Health and Wellness Coaching

Health and Wellness Coaching

Differences Between Health and Wellness Coaching

According to the International Coaching Federation, the coaching sector has flourished in the United States, with clients seeking to better all parts of their lives, both personally and professionally (Brennan, 2008). The Health & Wellness sector is one of the newest fields of coaching. The growing demand for workplace health promotion, as well as the trend of increasing longevity through healthy lifestyle choices and shifting the pendulum away from sickness and disease and toward wellness and prevention, has raised concerns about client safety when it comes to consulting health and wellness coaches (Huffman, 2016). There are numerous “coaching” modalities available, including health, wellness, spiritual, personal, and life coaching. Health and wellness coaching is thought to be the most directly related to changes in health behavior (Huffman, 2016).

Healthcare providers and experts feel that a distinction should be made between the qualifications of various health coaches by outlining the level of qualifications of those offering the services and what a client may anticipate gaining by engaging those services (Huffman, 2016). The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) and the National Society of Health Coaches (NSHC) sought to define a scope of practice for health coaching in the interest of public safety (Huffman, 2016). The NSHC has long maintained that health coaching is essentially a nursing area of practice. “Health coaches assist with people who are coping with chronic health conditions,” writes Kreisberg (2015). Wellness coaches focus on preventive and ongoing wellness. Health coaches, not wellness coaches, are being hired in the medical sector (Kreisberg, 2015).” According to Huffman (2016), health coaching has the following characteristics: client-centered, self-directed goals, evidence-based interventions with a focus on clients with moderate to high health risks, health teaching, collaborative partnership, motivational interviewing, as well as health outcome measurements and effectiveness (Huffman, 2016). Wellness coaches have many characteristics with health coaches, with the exception that they are not physicians or nurses. The International Consortium for Health and Wellness Coaching (ICHWC) (2019) defines wellness coaching as working with clients who want to make self-directed, long-term changes that are consistent with their personal beliefs in order to promote health and wellbeing while improving overall wellbeing. This is accomplished through the ICHWC job definition, which requires the wellness coach to jointly create a coaching agreement focused on the goals and vision established with the client, which will create long-term change by enhancing self-awareness, tracking behavior, responding to resistance, and building positivity (Health and Wellness Job Task Analysis, 2017).

The coaching field is rapidly changing, and the general public can become befuddled by the variety of terminologies and how to select the right coach for their needs. Grodzki and Allen (2005) stated in their book The Business and Practice of Coaching: Discovering Your Niche, Earning Money, and Recruiting Ideal Clients that Wellness coaching was intended to “coordinate interventions and communications for people with chronic diseases” (Grodzki & Allen, 2005, p.255). This book was only written ten years before the NSHC determined that there needs to be a more definite difference between what health coaches focus on and what wellness coaches focus on; this demonstrates how quickly the coaching business is changing. Wellbeing is defined by Miriam-Webster (2019) as “the quality or state of being in good health, especially as an actively pursued aim”; this is also the medical definition of wellness. As a result, wellness coaching is a much better term for coaches who deal with “healthy” persons who want to improve or maintain their overall health. A wellness coach focuses on the eight holistic components of health and wellbeing: physical, emotional, intellectual, social, environmental, financial, spiritual, and occupational (Swarbrick, 2010). Wellness coaching is about taking action to attain and develop methods for achieving future goals (Swarbrick, 2010). According to the NSHC, health coaches must be credentialed practitioners with clinical training who employ evidence-based therapies with their patients (Huffman,2016). It is the study conducted within the health coaching sector that is frequently published and determines the success of various interventions; this is also the material that clients view and read without realizing the distinction between who can give those services (Huffman, 2016).

The Efficacy of Health and Wellness Coaching

Although wellness coaching is popular, there are very few published result studies. A recent Mayo Clinic study on the effectiveness of wellness coaching for increasing quality of life (2014) discovered that 90% of overweight and obese women who participated in a 12-week wellness coaching program showed significant improvements in quality of life, depression, and stress levels. Participants in this Mayo Clinic study on The effectiveness of wellness coaching for improving quality of life (2014) reported significant improvements in quality of life, including mental wellbeing, physical wellbeing, social wellbeing, spiritual wellbeing, social activity, less depressive symptoms, and a decrease in perceived stress levels, which was maintained at the 24-week follow-up. This shows that wellness coaching customers may have learned previously unknown skills and were able to retain this knowledge over time to enhance their health (The effectiveness of Wellness coaching, 2014). A health and wellness coaching program geared at the chronic pain illness FibromyalgiaFibromyalgia discovered that not only did quality of life improve but there was also a significant reduction in pain and utilization of health care (Hackshaw et al., 2016). A review of recently published data on the importance of health coaching reveals improvements in physiological, behavioral, psychological, and social outcomes (Almondes et al., 2017). It appears that wellness coaching focused on self-care practices in conjunction with professional mental health care could increase physical activity, healthy sleep, mood management, spirituality, and social activity. This could represent the future of integrated interdisciplinary management of long-term depression. This study supports the notion that wellness coaching can be extremely successful, provided the coach is properly trained and credentialed. According to The Center for Nutrition Advocacy (2019), it is illegal for anyone other than a certified dietician to provide nutrition counseling in twenty-three states, although many clients seek wellness coaches to help them lose weight and put together a nutritious diet. Due to the explosion of the health and wellness coaching industry over the last five years, it is critical that core competencies be established and credentialing become mandated to demonstrate a certain level of professionalism within the health coaching industry and improve public awareness and safety (Huffman, 2016).

Wellness and preventative healthcare have a tremendous conceptual application, but few research have been able to test the “P4 medicine paradigm – a systems approach that transforms healthcare such that it is predictive, preventative, customized, and participative” ( Hood et al., 2015). The Hundred Person Wellbeing Project (HPWP) aims to improve wellness by forecasting actionable opportunities and identifying markers for wellness in early illness prevention (Hood et al., 2015). According to Hood, Lovejoy, and Price (2015), continual interaction between participants and health coaches boosts motivation for long-term lifestyle changes that can optimize health and avoid emergent diseases. Chronic health disorders are the primary cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide; thus, health coaching has evolved as an established intervention for persons with chronic diseases to improve health behaviors (Boehmer et al., 2016). Health and wellness coaching, which employs all techniques used by licensed experts as well as peer and lay coaches, has the potential to help public health efforts practice the least disruptive medicine (Boehmer et al., 2016).

Regardless of how health and wellness coaching is performed or what the exact title of the coach is, the emerging consensus is that the client-centered process of changing behavior through health and wellness coaching using goals determined by the patient, encouraging self-discovery, and developing accountability in health behaviors can reduce the global burden of chronic disease (Wolever et al., 2013).

Health and Wellness Certificates

There are no federal, state, or local legislated standards for health and wellness certification or coach registration (Jordan et al.,2015). Health and wellness credentials are not required in every field; it depends on the demographic, where the coaching will take place, the style of coaching, and the size of the worksite. Workplace wellness programs, health coaches, fitness coaches, and nutrition coaches are all examples of health and wellness coaching. Getting a certification raises one’s degree of skill and trustworthiness, as does teaching evidence-based approaches based on science for incorporating successful counseling and guidance (Aldana, 2018). There are numerous organizations that provide credentials in employee wellness, personal training, health coaching, and nutrition coaching. According to the National Consortium for Credentialing Health and Wellness Coaches (NCCHWC), “successful coaching occurs when coaches employ clearly defined knowledge and abilities so that clients harness internal strengths and external resources for sustainable transformation” (Jordan et al., 2015). Nationwide education and training requirements for health and wellness coaches could develop the field and foster collaboration among a variety of practitioners.

Reflection

Only a few years ago, the term “coaching” was primarily associated with athletics. Today, there is a coach for practically every facet of life and business. The most recent spectacular increase may be seen in the coaching of many wellness dimensions, such as spiritual, environmental, financial, occupational, social, intellectual, emotional, and physical. Each of these topics can be subdivided further into areas of specialty. This report said that there are no federal or state mandates that control the health and wellness coaching sector; as someone who has spent more than 30 years in various aspects of the health and wellness industry, I find this information discouraging. If the coaching industry is to be taken seriously, and studies have shown that health and wellness coaching can improve the quality of life for people, particularly those with chronic health conditions, then I believe the public should expect their health and wellness coach to have a certain level of professional knowledge. The National Society of Health Coaches (NSHC) provides a Health Coach Certification for Clinical Healthcare Practitioners such as Exercise Physiologists, Behavior Analysts, Certified Athletic Trainers, Nutrition Specialist, Occupational Therapist, Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, Hospital corpsmen, Nurses, Chiropractors, Physical Therapist, Social Worker, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Acupuncturist, and Physician, to name a few (Huffman, & Miller, 2015). The NSHC also provides a certificate of completion for Allied Healthcare Professionals (Huffman & Miller, 2015). As a certified Athletic Trainer and future Licensed Mental Health Counselor, I would pursue a Health Coach Certification from the NSHC, letting my future clients know that I have a higher level of education, knowledge, and skill in communication, psychosocial aspects of illness and recovery, health education, assessment, and programming, and care of both acute and chronic conditions. This certification will increase credibility, particularly in the areas of research and published outcome studies where more investigation is required. My ambition is to combine my background in health education with my experience as a Certified Athletic Trainer, Massage Therapist, and fitness instructor to become a Health and Wellness coach who specializes in working with those suffering from chronic pain conditions caused by physical and emotional trauma. Because more outcome studies in the field of Health and Wellness Coaching are needed, I would like to participate in research studies that determine the effectiveness of 12 weeks of individual Wellness coaching for clients who have previously worked with a mental health professional for trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder. This author believes that coaching following therapy will provide long-term biopsychosocial benefits to the client. As described in the preceding studies presented in this paper, I believe that Health and Wellness coaching can become a vital part of a multidisciplinary strategy for lowering depression and chronic pain. As a future Licensed Mental Health Counselor, I would like to offer the clients I previously counseled the option to continue care so that they can focus on continuing to make behavioral changes that will inevitably lead to positive lifestyle improvements by reducing high-risk behaviors, developing self-management skills, working toward adequate nutrition, reducing stress, and increasing physical activity. Although counseling and coaching can share many characteristics, such as instilling hope, optimism, and collaboration with the client, I believe one of the primary roles of a counselor is to bring clients out of their negative biopsychosocial experiences and provide insight into their behaviors, whereas the role of a health and wellness coach is to begin focusing on the future and building a vision of a more positive lifestyle. My counseling and coaching talents will overlap as I use assessments, effective communication skills, and active listening to evaluate a person’s needs, goals, and future vision.

On a personal level, becoming a health and wellness coach will motivate and inspire me to create a personal wellness plan and commit to following it in order to be a positive role model for clients and to take care of my own mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing in order to avoid burnout from counseling. This will also assist me in determining wellness tools that are effective and efficient in reaching goals, as well as developing a network of support systems and other professionals to refer to as I strive to achieve my own future goals in the areas of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual contentment. As a coach and counselor with a Christian worldview, it is vital to me that the teachings of the Bible emphasize God’s concern for people’s physical and mental health. According to 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, our body is a temple to the Holy Spirit; thus, we must glorify God with our bodies and offer them to God as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1-2). The Bible promises wellness in 1 Timothy 4:7-9, which speaks of spiritual fitness and physical activity, while Proverbs 14:30 says a calm heart leads to a healthy body and Proverbs 3:7-8 says we shall have healing for our bodies if we fear the Lord and turn away from evil. According to Isaiah 40:29, the Lord gives strength and power to the exhausted and worn out, and we should be anxious about nothing because through prayer and petition, we can make our desires known to God, and peace shall guard our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:6-7). These biblical verses will assist me in providing hope and optimism to my counseling and health and wellness coaching clients who want to include a Christian perspective and strengthen their spirituality. 3 John 1:2 is my favorite Biblical verse for health and wellness. Dear buddy, I wish you good health and that everything goes well with you, even as your soul is doing well (NIV).

References

Aldana, S. (2018, December 12). 23 Best Wellness Certifications, Personal Training, and Health Coach Certifications. Retrieved March 03, 2019, from https://www.wellsteps.com/blog/2018/08/30/wellness-certifications-health-coach- certifications-personal-training-certifications/

Almonds, N., Downie, D., Cinar, A. B., Richards, D., & Freeman, R. (2017). Is health coaching effective in changing the health status and behavior of prisoners?—a systematic review protocol. Systematic Reviews, 6(1). doi:10.1186/s13643-017-0524-5

Boehmer, K. R., Barakat, S., Ahn, S., Prokop, L. J., Erwin, P. J., & Murad, M. H. (2016). Health coaching interventions for persons with chronic conditions: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol. Systematic Reviews, 5(1). doi:10.1186/s13643-016-0316-3

Grodzki, L., & Allen, W. (2005). The business and practice of coaching: Finding your niche, making Money, and attracting ideal clients. New York: W.W. Norton.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS COACHING JOB TASK ANALYSIS FINDINGS [PDF]. (2017). International Consortium for Health and Wellness Coaching.

Hackshaw, K. V., Plans-Pujolras, M., Rodriguez-Saona, L. E., Moore, M. A., Jackson, E. K., Sforzo, G. A., & Buffington, C. A. (2016). A pilot study of health and wellness coaching for FibromyalgiaFibromyalgia. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 17(1). doi:10.1186/s12891-016-1316-0

Hood, L., Lovejoy, J. C., & Price, N. D. (2015). Integrating big data and actionable health coaching to optimize wellness. BMC Medicine, 13(1), 4. doi:10.1186/s12916-014-0238-7

Huffman, M. H. (2016). Advancing the Practice of Health Coaching: Differentiation From Wellness Coaching. Workplace Health & Safety, 64(9), 400–403. https://doi.org/10.1177/2165079916645351

Huffman, M., Miller, C. (2015). Evidence-based health coaching for healthcare providers (3rd ed.). Winchester, TN: Miller & Huffman Outcome Architects, LLC.

Jordan, M., Wolever, R. Q., Lawson, K., & Moore, M. (2015). National Training and Education Standards for Health and Wellness Coaching: The Path to National Certification. Global Advances in Health and Medicine, 4(3), 46–56. doi:10.7453/game.2015.039

Kreisberg, J. (2015, September). Health coaching in a clinical setting. Retrieved

from http://www.teleosis.org/health-coaching-in-a-clinical-setting-thoughts-on-an- emerging-field/

National Society of Health Coaches Position Statement [PDF]. (2015, April 28). National Society of Health Coaches.

Swarbrick, M. (2010). Peer Wellness Coaching Supervisor Manual. Freehold, NJ: Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey, Institute for Wellness and Recovery Initiatives.

The Effectiveness of Wellness Coaching for Improving Quality of Life. (2014, August 05).

Retrieved February 26, 2019, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025619614004388

The Center for Nutrition Advocacy. (2019). Homepage. Available from http://www.nutritionadvocacy.org/

Wellness. (2019). In Merriam-Webster. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-

webster.com/dictionary/wellness

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