New, Exciting, Empowering
By Melanie Prinz |
What is health coaching? Coaching is part of the public psyche – something that almost everyone is familiar with. Nowadays, coaching doesn’t apply only to the realm of athletics – the term has been borrowed and used in both personal and work domains. There are now life coaches, business coaches, executive coaches and health coaches. Why the term “health coach”? Because behind every winning athlete is a successful coach. This coaching idea is universally known and the same concept of a successful coach and a winning athlete applies for those in the field of health and wellness.
Health coaching is a relatively new field but it is quickly gaining momentum. Health coaching empowers individuals, giving them the education and support to successfully navigate the pathways to a healthy lifestyle. A qualified health coach defines the how and what of health and wellness, personalizing it for each client based on their individual needs.
A Health Coach takes an active and directive role in helping a person achieve his or her goals by facilitating the learning process. The Coach educates the client on specific health-related issues and support individuals in achieving their health-related goals. Because of the personal nature of health coaching, working with clients can include tackling health related psychological blocks to change, through either an individual or group coaching session.
Why do we need Health Coaches? It’s no secret that Americans have reached an all time level of “unhealthy” living. Despite widespread campaigns aimed at helping people to stop smoking, eat better and exercise, the vast majority of Americans do not overcome their destructive eating habits. Most do not get regular exercise and many are not eating enough fruits and vegetables. It is mind boggling to think that the health care system in the US is a two trillion dollar industry that is riddled with problems. There has been an alarming explosion in childhood and adult obesity, cited as high as 63%. There are climbing rates in diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other diseases associated with lifestyle and behavior choices. As far back as 1996, Harvard Medical School published a seven-year study that confirms up to 70% of all cancer, heart disease, stroke and mature onset diabetes are preventable with lifestyle and behavior changes. And yet, the health of the wealthiest nation in the world continues to decline. In 2005, the Institute of Medicine published a major study identifying that ninety million Americans are health illiterate. This does not mean, in this Internet dominated society, that people do not have access to or are not receiving enough health information. It means that the majority of us do not know how to interpret or use the health information we receive to control or improve our health or prevent chronic disease.
So what is the solution to the problems we face in healthcare today? It’s simply this: Give people the tools they need so they don’t get sick in the first place. Health Coaches help people design a lifestyle and make behavior changes that they can maintain and be comfortable with. Health Coaches help people become proactive about their health, stay informed, focused, motivated and educated. Most people want to improve their health. They buy exercise equipment, join fitness clubs, start diets, make great New Year’s resolutions. They mean well but they usually get off track because they don’t have a good system for staying on track. Well, health coaching can help to solve this critical problem.
Coaching, as an industry, has proven to be 91% successful and health coaching is a niche market within that industry. Many health coaches use the Internet, phone, personal and group coaching when working with clients. Coaching people and holding them accountable on a regular basis helps people experience a much higher success rate in reaching their health and wellness goals.
References:
1. Empowering Others to Take Control of Their Health; www.lifecoachingdirectory.com
2. Health coaching to facilitate the promotion if healthy behavior and achievement of health-related goals; International Journal of Health Promotion & Education Volume 41 Number 2 2003 91-93
3. Health Coach Training: www.healthcoachtraining.com/Melanie
4. www.healthcoachingyou.com
For more info, call Melanie Prinz at 775-857-9764.
