What is a Health Coach?

With a wealth of information at your fingertips, you have probably come across tons of information about the coaching industry, including health coaching. So what exactly is a health coach and what can one do for you?

A health coach is someone who forms a relationship with and helps individuals gain the knowledge, skills, tools, and confidence to make long-term positive health changes, enabling them to reach their health goals. They help their clients identify obstacles and develop strategies to overcome them. Health coaches do all of this while providing motivation, encouragement, practical guidance, and support.

What some people don’t realize is that health coaches can help clients with any health goal! Although not limited to these, some of the most common goals include nutrition, weight loss, improving sleep, stress management, exercise, and goal setting. People might have some of these areas that overlap, which would mean more than one health goal to focus on. Health coaches are able to help you deal with any and all issues you feel the need to work through. Remember that health coaches don’t just work with people that are considered “unhealthy”. They can support people with any health challenges and goals.

Health coaches use a variety of strategies and techniques to help their clients achieve their health goals. Some of these include motivational interviewing, positive psychology, understanding the stages of change, habit formation and reversal, and accountability and goal setting. These strategies are incorporated into a client-centered approach, where the client sets the focus and owns the process, work, and, ultimately, the success. This creates an environment where the client is able to make significant and sustainable changes in their health. Although health coaches provide non-clinical support, it is important to note that they are not typically licensed medical professionals, although some may be.

Health coaching is a deeply personal journey. Health coaches look deep into each client’s health, ambitions, and lifestyle. They should validate the client’s emotions, fears and concerns, and always maintain a safe, non-judgmental environment. Know that coaches are not experts on what their clients should do. Instead, their role is to act as partners and facilitators. They support their clients in taking action, creating plans, and achieving goals. The main goal of the health coach is to identify the underlying causes of the habits that want to be changed and work out individual programs for each client.

If you are looking for this type of connection and guidance to continue your journey to better health, reach out to Angela at Bee Healthy today for a free 20 minute consultation.