Note: this doesn't pertain to anyone else who has a certification. Based on how I operate, I'm asking why it is necessary for ME.
I got certified for two reasons:
(1) Because I was assured that it would convey credibility, but in the nearly two years I've been charging people money, not one soul has asked if I'm certified, not one.
(2) Because I was told that it was the only way to qualify for liability insurance, which some have advised me that I do not need (owing to the way in which I work).
The main reason I'm asking because, well, I'm a certified fitness trainer who does not desire to operate as a fitness trainer. Indeed, I'd very much prefer to operate as an alternative to the fitness trainer, primarily because my approach does not center on exercise.
Also: my certification process was fairly rigorous, but I didn't learn anything in the process that took me from not being able to help people look better naked to being able to help people look better naked. Yes, I did brush up on my anatomy. Yes, I did learn how to better explain a number of metabolic processes that no one needs to understand in order to look better naked. But basically, I suspect that certification signals that you passed an exam. And I tell clients that, for what it's worth, I crushed it.
Thoughts appreciated ..