients will know and success will not come. Natural attrition of sorts. And she may have other strengths and knowledge already that complement this.

Not trying to defend or discourage either way. Just my humble 2 cents worth based on my own personal experience with life and employees of my own. I just let others do what they want to do, -- it doesn't really change my life in any way. Everyone has to make their own decisions.

[Eva]

Did Alissa have to go to some formal training before teaching her classes? She taught herself a lot, made her own recipes. She is quite the teacher, though.

I don't know anything about this person, so I can't say too much. I think she could be great, but she could also be unable to really help you or anyone else.

[Revvell]

Who certified the certifiers?

I started teaching wayyyyy before I ever took a "formal" class or got those papers and I know many who are certified who have no business teaching. *shrugs* What to do, eh?

[maui_butterfly]

how many of the foremost coaches in this field got formal training from someone else? experience counts for a lot. some people are natural-born chefs (or un-chefs) and would be better teaching a cooking class than someone else with no inclination who happened to take a class. lets face it, these paid certifications are not exactly like going to medical school. its not graded, you can't really fail. short of not showing up, you're going to get the certs you paid for, even if you don't really have a gift or knack for coaching.

not saying formal schooling is not valid, but certainly not necessary. a good coach has personal experience, lots of knowledge (however gleaned), insight into human nature, a gift for motivation, etc.

[parsnip]

It just depends on her qualifications -- not necessarily certifications. Has she maintained a raw diet for a long time? Is her philosophy in line with yours? Does she had challenges with it that are similar to yours, and overcome them successfully (for example, if you really struggle with figuring out how to deal with social food situations because you're faced with that all the time, and she doesn't have to deal with that a lot, she's may not be all that helpful on that).

Being any kind of a coach -- food coach, life coach, career coach, fitness coach -- is one of those things that's often open to interpretation, and so long as she's not claiming to have experience or credentials that she doesn't, it doesn't seem wrong to me. But if you're thinking of hiring her, you should ask her a lot of questions -- just like you'd want to even if she did have loads of certifications.

[Hygeia]

I agree............why does someone need to be "formally trained" to share something that they know and love with others who are willing to pay for that guidance.

Are fortune tellers formally trained? Has the gardener gone to college to mow lawns? I create and sell jewelry but it has nothing to do with what my college degree is for.

There are many occupations in this worl where people have never been "formally trained" and do quite well with it.

I think it's fine. And it's the individuals choice to hire her if they feel she is the symbol of what they want.

:)

[Raene]

I'm coaching locally and I haven't been certified, other than through a raw nutrition school, but definitely no raw chef training or hands-on classes. I am a researcher, and I've researched extensively over the last few years and feel I'm qualified. I also have learned a lot from my own experiences and from raw friends and even this board. I feel just as qualified as someone who's paid money to attend chef training, etc.

[catscharm74]

I maybe should have mentioned she has only been raw about 2-3 months. I too would trust someone who is well versed, experienced even if they didn't have a formal education. I just worry she is charging people so early on...I think that is what bothers me..maybe if she was like a full year out, I would feel more comfortable.

[Arky]

The only advice I would give on this issue is to find someone who has been raw for a MINIMUM of 3 years. Why? Because it can take up to 3 years for nutritional deficiencies to appear. If you find a raw-foodist who does not look gaunt or weakly, who has a healthy complexion and GOOD TEETH (an extremely accurate indicator of health, as it happens - it's not just about horses, ya know), after 3 years, then you are probably on a safe bet to listen to them. Don't underestimate the degree of truth in this advice... Also, look for someone who is not 'obsessed' with food and/or dietary dogma.

Such people can be found but they are sadly few and far between. No amount of enthusiasm should be considered to make up for inadequacies in any of the above, or you may find yourself walking down a path, hand-in-hand with someone who is, perhaps, very well-versed and sincerely well-intentioned, but nonetheless does not truly know where they are headed. Disillusionment is likely to follow, not far behind.

It is no coincidence that many raw-foodists start enthusiastically writing books after a year of raw-foodism only to be 'outed' after another couple of years, for evidently experiencing outwards symptoms of deficiency or such-like. It's not that they are intentionally leading anyone astray, it's just that they have often innocently overlooked some of the possible pitfalls - perhaps inadvertently or perhaps (as can often be the case) due to philosophical closed-mindedness. Those that remain healthy for many years (a year or two is simply not enough) are a far safer bet to listen to, so I believe you are absolutely right to choose a potential teacher carefully and questioningly. Do your homework and I'm confident you'll find a teacher worthy of guiding your health.


J.

[Conscious Midwife]

I maybe should have mentioned she has only been raw about 2-3 months. I too would trust someone who is well versed, experienced even if they didn't have a formal education. I just worry she is charging people so early on...I think that is what bothers me..maybe if she was like a full year out, I would feel more comfortable.


The cool part is that you have wisdom and intuition.

Go with what you know

Check you meetup.com site you might find support with folks with just as much if not more experience being/ living RAw as the "teachers" blog you saw.

Remeber also that some people blog for the adsense clicks, personal biz advertising and/or jsut because.

Just 'cause they blog/ advertise doesn't meant they are great bad or worthy of being compenstaed or not. It's all relative. If you value what she is offering and are willing to make the exchange then her time spent as a RAW foodist with/without formal training may not be relevant.

[IamLoved]

I am actually very happy to see this thread and very surprised (in a good way) by the responses. I totally agree too. Especially with what Revell said, I have said it myself, who certified the certifiers. I think experience counts way more in this aspect. Ask lots of questions and if you do not like the answers look elsewhere.

Also you need to think too that she is taking up quite a bit of time and resources to teach people. Time and food supplies are not cheap. I taught a couple of raw food "cooking" classes to some friends just for fun once and it was very expensive to get the ingredients to make the food and the class was over two hours long with lots of laughter, lots of info and lots of mouth watering food. But, I had to pay for the food and I used lots of my time to prepare recipes and decide what I wanted to talk about. I didn't charge for the class but a couple people left donations which helped to pay for my expenses and time. She may not be trying to get rich or anything, just cover her costs with a little left over.