HEALTH COACHING
I am passionate about helping clients understand their health conditions and guiding them to find ways to take control of their health through goal setting and making small, manageable changes.
What is health coaching
Health coaching is a collaboration between the coach and the client to assist the client in reaching their health goals. It involves a deepening of self awareness and learning which can lead to improvements in the quality of life of the client and assist them in managing chronic health conditions. This process is client centred, led by the client’s values and goals. The coach assists the client in finding focus, creating specific, measurable goals and maintaining accountability. The coach is also there to assist if things don’t go according to plan and cheer them on when they succeed.
Coaching looks at the whole person in a dynamic way. We will work together to map out your goals, and develop a plan to help you reach them.
The Health Coaching Process
Before the first meeting I ask clients to provide some background information about key issues, priorities and medical limitations. This helps the client to start the process of figuring out what they want to focus on and gives me some general information so that I can prepare for the first meeting.
The first session is usually between 60 and 90 minutes long. In this meeting we discuss the coaching agreement, which defines fees and the roles and responsibilities of the coach and the client. The client commits to a plan, usually 3 months long, and we figure out the frequency of the meetings and how they will take place (in person, on the phone or online). This first meeting is also when I start to get to know you, your values and behavioural goals. Sometimes a few small goals will be created to work on before the next meeting. The type of goals can vary widely for each client depending on what stage of change they are in and how much knowledge they have with respect to their health conditions and goals.
Subsequent sessions are 45-60 minutes long and will include checking in on the client’s progress with respect to previous goals. The client then chooses the topic to work on in the current meeting. We end the meeting with the client stating the goals they will work on between then and their next meetin
Coach and client continue to meet to focus on strengths, reignite motivation and find solutions to meet the client’s goals.
In the final session we discuss your progress and your continuing goals going forward. We look at what supports and strategies you have built that you can rely on if setbacks happen.
Things we might discuss include:
Sleep habits
Eating habits
Movement and exercise
Scheduling and time management
Lifestyle and homecare strategies (self massage, hydrotherapy, exercise)
Mindfulness
Pain reduction
NBHWC Health and Wellness Coach Scope of Practice
Health and wellness coaches engage individuals and groups in evidence-based, client-centered processes that facilitate and empower clients to develop and achieve self-determined, health and wellness goals. Coaches assist clients to use their own insight, personal strengths, and resources to set goals, commit to action steps, and establish accountability in building an envisioned healthy lifestyle. In this way, coaches empower clients through encouragement, exploration, the mobilization of internal strengths, the identification and utilization of external resources, and through the support and development of self-management strategies for executing sustainable, healthy lifestyle changes.
The coach’s role is one of accountability partner, not director, in navigating behavioral change and exploring opportunities for growth and development. As facilitators of the behavior change process, health and wellness coaches support clients to achieve self-directed goals and behavioral changes consistent with the client’s vision for health and wellbeing, informed by any treatment plans prescribed by the client’s professional healthcare team. When appropriate, health and wellness coaches may offer evidence-based resources or information from nationally recognized authorities. Additionally, when working under the license of a qualified medical or allied health professional (e.g., physician, psychologist, physical therapist), health and wellness coaches may support the implementation of those professionals’ treatment plans. On their own, however, coaches themselves do not diagnose, interpret medical data, prescribe or de-prescribe, recommend supplements, provide nutrition consultation or create meal plans, provide exercise prescription or instruction, consult and advise, or provide psychological therapeutic interventions* or treatment.
Health and wellness coaches who hold additional, active, national or state-recognized credentials may provide expert support and guidance within their professional scope for that credential; however, disclosure of the professional role and potential conflicts of interest must be discussed with the client and documented from the onset of a professional relationship. Health and wellness coaches should only function in dual roles with conscious intention and by clearly outlining both professional capacities, through discussion and documentation, as well as defining the boundaries of each. Further, health and wellness coaches must be well-versed in the professional capacity of each role, including the limits of knowledge and skills respective to each role, understand and demonstrate how to work within the limits of each professional role, and comply with all guiding ethical principles to ensure client interests and needs are at the forefront of the coach-client partnership.