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Health and Wellbeing Coaching is a relatively new discipline, but its popularity in the industries of physical and mental health is gaining rapidly. Coaches do work individually with their clients, but a collaborative approach is common also. That is, working alongside other health professionals such as nurses, dieticians, mental health workers and so on.
In contrast to the prescriptive-like treatment approach you often receive from traditional disciplines (such as a doctor, and those mentioned above), health and wellbeing coaching positions the client as the expert in their own lives and holds them responsible for their own transformation.
The coach facilitates this process of change by bringing a set of specific skills, resources and tools, and by acting as a personal guide, support and partner.
As for the terms themselves, “Health” and “well-being” refer to two very different areas of wellness, however, they are closely linked. Put simply, “health” refers to providing support for the physical side of things and “wellbeing” typically refers to emotional and mental health. As there is so much crossover though when it comes to effective treatment, these terms are often categorised under the same umbrella – i.e. health and wellbeing.
For example, a client seeks the support of a health coach to help them lose weight. Their weight gain was predominantly the result of depression though. So, a collaborative approach that includes interventions & resources to support not just their physical health, but their mental health and well-being also, will obviously present the best chance of lasting success.
To illustrate this point further, The WHO states: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Essentially, this definition highlights the importance of a holistic approach. Health is more than just the absence of illness (physical or mental), but an overall state of healthy well-being and quality of life.
A state where the individual is physically healthy, their life has meaning, they can contribute to their community, have positive feelings of happiness, improved relationships, tools to cope with everyday stressors, and so on.
All aspects of their world are considered. Quality of life is not just about the prevention of death. As the great Hunter Patch Adams said – “You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you, you’ll win, no matter what the outcome.“
These coaches cover a wide variety of disciplines that can make a big difference in anybody’s life, whether they are looking to improve their mindset, their health, and everything in between. These areas can include (but are not limited to):
It’s important to note that whilst powerful, there are some things that will fall outside the scope of a coach and it’s important to also seek out appropriate support in these cases, particularly in an emergency.
For example, if you require medication, a consultation with your doctor should be your first point of call. Your coach can still add much value and complement these other services, but cannot replace them.
Coaching sessions can take many different forms. From online courses and programs, and one-on-one, to group sessions, conducted either in-person, over the phone or on the internet. Platforms such as Zoom & Skype have made coaching fully accessible, regardless of your location.
The process will vary depending on your individual circumstances and the services offered by the coach.
Many coaches offer a free initial consultation on your first visit. The intended purpose of this is to allow you both to discover if you’re a good fit for each other, without any financial risk. Each subsequent session usually lasts somewhere between 45 to 90 minutes, the frequency of which will again, depend on your needs.
Initially, you will often go over your goals and get clear on your desired outcomes through the use of the coach’s active listing skills and quality questions. Sometimes also through the use of tools such as personality quizzes, assessments, and exercises.
The data gathered will help to establish where you are now, and the steps required to bridge the gap and get you to where you want to be.
You may also be asked to do some work on your own in between sessions (often called homework). These will generally consist of specific tasks relevant to your needs to move you closer to your goals. For example, if you wish to improve your mental health, happiness and life satisfaction, completing exercises to gain clarity on your values provides fundamental information to point you in the right direction.
Committing to these tasks with your coach holds you accountable to them, greatly increasing your chances of following through. Another reason why those who work with a coach make much more progress than those who go it alone.
Coaching is an investment of both your time and money so it’s vital that you know how to get the most out of it. Here are our top tips:
Make your coaching sessions a priority by giving them the time and space needed to come to each session fully prepared and focused. Get specific on what you need to work on, do any “homework” assigned to you in between each session and make sure you remove any possible distractions.
It’s also ideal to allow enough time before and after each session. Beforehand, to get in an optimal mindset, and afterwards, to jot down any notes and do some self-reflection.
If you think you’ve already tried everything, or are closed off to change and new ideas, then to be completely frank, you won’t get much out of coaching. You need to be “coachable”; open to different perspectives and willing to take them on board.
Be prepared to have your beliefs and comfort zones challenged and trust in the process that it will be worth it.
It won’t happen overnight but it will happen (thanks Pantene!) Have realistic expectations and don’t expect to have your life transformed overnight. Your coach can provide you with awesome insights and tools, but change takes time and consistent effort.
Make no mistake, contrary to what many believe being vulnerable is not a weakness, it’s a strength. One that will dramatically improve the impact of your sessions. You need to be completely open and honest with your coach (and in turn yourself!).
This will facilitate getting to the root of your issues faster, and foster more meaningful results.
If you’re given “homework” or tasks to complete in between sessions, do them! This is where the magic happens. Don’t expect your coach to do everything for you, that isn’t what coaching is about.
Your coach is there to be your guide, but it’s you that needs to do the work… and you reap what you sew.
Not essential but highly recommended. In addition to taking some notes during the session, take some time afterwards to make sure you get everything important down and use the journal to help with some self-reflection to deepen what you have learned.
Knowledge on its own isn’t enough to affect change. Only in implementing what you have learned is where transformation takes place. Listening and taking notes is important, but to fast-track your progress, you must apply what you have learned to your daily life.
For example, how do you best build confidence in riding a bike? Simply listening to the feedback on what to do and not to do? Or taking that information and putting it into action?
Sure, this may result in you falling off, but that too is the only way to learn and get better at it!
Embrace the journey and enjoy the ride!
In order for all of the above to happen, it’s vital that you find a coach with whom you have trust and rapport and whose approach resonates with you. We can help with that too…
Here are some more factors to keep in mind when choosing a health and wellbeing coach:
Not all coaches approach the same problem in the same way, which is great because each individual will respond differently to varying styles. Similar to a fitness coach, some people would be put off by a “drill sergeant” type approach, whereas others respond to it really well.
As such you need to find a coach who can effectively work with your personality type, communication style, and approach to learning. Essentially, this means someone you can trust, build rapport with and whose approach is in line with how you prefer to work, learn and grow.
Some coaches cover a broad spectrum of issues, while others specialise in a very specific area of expertise. If you fall into the latter, it would be wise to seek out a coach who specialises in your specific issue. After all, if you break your leg, who would you prefer to see? A general practitioner or an orthopaedic doctor? It’s a no-brainer who you will get the best results with.
Additionally, some coaches will specialise in certain demographics, such as working only with children, couples, parents, men, women, people within a specific age bracket, business owners or companies and so on. If you find a coach who specialises in a demographic you fall into, again that would be the most ideal.
Currently, coaching in Australia is an unregulated industry in that there are no standard curricula. Some coaching courses offer certifications and professional memberships but they come with varying levels of criteria. This criterion does help ensure a certain standard of knowledge, skills, expertise, and quality service. The caveat though is the “varying levels of criteria”, vary a lot.
For example, some certifications are given after attending a 1-day course, others require years of study. If finding a qualified health and wellbeing coach is important to you, take a look into what their certifications and/or memberships actually entail.
Also keep in mind that if someone you’re thinking about working with isn’t a certified coach, this shouldn’t be a deal breaker. Some coaches have done years of study and have a wealth of experience and coaching skills, but for a number of varying reasons, don’t have a piece of paper to go with it.
In these cases, I suggest paying close attention to other important factors such as the results they get. If they have case studies, great! Otherwise, testimonials and reviews are a great source of credibility and social proof.
As mentioned above, testimonials and reviews are a great source of credibility and social proof. You can usually find them on their website, Facebook page, Google My Business listing or within their listing page on directory sites like this one.
If a coach doesn’t have any reviews yet, that can be for a number of reasons; such as they’re relatively new (doesn’t mean they can’t offer a quality service though!). Or, they’ve been around for a while but struggle to get reviews from their clients. It’s a funny thing reviews. Even the most satisfied customer can forget, or not bother to leave one (we get it, life is busy!).
It’s a real shame though, as reviews are a vital element in contributing to the success of a coaching business (or any business for that matter!)…. so when you do find a great coach, please leave them a review!
You’re not only supporting them but helping to connect other people with their valuable services also.
Like qualifications, these aren’t always essential, but you can learn a lot about a coach by what they write about. Their personality, knowledge, skills, and experience.
If they have a blog section on their website or share articles online, take the time to have a read-through to see if the content resonates… It’s also a great excuse to grab a cuppa and have some “you time”.
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This not only saves you time but also ensures that you are introduced to coaches who are best positioned to assist you on your journey to personal or professional growth.
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