What is a Health Coach?
The Need for Health Coaching
The health statistics in America are staggering. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 78.6 million people, or one-third of the population, are obese, 20.1 million people are diabetic and 600,000 deaths annually are linked to heart diseases. As a result, total national health expenditures have reached trillions of dollars.
What is a health coach?
The field of health and wellness is constantly changing. New scientific findings and updated recommendations are being released every day – often confusing consumers and making it difficult to know what information is “true.” Certified Health Coaches can help make sense of all the mixed messages and help people get on the right track.
A Health Coach is trained to help someone identify health goals and become a proactive participant in their own self-health management. As a motivator and supportive mentor, a Health Coach considers all areas of a person’s life including lifestyle and behavior, in addition to nutritional choices. Many times, Health Coaches work alongside medical professionals to give someone a comprehensive support system in their journey to health.
Should I become a Health Coach?
The health and wellness coaching field is growing tremendously and making the decision to become a Health Coach is an important one. As you contemplate obtaining your certification, ask yourself these important questions:
- Do I aspire to have an advanced education and recognized credentials in health and wellness?
- Am I concerned when I see people making poor health and nutrition choices?
- Do I want to make a positive difference in the lives of others?
- Do I enjoy learning about nutrition and wellness topics and want to understand the science behind them?
- Do I follow the latest health and wellness trends?
- Do I desire to add to or shift my career focus?
If you are considering becoming a Certified Health Coach, it is important to choose a training and certification program that is well-respected in the industry and covers not only the psychology of coaching (how to coach), but also credible health & wellness information (what to coach).
The Dr. Sears Wellness Institute
The Dr. Sears Wellness Institute has been certifying Health Coaches since 2008 with our science-based approach to wellness, promoting preventative care based on the four pillars of health – Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitude and Nutrition. The online training and certification program, designed by well-known physician Williams Sears, M.D. and our expert team, trains individuals to become Health Coaches who educate, motivate and support people in making healthy eating choices, incorporating exercise into daily routines and cultivating a positive attitude about health & wellness in ways that are simple and easy-to-implement.
The Dr. Sears Wellness Institute has been approved by many credible organizations, including most recently the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC), which is setting the standards for the Health Coaching industry.
To learn more about the Health Coach Training and Certification through the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute, click here.
