Health Coaching
People want to feel good, avoid chronic disease and live long lives. They want to see their children and grandchildren grow up and have the energy to play with them. They want to perform better at work, enjoy their relationships, and be well enough to get the most out of life. But there's a big difference between wanting the benefits of being healthy and consistently engaging in the behaviours that lead to good health. That's where health coaches come in & here is a breakdown of what they can do.
Health coaches are trained in several disciplines that support people in making lasting changes. These include (but aren't limited to):
Positive psychology leverages people's strengths (rather than focusing on their weaknesses) to make changes.
Motivational interviewing helps people to link behaviour changes to their deepest needs and goals (e.g., "I will change my diet because I want to live to see my grandchildren graduate from school”)
Habit formation and reversal, which supports patients in making positive habits or breaking negative ones
Coaches are also trained to work with clients more collaboratively than with the expert approach common in medicine. In the expert approach, the "authority" assesses the problem, delivers advice, recommends solutions, and sometimes teaches new skills. In the collaborative process, the health coach acts as a partner or ally, encourages clients to discover their answers and become their advocate and supports them in developing the skills they need to embrace new behaviours.
This collaborative approach empowers the client to become the primary driver of change. That's why you need a health coach – it also builds confidence, self-awareness and self-actuation – all of which are crucial for long-term change since the client will likely not work with the coach for their lifetime. To use the old analogy, the doctor gives the patient a fish so she can eat for a day, whereas the coach teaches the client to fish so she can eat for a lifetime.
Not surprisingly, studies have consistently shown that coaching interventions improve health outcomes for several chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and cancer. This is not a small effect. Some research has shown that applying evidence-based principles of behaviour change can increase the chances of success.
Along the same lines, the barriers to becoming a health coach are significantly lower than becoming a doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. This is also important because we'll need at least ten times the number of health coaches than doctors to make a significant dent in preventing and reversing chronic disease.
Coaches help people discover the "why" behind their desired health change
They empower people as the experts on their bodies, minds, and circumstances
They help people identify challenges and blind spots that are preventing change
They provide support and accountability
They use their broad health and wellness knowledge to help people navigate various health concerns.
Coaches aren't there to lecture, direct, or prescribe. They are there to empower clients to make healthier choices for themselves. This requires abandoning personal agendas, dealing with one's emotional triggers related to client topics, and learning to listen from a neutral, nonjudgmental place.
Info & Graphic Sources: tonyrobbins.com & kressierinstitute.com