What is a Health Coach?
In June of 2022 I graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) as an Integrative Health Coach. I did the 6 month accelerated course after hearing rave reviews from 4+ wellness professionals (in various fields) about the program. It was my brilliant mom who had the suggestion for this program when I was looking to make a career shift. My mom is the queen at reinventing herself and a creative problem solver as well as an out-of-box innovator. I’m so grateful for her suggestion.
The stars aligned and the IIN program started at just the right time for me. Although health and wellness have been interests of mine for years and I make attempts to live a healthy lifestyle I wasn’t sure I could be a Health Coach. Fear, as if often does, cropped up with some annoying opinions. “Can you be a health coach if you sometime snooze the alarm for a run” and “Should you really be a health coach when you are 3 slices of pizza last Thursday?” These are the words fear whispered. Fear is a liar, the #1 BS’er. But fear can also serve as a mirror, so I choose to examine some of these limiting thoughts .
Being a Health Coach doesn’t mean I eat a perfect diet or have optimal workouts every time. It doesn’t mean I know everything about wellness. And how could I? Research is being conducted and updated all the time. The mental health professional might still get in a fight with their partner. The nurse might not wash her hands sometimes. Being in a profession doesn’t mean being perfect, it means listening to someone’s goals and encouraging them to take the steps necessary to get there.
In fact, being a Health Coach isn’t at all about what works for me, my plans, products, etc and totally about asking clients high mileage questions to understand their goals and how I can best support them.
A Health Coach is NOT:
A doctor or nurse to diagnosis you with a condition
Going to prescribe nutrition and lifestyle wellness plans and programs. I will ask you what you think you need and dig deeper to understand where this need is coming from
Pushing products or services. I might make suggestions but you’re always in control of what you order or purchase
Here to give you the one answer / solution that will totally change your life. Rather, I’m suggesting ideas and you’re trying them out and then we’ll explore what is and is not working
Going to be a perfect role model of how you should eat, move, talk or be. I’m a person too, traveling my own journey
A Health Coach is:
A bridge between other wellness professionals and the client / patient
A supporting system for clients with primary food – including relationships, sleep, creativity, and joy – and can help implement recommendations from health providers
A referral to doctors, physical therapists, yoga teachers, nutritionists and other healing professionals who can join our team approach for wellness
Available to offer strategies and suggestions based on your unique goals
Not attached to a particular goal or outcome. These are managed by the client…your goal is my goal. You set the goal, I’ll help you get there
An accountability partner
So if you’re interested in working with a Health Coach (namely ME!) let’s schedule a wellness assessment. We’ll chat about your goals, where you are right now and where you’d like to go. We’ll see if my style of coaching is for and if we’d be a good fit. That wellness assessment is totally free and takes about an hour. We can do it in person, over the phone or via Facetime / Zoom.
Remember, you are responsible for your health and growth. I’ll be there with you, but you’re the one setting the goals and putting the plans in place for how to reach the goal. What works for one person might not work for someone else. This is what bioindividuality is all about. Plenty of folks think “My friend trained for a marathon, started a meditation practice, stopped eating sugar, lost 15 lbs, etc so I’ll do that as well we the same results.” This is a recipe to be disappointed. If however, you’re tapping into your goals and most importantly the WHY behind them, then we can move in the right direction. If you’re not familiar with Simon Sinek and the concept of “Start with Why” check out his book or watch the TEDx Talk. So helpful in framing change and why we do what we do (or don’t do)
Think of me like the “guide on the side” rather than the “sage on the stage.” Your #1 fan, the person cheering you on and inviting you to come back to the intention that you set. I’m your mirror, asking you questions about what’s working and not working, knowing that we learn more when we fail then when we “nail it.”
I’d love to be your health coach, let’s talk more about it. Big hugs!