“The good news for coaches is there’s going to be a lot of opportunities for coaches as this grows,” said Williams. “They spent five million dollars creating this platform–it’s web based enabled coaching and counseling, right now sold to private companies like United Healthcare and Nike.”

ILCT, founded in 1998, carved out a unique niche: training psychotherapists, psychologists and counselors in creating life coaching practices. Williams, a psychologist and MCC, said giving up “his baby” was not easy, but the merger represents an exciting opportunity for coaches.

“This is a change I chose,” said Williams. “I am transitioning my vision of ILCT back in 1998, crafted with the help of my great faculty and supporters. Yet, I am not going away. My legacy creation is now in the hands of a larger company that fits my values.”

For LifeOptions, which provides counseling and other services via a network of web platforms, the acquisition of ILCT offers a powerful addition to grow its business.

“With the addition of the ILCT network and their training based in sound coaching psychology principles, our continuum of support now incorporates live interaction with credentialed professionals into LifeOptions online multimedia programs,” said John Koontz, LifeOptions CEO.  Koontz says ILCT brings an international network of healthcare practitioners to LifeOptions online programs. “Their 24/7, worldwide availability will be a key element in meeting our clients where they are, at their point of need. And, I couldn’t be more excited about working with Pat Williams to continue to expand our offerings.”

Williams will become a Senior Vice President at LifeOptions. Williams says the merger means a new market for coaching jobs, as LifeOptions’ existing relationships with corporations and healthcare providers will create a need for trained coaches who can provide services through LifeOptions’ platforms.

“We’ll be able to offer our students the leading online coaching platform on the market today,” said Williams. “And the training curriculum will be significantly expanded to include specialized instruction in the safe, effective and ethical use of these new tools.”

LifeOptions clients connect to a variety of services online, including talking to healthcare providers, and soon, coaches.

“Bringing ICF-accredited coach training to our network of providers and providing them with a direct path leading to the delivery of highly secure, web-enabled coaching services benefits all stakeholders”, said Lyle Labardee, EVP and Director of Network Services for LifeOptions.

Williams admits it’s a strange feeling to give up control of the company he created. “There are some unknowns ahead, even for me. There are also new opportunities that will arise, changes to existing procedures, and new faces will show up in the future. Things will be different and new, but at the same time very familiar.”

For LifeOptions, the merger means adding an experienced human element to its existing tech network to serve a growing need for “web enabled coaching and counseling.”

LifeOptions’ Koontz says having certified and specially-trained coaches and counselors available to clients at any time, anywhere in the world, represents a huge leap for his business. “The combination of our secure technology and the professional services that can now animate the web tools will be the first to effectively combine high tech with high touch, care with competency.”

How does Pat Williams feel about the merger? He spoke about it in an interview with CoachReporter Mark Joyella:

CoachReporter: A Merger that May Mean Jobs for Coaches from Mark Joyella on Vimeo.