Health Coaches —> Behavior Change Ninja’s!
When health coaches are properly trained, they are skilled in the following modalities and are considered behavior change ninja’s:
Motivational interviewing (MI) – focuses on exploring and resolving ambivalence and centers on motivational processes within the individual that facilitate change. MI is a style of communication that sits between good listening and giving information and advice. “MI is a collaborative, goal-oriented style of communication with particular attention to the language of change. It is designed to strengthen personal motivation for and commitment to a specific goal by eliciting and exploring the person’s own reasons for change within an atmosphere of acceptance and compassion.”
Positive psychology – is a scientific approach to studying human thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, with a focus on strengths instead of weaknesses, building the good in life instead of reporting the bad, and taking lives to “great” instead of focusing on moving those who are struggling up to “normal”. This includes focusing on positive events and influences in life, including positive experiences, positive states and traits, and positive institutions. “Positive psychology is the scientific study of what makes life most worth living” (Peterson, 2008).
Character Strength – as a field positive psychology spends much of its time thinking about topics like character strengths, optimism, life satisfaction, happiness, wellbeing, gratitude, compassion, self-compassion, self-esteem and self-confidence, hope, and elevation.
Goal setting – SMART goals is the process of creating specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals (SMART goals). Health coaches use goal setting with their clients to help them achieve success in their pursuit of improved health and wellbeing.
Accountability – studies routinely demonstrate that accountability enhances people’s results in their health and weight loss endeavors. Health coaches elicit client-defined goals and ask them when/where/how you’ll do the actions necessary to achieve them. Coaching provides ongoing accountability in follow up appointments with the person they’ve committed to. This accountability increases the likelihood of success by 95%.
A typical health coach client is experiencing unwanted weight gain, low energy, and low moods due to aspects of their lifestyle. For instance, the client realizes that strength training will help their brain health and mood after brainstorming with a health coach. The health coach helps them determine the how/what/when/frequency and they implement for 2-4 weeks or longer. They walk in feeling happier and standing taller. The long-term ripple effect kicks in and the client starts meditating, eating better, sleeping better by making small changes and sticking to them.
Doctors understand science and nutrition but are not necessarily trained in behavior change. Many people desire changes but lack the tools or knowledge to do it. We’re expecting a huge shortage of primary care providers by 2025. Doctors spend about 8 minutes with a patient on average. Most health care is self-care. It happens outside of doctors’ offices. Behavior change is hard, and doctors aren’t the right people to implement these changes. They are focused on procedures, tests, etc. Health coaches can complete a training in one year and the training doesn’t require a medical background. The impact of health coaching is scalable and can help fill the gaps the doctors don’t have time or training to do. Health coaches can tap into the deeper motivational changes like being healthy and feeling better, so that they can be there for their kids and/or grandkids.
Jaclyn Rebekah Roberts
