Why Mental Health Credentials Matter (More Than a Killer Instagram Grid)
In 2025, trauma has a hashtag and healing has a price tag. But when you're in pain, you need more than a ring light and a vibe.
Before you bare your soul to someone who just finished a breathwork certification in Bali—or built a trauma curriculum with ChatGPT and Canva—ask yourself this:
Are they trained to help you heal, or just trained to go viral?
As a licensed clinical social worker with more than a decade in trauma care, I’m not here to bash coaching. I’m here to name what’s getting dangerously lost in the fog of spiritual branding and algorithmic authority: credibility.
The Coaching Wild West… Now with AI and Ayahuasca
Life coaching isn’t the enemy. Done ethically and within scope, it can be helpful—especially for folks working on career transitions, confidence or everyday motivation.
But let’s be clear:
Coaching is unregulated. Still.
There is no state licensure. No standardized education. No enforced code of ethics.
And in 2025, it’s even wilder. Many “trauma coaches” today are:
Holding psychedelic retreats without medical staff
Telling clients to stop taking psychiatric meds
Replacing therapy with somatic rituals they learned in a 3-week course
Marketing it all with AI-generated content, fake testimonials and an aesthetic grid
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) still doesn’t require a graduate-level education. Some coaches charge $300 a session with no formal training—just confidence and a course on Teachable.
Trauma isn’t a branding opportunity. It’s complex, and potentially lethal, when mishandled.
Utah’s New Law: A Sign of the Tipping Point
In March 2025, Utah passed SB244, which cracks down on one disturbing trend: therapists who lost their licenses due to misconduct rebranding as life coaches with no oversight.
One infamous case?
Jodi Hildebrandt, who mixed religious extremism with shame-based “counseling” and caused real psychological harm. Despite disciplinary action, she continued working with clients as a self-declared coach.
You can read the full KSL report [here]. Spoiler: it’s not just about one bad apple. It’s about a broken system with no guardrails.
Spiritual Bypass Meets Religious Manipulation
Especially in Utah, we’re seeing another trend: life coaches infusing LDS doctrine into sessions while calling it “mental health support.”
Clients are told:
Anxiety is a sign of spiritual weakness
Addiction is a moral failing that requires repentance, not therapy
Depression is just a mindset issue you can solve with journaling and obedience
Let’s be clear: shame is not a treatment plan.
When spirituality replaces science in a mental health context without consent or credentials, it’s not faith—it’s exploitation.
Real People Are Getting Hurt
A client recently told me she’d spent over $3,000 on a trauma coach who promised “breakthrough healing.” What she got:
Unsolicited advice to go no-contact with her family
A lecture on chakras and generational sin
No intake, no screening and no plan
She walked away more confused, isolated and ashamed than when she started. She came to therapy thinking she was broken. In reality, the care she got just wasn’t care at all.
If Your Mental Health Is on the Line, You Need a Clinician—Not a Brand
If you’re struggling with:
Suicidal thoughts
Trauma responses
Eating disorders, addiction or depression
Dissociation, anxiety or panic attacks
…then you need someone trained to:
Recognize red flags
Use evidence-based treatment (EMDR, DBT, CBT)
Refer to psychiatric or medical providers for medication assessment
Maintain ethical standards with a governing body
Be legally accountable for your safety
Mental health isn’t a side hustle. It’s healthcare.
How to Vet a Coach Without Killing the Vibe
You don’t have to feel awkward asking these:
“What’s your educational background and what are your credentials?”
“Do you consider yourself a mental health counselor?”
“What happens if something comes up that’s outside your scope?”
“Have you ever referred someone to a therapist or medical provider?”
If they get defensive, minimize your concerns or say therapy is a scam—run.
Red Flags from a “Healing Mentor” You Found on TikTok:
✅ Says they “channeled their trauma course through plant medicine”
✅ Tells you SSRIs are “toxic” and “lower your vibration”
✅ Charges $888 for an “8D Frequency Trauma Cleanse”
✅ Claims they healed their childhood in a cacao ceremony
✅ Encourages you to monetize your wounds as part of your healing
You laugh—but it’s happening every day.
A Final Thought From Your (Actually Licensed) Neighborhood Therapist:
Mental health credentials—degrees, supervised clinical hours, ongoing training—aren’t just academic trophies. They’re safety rails.
Here’s what it took me to become a trauma therapist:
A Master’s degree in Social Work
4,000 supervised clinical hours
Practicum placements with refugees, survivors of violence, and people living on the streets
Ten years in the ER crisis unit and locked psych floor, University Hospital
40 hours of continuing education every two years
Being licensed means I don’t guess. I assess, I refer, I stay in my lane—and I put your safety first.
If you’re hurting, grieving, addicted, anxious or just lost…
Please don’t hand your healing to someone just because they have good lighting and a cool logo.
Get help from someone who is trained to hold your pain, not package it.
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📍 Written by Sue Brown, LCSW — trauma-informed, EMDR- and DBT-trained, ER-hardened, and committed to protecting people from shame-based pseudoscience disguised as care.