What is Health Coaching?
Just like a sports mentor assists an athlete in refining their skills and performance, a health and wellness coach guides individuals in enhancing their overall well-being, even if they have persistent health conditions. This collaborative conversation mirrors talk therapy but stands out since the individual being coached has the autonomy to set and strategize their objectives.
Why Do People Choose Health Coaching?
Individuals often opt for health coaches to navigate diverse health challenges including weight management, stress alleviation, dietary improvements, and adjustment after significant health episodes like a cardiac event. While there’s a similarity between what health and life coaches do, life coaching encompasses broader areas, including professional development.
Understanding Chronic Inflammation’s Impact Research reveals that continuous mild inflammation is a silent threat leading to diseases such as heart ailments, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Experts from Harvard Medical School suggest simple methods to counteract inflammation and maintain health.
Motivational Interviewing:
A Coaching Tool Coaches leverage motivational interviewing, a method involving open-ended questions to allow clients to discover their personal motivations for transformation. This technique, supported by numerous studies, suggests that self-motivated change is more impactful than external directives. This approach has been increasingly incorporated in medical practices and has received favorable patient feedback regarding its effectiveness.
Coaching’s Foundation:
Positive Psychology Unlike traditional psychology, which zeroes in on problems, coaching emphasizes leveraging individual strengths for desired health improvements.
Evidence Supporting Coaching’s Effectiveness
Health coaching has been found effective in managing various health issues. Recent research indicates that coaching contributes to significant improvements in several health markers. Its benefits extend to improving health quality and reducing hospital visits, leading to its incorporation in medical settings, insurance plans, and company wellness programs.
Training and Certification of Coaches
Even though health coaching is an emerging and unregulated domain, numerous institutions offer training and certification. It’s advised to select a certified coach to ensure they have adequate training and experience.
Investing Time and Money in Health Coaching
The duration and expenditure on coaching vary, ranging from single sessions to extended periods. Costs fluctuate based on the coach’s expertise. While some plans may cover these services, privacy remains paramount in coaching, albeit without stringent medical-level privacy regulations.
Selecting Your Ideal Coach
Potential clients can review coaches’ backgrounds to find a fitting match. While some coaches may have health-focused backgrounds, others might have diverse expertise. Recommendations from acquaintances and google reviews on providers can be valuable.
Conclusion
Health coaching, supported by robust evidence, stands as a potent tool for enhancing well-being. For practitioners like me, it’s an opportunity to foster happiness, resilience, and overall life quality.
The Role of a Health Coach A health coach is a catalyst for change, working collaboratively to connect one’s core motivations with their health objectives. Despite the simplicity of lifestyle adjustments, implementing them requires support, which is where health coaches bridge the gap.
Advantages of Engaging a Health Coach
Several benefits stem from engaging a health coach, including:
- Reaching substantial milestones through small steps.
- Enhanced sleep quality.
- Increased life satisfaction.
- Recovery from health disorders.
- Elevated self-worth.
- Alignment of health objectives with life vision.
- Autonomy over one’s health.
From Our Coach, Shannon
Greetings! I’m Shannon from Meeting Point Health, Philadelphia. My journey into functional and regenerative medicine was unique since I began as a patient, grappling with an autoimmune disorder. Traditional medical approaches proved futile, pushing me towards functional medicine at Meeting Point Health. My interactions with Mary Anne were transformative, providing insights and hope. While initial strategies had their challenges, our relentless pursuit led to the discovery of mold as the root cause. Post diagnosis, my recovery was swift thanks to the groundwork we had laid.
Transitioning to functional medicine professionally, I perceived a glaring need: consistent support during lifestyle transitions. Equipped with a comprehensive health coaching certification, I now support patients at Meeting Point Health, collaborating with Mary Anne and Dr. Steve Matta. My aim is to guide patients in understanding their conditions, treatments, and in reclaiming their health. I look forward to assisting you on your healing journey.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Stephen Matta, DO, MBA CAQSM and Mary Anne Matta, MS, MA, LAC
