Health Coaching - is it for me?
Health Coaching - quick recap on what it is…
As a functional, investigative approach to wellbeing, health coaching looks at the whole body, mind, and soul as connected and affecting one another. This could also be termed ‘lifestyle medicine’ and it encompasses many avenues including….
Diet Nutrition Epigenetics Physiology Biology Sleep Exercise Lifestyle Stress Medical history Past Experiences Mental, Emotional, & Spiritual Care
That’s a lot of areas to delve into and explore! And each of those areas can be very complex in itself.
And it becomes clearer why this is considered a holistic approach to healthcare and wellness. As a discipline it also extends to incorporate information and research on a wide and diverse range of natural and alternative modalities, therapies, and practices that can be useful for clients to draw upon on their path to better wellness.
It’s a fast growing field….
Already a well developed industry in the US, health coaching is becoming more widely known around the world and there is a growing body of evidence illustrating the benefits of health coaching for patient outcomes. [1]
The field of health coaching is expected to continue expanding rapidly. There is a great need for health coaches and what they can provide and growing awareness of the discipline’s capacity for helping people to make the kind of lasting and meaningful changes in their lives and wellness than can positively affect their health outcomes.
The upsurge in health coaching is likely also related to the fact that people are becoming much more aware of the links between their diet and lifestyle, and the wider perspective of what being well really means, and that includes mental and emotional health as well as part of one’s own self care. There are many high profile advocates of health coaching including people such as Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, Dr. Ayan Panja, Dr Mindy Pelz, and Professor Tim Spector, amongst others.
In addition, health coaching is also increasingly being recognised as a powerful force in public health worldwide and how such lifestyle medicine could dramatically contrIbute to reducing chronic disease, saving and improving lives as well as supporting public health services. A notable example is the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK.
In recent times the NHS consider patient self care and self management a top priority as they acknowledge that research shows patients who are more proactive in their own wellness solutions having a higher chance of improving their health. As an organisation they are beginning to realise that health coaching can be a valuable tool to help reduce chronic diseases, healthy weight management and save lives. Alongside this, by working with patients one to one and in group settings health coaches also help to reduce the burden on NHS hospitals and local GP surgeries and services.[2]
In reality health coaching could potentially have a very positive impact on the way the NHS system functions in the future and the treatment care options available for patients could transform people’s lives.
A good example is that currently 10% of the NHS budget is spent on diabetes and its related lifestyle diseases and conditions but there is much scope within the realm of health coaching that can improve diabetes, as well as for those at a pre-diabetic stage as well. So there is a real need for such solutions and the individual patient centered approach offered by health coaches.
So what can health coaching do for you?
There is an overwhelming amount of information out there on health and wellness related issues and it can be very overwhelming and confusing, and it can be hard to discern what to do or where to start.
A good health coach will help clients to navigate through this and we are trained to guide clients and work with them to find what is right for them on an individual basis. It’s a bespoke process.
Health coaches play a vital role in helping people make the changes they want to see in their lives and set them on the path towards more well being and better health outcomes. From optimising wellness and putting in place various preventative health care measures to better self management for all kinds of conditions, clients will see many benefits from such guidance and personal approach.
A good way to think about it is as an investment in yourself - in your future health and quality of life. As such it can be life transforming.
However. I always suggest to potential clients to mull over a few questions first when considering to work with a health coach because it is a commitment and it needs to be the right juncture in someone’s life to commit to it and most fully reap the rewards it can offer.
Some things to consider:
What are my health related aims/goals?
Why do I want to improve this situation?
What do I want to get out of working with a health coach and how can it be beneficial for me to reach my goals?
Am I committed to making the changes necessary to reach my goals?
How will I ‘show up’ and feel in my life if I improve this area of my health and wellbeing?
Change is not always straightforward and it takes effort and dedication and that is a reason why working with a good health coach can be really useful.
There can be all the research in the world to show how well health coaching works, but the bottom line is that it the client who must commit to doing what needs to be done in order to affect the changes they want to see in the lives.
It is not the job of a health coach to try to ‘fix’ people and their health related issues. This is the responsibility of the client themselves. The client has to take the steps and make the necessary changes to their current life and routines in order to reach their health related goals. Although they are always supported and guided by their coach.
So when thinking about working with a health coach it is worth remembering that ultimately it is the client who has to ‘walk the walk’ as it were.
So this is another reason why knowing your ‘Why’ is really important because it can really help to provide more impetus and motivation to stick with the process and make the actions needed to reach their desired goals.
So you’re ready to work with a Health Coach….now what?
Working with a health coach is all about building a good relationship based on trust and open communication so it’s important to find the right person for you to work with. It’s also really important to find a reputable health coach who knows what they are doing.
The challenge as a coach is to connect what it is someone wants to achieve with good health coaching skills in order to help the client make the lasting changes they want.
A good health coach:
knows how the body works, understands the importance of movement, exercise and fitness and has a good basic knowledge of food and nutrition
understands there are many lifestyle factors that can also affect wellbeing such as epigenetics, sleep, stress, work, relationships, lived environment, physiology and biological processes in the body, past illnesses and treatments
aims to building a strong and trusting relationship with clients to help motivate them to enact realistic and sustainable behavioural, health, and lifestyle transformations
really listens and develops excellent communication skills to more fully support clients to make changes and to stay with their plans as they progress
support and guide, rather than tell and prescribe
help clients recognise their own values and internal strengths, as well as providing insights and strategies to mobilise those assets to assist them in reaching their goals
What to Expect from a health coach like me
I am a fully qualified CNM trained Health Coach and I adhere to the above points mentioned about good health coaching practice. In addition I draw on many years of lived experience and research in my role as a health coach. I understand and appreciate that each individual is unique and I take a holistic approach to consider the interconnectedness of and wide variety of factors that can either support or undermine health. Some of these are mentioned at the beginning of this blog, but in addition it also includes things such as;
Whether someone has meaning and purpose in their life
What, when, and how someone eats
Whether and how one moves, sleeps, rests, and plays
Stress management
The impact of relationships and social connections
The nature and quality of the environment in which someone lives and works
In Addition to this, I am….
A professional who will work with clients directly, or alongside a doctor or other healthcare professional
A partner who understands and respects that the client is an expert on their own life
A professional who is non-judgmental in supporting, educating, and empower clients to find sustainable ways to break through resistance and overcome barriers on their journey to better health and wellbeing
A partner who can help clients to discover motivation, identify challenges, and inspire to action by asking powerful questions to explore clients’ values and strengths, and helping them to understand their “why” and their motivation for change
A professional who is knowledgeable and can support clients in health related matters such as stress management techniques, improving chronic conditions, good sleep hygiene, optimising diet and wellbeing, and/or establishing an exercise regime/implement lifestyle changes
A professional who offers accountability by helping to develop actionable coaching plans and a process for tracking and measuring them
Committed to empower clients to adapt positively to challenges to their health environment, support them to develop the confidence to make conscious lifestyle choices and pursue activities that support and help them improve their wellbeing and health outcomes.
Life as a health coach - what is it that drew me to do this?
These are exciting times with so many possibilities for ways that health coaching can have a positive impact within the wider health sphere and for individual lives and wellbeing.
I feel drawn to be of service in this way and help people on their journeys!
I chose to train within a naturopathic framework at the College of Naturopathic Medicine (CNM) because this institution really resonated with me and its underlying ethos and naturopathic framework is in alignment with my own beliefs, approach, and personal practices.
I want people to feel assured that they are dealing with someone who is professional and knowledgable when working with me
As a graduate of the College of Naturopathic Medicine (CNM) the scope of practice that I work within in my capacity as a Health Coach falls within certain professional boundaries of the modality. As a CNM certified Health Coach I am a qualified, accredited professional who upholds the highest of standards in health and wellness coaching for the UK and Ireland and who commits to adhering to a Scope of Practice specific to health and wellness coaching and to upholding a professional Code of Conduct and Ethics. This also follows the Association of Naturopathic Practitioner’s (ANP) Code of Ethics. You can find links to these documents on my website, as well as my CNM Health Coach certification.
When working with me clients can feel assured that in order to maintain my professional status, level of competence and code of conduct as a qualified Health Coach, the Association of Naturopathic Practitioners (ANP) requires a minimum amount of further training and continued professional development (CPD) to be completed on an annual basis.
References
1 .Some examples of research include the following:
Grinspoon, Peter. Health Coaching is Effective. Should you try it?. Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School. April 8, 2020. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/health-coaching-is-effective-should-you-try-it-2020040819444
Kennel J. (2018). Health and Wellness Coaching Improves Weight and Nutrition Behaviors. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 12(6), 448–450.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827618792846
Oliveira, J. S., Sherrington, C., Amorim, A. B., Dario, A. B., & Tiedemann, A. (2017). What is the effect of health coaching on physical activity participation in people aged 60 years and over? A systematic review of randomised controlled trials. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 51(19), 1425–1432.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2016-096943
Kempf, K., Röhling, M., Stichert, M., Fischer, G., Boschem, E., Könner, J., & Martin, S. (2018). Telemedical Coaching Improves Long-Term Weight Loss in Overweight Persons: A Randomized Controlled Trial. International Journal of Telemedicine and Applications, 2018, 7530602.
https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/7530602
Leahey, T. M., & Wing, R. R. (2013). A randomized controlled pilot study testing three types of health coaches for obesity treatment: Professional, peer, and mentor. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 21(5), 928–934.
https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.20271
Sherwood, N. E., Jeffery, R. W., Welsh, E. M., Vanwormer, J., & Hotop, A. M. (2010). The drop it at last study: six-month results of a phone-based weight loss trial. American Journal of Health Promotion : AJHP, 24(6), 378–383.
https://doi.org/10.4278/ajhp.080826-QUAN-161
Vale, M. J., Jelinek, M. V., Best, J. D., & Sanataria, J. D. (2002). Coaching patients with coronary heart disease to achieve the target cholesterol: a method to bridge the gap between evidence-based medicine and the "real world"--randomized controlled trial. Journal of clinical epidemiology, 55(3), 245–252.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0895-4356(01)00460-7
MacLean, L. G., White, J. R., Broughton, S., Robinson, J., Shultz, J. A., Weeks, D. L., & Willson, M. N. (2012). Telephone Coaching to Improve Diabetes Self-Management for Rural Residents. Clinical Diabetes, 30(1), 13–16.
https://doi.org/10.2337/diaclin.30.1.13
Olsen, J. M., & Nesbitt, B. J. (2010). Health coaching to improve healthy lifestyle behaviors: an integrative review. American journal of health promotion : AJHP, 25(1), e1–e12.
https://doi.org/10.4278/ajhp.090313-LIT-101
Long, H., Howells, K., Peters, S., & Blakemore, A. (2019). Does health coaching improve health-related quality of life and reduce hospital admissions in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease? A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Health Psychology, 24(3), 515–546.
https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12366
Thom D. H. (2019). Keeping Pace with the Expanding Role of Health Coaching. Journal of general internal medicine, 34(1), 5–6.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-018-4730-1
Jonk, Y., Lawson, K., O'Connor, H., Riise, K. S., Eisenberg, D., Dowd, B., & Kreitzer, M. J. (2015). How effective is health coaching in reducing health services expenditures?. Medical Care, 53(2), 133–140.
https://doi.org/10.1097/MLR.0000000000000287
Sforzo, G. A., Kaye, M., Ayers, G. D., Talbert, B., & Hill, M. (2014). Effective Tobacco Cessation via Health Coaching: An Institutional Case Report. Global advances in health and medicine, 3(5), 37–44.
https://doi.org/10.7453/gahmj.2014.029
Eddie, D., Hoffman, L., Vilsaint, C., Abry, A., Bergman, B., Hoeppner, B., Weinstein, C., & Kelly, J. F. (2019). Lived Experience in New Models of Care for Substance Use Disorder: A Systematic Review of Peer Recovery Support Services and Recovery Coaching. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1052.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01052
Valentin Ayala, R., & Bernstein, J. (2020). Changing Weight Management Self-efficacy Among Obese Puerto Rican Adults: A Quantitative Study using a Health Coaching Intervention. Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice.
https://doi.org/10.46743/1540-580x/2020.1867
Chen, R. Y., Huang, L. C., Su, C. T., Chang, Y. T., Chu, C. L., Chang, C. L., & Lin, C. L. (2019). Effectiveness of Short-Term Health Coaching on Diabetes Control and Self-Management Efficacy: A Quasi-Experimental Trial. Frontiers in Public Health, 7, 314.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00314
Brown S. A. (1990). Studies of educational interventions and outcomes in diabetic adults: a meta-analysis revisited. Patient Education and Counseling, 16(3), 189–215.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0738-3991(90)90070-2
Singh, H. K., Kennedy, G., & Stupans, I. (2021). A Pilot Australian Pharmacist Health Coaching Trial of Participants with Poorly Controlled Hypertension: A Qualitative Study of Participants' and Coaches' Experiences. Patient preference and adherence, 15, 127–140.
https://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S29040
Gordon, N. F., Salmon, R. D., Wright, B. S., Faircloth, G. C., Reid, K. S., & Gordon, T. L. (2016). Clinical Effectiveness of Lifestyle Health Coaching: Case Study of an Evidence-Based Program. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 11(2), 153–166.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827615592351
Clark, M. M., Bradley, K. L., Jenkins, S. M., Mettler, E. A., Larson, B. G., Preston, H. R., Liesinger, J. T., Werneburg, B. L., Hagen, P. T., Harris, A. M., Riley, B. A., Olsen, K. D., & Vickers Douglas, K. S. (2014). The Effectiveness of Wellness Coaching for Improving Quality of Life. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 89(11), 1537–1544.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2014.04.028
hortonj4. (2021, November 17). Health coaches: What they do - and how they can help you. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved July 14, 2022, from
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-a-health-coach/
Gierisch, J. M., Hughes, J. M., Edelman, D., Bosworth,B., Oddone, E. Z., Taylor, S. S., Kosinski, A. S., McDuffie, J. R., Swinkles, C., Razouki, Z., & Masilamani, V. (2017, April). The Effectiveness of Health (Project #09-010). U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
https://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/publications/esp/health-coaching-REPORT.pdf
David H. Thom, MD, PhD, Jessica Wolf, BS, Heather Gardner, MPH, Denise DeVore, BA, Michael Lin, BS, Andy Ma, BS, Ana Ibarra-Castro, and George Saba, PhD (2016). A Qualitative Study of How Health Coaches Support Patients in Making Health-Related Decisions and Behavioral Changes. National Institute of Health, NLM, PMCID: PMC5389392.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5389392/
2. See the links https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/health-coaching & https://www.england.nhs.uk/personalisedcare/workforce-and-training/health-and-wellbeing-coaches/
