What Does a Health Coach Do?
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Anyone can call themselves a health coach, and many different certifications exist. However, there is only one board certification. The National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching partners with the National Medical Board. In fact, the Health and Wellness Coach board exam is administered by the National Medical Board of Examiners. Board-certified health coaches are prepared to assist clients with change to achieve wellness goals, whether the diagnosis requires it, the doctor suggests it, or the client wants to pursue a healthier lifestyle. Board-certified health coaches understand that change is a process and use evidence-based, client-centered methods for positive impact. Wellness is multi-dimensional with physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual components. Therefore, a coaching conversation is not relegated solely to health goals. However, it can be because the client-centered process means the client sets the agenda.
A health coach with the National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) credential can partner with medical professionals or work in private practice. Health coaches who pass the board exam have a foundational understanding of health conditions like hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, stroke, cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, and arthritis. They understand the impact of nutrition, hydration, physical activity, sleep, and stress on health factors. Board-certified health coaches appreciate the psychological determinants that factor into health challenges, like depression, anxiety, and social and economic conditions. Education in the foundations of wellness, health measures, and what the data indicates enables the coach to work in partnership with a healthcare provider to increase the patient's success in health improvement. The board-certified health coach can bridge the gap between knowledge of one's health status and acting toward improvement.
Health and wellness coaches must have an education in a health-related field and training from a board-approved coaching program to qualify for board certification. Health coaches can have different specialties and approaches. For example, a coach with an educational background in applied psychophysiology may work from a wellness perspective, emphasizing the impact of the psychological state on physiological stability and vice versa. The mind and body are intrinsically linked. About 80% of messaging goes from the brain to the body and 20% from the body to the brain. Cognition, thought processes, feelings, lifestyle, and behavior affect health outcomes. At Living the Sound Life, our board-certified coach's approach is rooted in applied psychophysiology, emphasizing stress relief since stress is associated with about 75% of health issues. Finally, the NBC-HWC credential means that a health savings or flexible spending account can cover the coaching fee, but it's essential to check with your insurance provider first.
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What Does a Health Coach Do?
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