Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Why a Wellness Coach?

When someone asks me what I do for a living, I always respond, “I am a wellness coach”.  This inevitably leads to the question what is a wellness coach?  What exactly do you do for people?  My answer is simple.  I empower people to reach their goals to become healthy and happy.  The answer is simple.  The process takes work.  

 There is so much information on how to become healthy and happy it has become convoluted and overwhelming.   Because it has turned into such an information over load people end up spending astronomical amounts of money on designer diets and exercise fads.  It has turned into a quick fix rather than lifestyle change.  The problem with a quick fix is they don’t last.  They are treating the symptom not the solution.  A wellness coach can help sort out what is accurate information and what is just plain nonsense, and make the process to become healthier less overwhelming by helping the client establish manageable goals.  

A wellness coach establishes a relationship with a client as an accountability partner and empowers them to create a wellness vision.   It is not the coach’s job to tell the client what to do.  A coach empowers the client to find a path that will work for their lifestyle.  We are not cookie-cutter people, we all have different body types, personalities, and imbalances.  What works for one person will not work for all.   A wellness coach guides the client to discover their strengths and weaknesses … more importantly how to use both to reach their goals.  

A wellness coach will sit down with the client to help them establish clear goals and a plan to achieve their wellness vision. When a person has a plan in place they are more likely to reach their goals.  The coach then becomes the accountability partner and provides information and resources to help client on their journey to wellness.  This is also when the coach works with the client to see where they have road blocks and how to overcome them.
Many times a client will seek out a wellness coach to lose weight and discover their weight is a symptom of an imbalance in another aspect of their life.  The coach will work with the client to balance out all aspects of their life in order to achieve optimal health.   

People are not just choosing wellness coaches for weight loss.  In the ever rising cost of health insurance people are choosing preventive care as a way to maintain good health and save money.  

Healthcare professionals are using wellness coaches because even though they have the knowledge about the disease, special diet, and exercise program; they have struggled for years to get the patient to adhere to their prescription.  Studies have shown that the patient is 80% more likely to follow their physician’s recommendations if they work with a wellness coach.  This is where accountability and understanding each individual’s lifestyle challenges comes into play.  A wellness coach helps the patient set goals and eliminate the overwhelming task of becoming healthy.

As we all know it takes six months to change habits, it is recommended you sign up for at least six months with a wellness coach.  Most wellness coaches have various packages for every economic situation.  Many wellness coaches have payment plans.  Before you call Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig contact me at Roses Peace and Balanced Wellness!   The first initial session is always free!  


Happy & Healthy Blessings!
Lisa Lowry-Rice, CHHP, AADP


No comments:

Post a Comment