Health and Wellness Coaching is:
- A process of self-discovery where you take charge of making the healthy changes you want most.
- A supportive personal relationship where you receive unconditional positive regard and no judgment or criticism.
- A process that helps you define and navigate your goals.
- A collaboration with someone who believes in your capabilities
How to Work with a Health & Wellness Coach
- The Role of a Health Coach: Guidance, Not Prescribing
The role of your health coach is to guide and empower, not prescribe. Your health & wellness coach will not offer specific prescriptions or directives, instead, they focus on collaborative goal-setting, personalized strategies, and supportive guidance. Your coach can help you tap into your own inner resources, empowering you to make informed decisions that align with your values, needs, and goals. - Co-Creation of Goals: Your Aspirations, Your Journey
Health coaching is a co-creative process. Your coach works with you to identify your health goals and develop strategies that align with your aspirations and lifestyle. This collaborative approach ensures that the goals you set are realistic, achievable, and genuinely reflect your desires. Your journey is unique, and your coach will never assume that what works for someone else will work for you too. - Open and Honest Communication: The Foundation of Progress
Communication is key in the coaching relationship. Your coach will provide a safe and judgment-free space where you can express yourself freely. The more honest you are about your thoughts and challenges, the more your coach can help tailor strategies to meet your evolving needs, circumstances, and goals. - Building Consistent Habits: Small Steps = Big Impact
Health coaching often involves creating new habits that contribute to long-term well-being. Your coach will help you set achievable milestones and incorporate small, sustainable changes into your daily routine. By focusing on gradual progress and celebrating small victories, you’ll build a foundation of habits that feel sustainable and result in lasting positive change. - Integrating Feedback and Adjustments: A Dynamic Process
Life happens, and adjustments to your goals and plans may be needed along the way. Your coach welcomes feedback and encourages you to share any changes in your priorities, abilities, or preferences. An open dialogue helps to ensure that your coach can be responsive to your evolving needs. - Leveraging Asynchronous Text-Based Coaching: Flexibility and Accessibility
You and your coach will communicate asynchronously through text. This format provides great flexibility, allowing you to engage with your coach at a time that suits your schedule and mood. Text-based coaching also provides a well-documented record of your journey, allowing you to revisit insights, strategies, and progress at any time. - Embracing Progress Over Perfection: A Journey, Not a Destination
In health coaching, the emphasis is on progress, not perfection. Your coach understands that setbacks may occur, and the journey to well-being is rarely linear. We encourage you to embrace the process, celebrate each step forward, and remember that we can learn a lot from the times when things don’t go according to plan! - The Coaching Agreement
Think of it as the roadmap for our collaboration. This agreement outlines the mutual commitments and expectations coaches and clients have for each other. It covers the confidentiality of our conversations, the frequency of our sessions, and the goals we’ll be working towards together.
Final Thoughts
As you venture into health coaching, remember that it’s a collaborative and empowering process and you are always in the driver’s seat! Your coach will help you navigate the steps toward change, and when things get hard, you will never have to be alone.