Coaching, specifically health coaching is one of the fastest growing industries. Recently an associate of mine quipped “yeah the economy takes a downward turn and suddenly everyone is a coach of this, that or another.” At first I was taken aback. But then after some thought I realized from one perspective that statement has some truth behind it. And over the several weeks, I made a conscious effort on how many ‘coach’ type emails, etc came my way. Let’s just say I stopped keeping count. Which gave me cause for concern especially when it comes to one particular area of coaching – Health Coaching.
Oversight Organizations
We are given one body this life time. To put the wellness of it in the hands of individual who is not properly trained can be scary. With no real regulatory body overseeing the coaching industry. Yes we have the International Coaching Federation and the International Association of Coaches that most certified coaches register themselves through. But having a niche such as health coaching; there doesn’t seem to be any real criteria around how to discern a true health coach. One that went through a weekend crash course certification. Let’s take a few minutes to at least give you a few guidelines to look for when considering partnering with a health coach.
Credentials
To truly be a health coach, individuals need to have a certain background pertaining to health and physical wellness. Supporting an individual to achieve better overall health requires a solid understanding of nutrition, physical anatomical working (anatomy) and physiology. It is strongly recommended to ask for credentials when hiring a health coach. Here are a few of these credentials might be:
- CPR / First Aid Training. Yes, you want to know this. Especially, if you are doing any type of exercise with them they can help you in case of an emergency.
- Personal Training Certification. Learning they have gone through a certification process is important. That they are a registered personal trainer will give you a sense of confidence. Confidence that when they are putting together a plan for exercise, they actually know what they are talking about. Even if their certification expired years ago, they will still retain the information be able to apply it.
- Nutritional experience. What type of experience does the individual have with regard to diet, fuel plans, supplements, calories, etc.
- Certified Professional Coach. Do they have certification that is registered through one of the two agencies listed above? Where did they receive their coach training? Get the goods on how they became a coach.
- Testimonials. Can they provide you with references from past clients? You will want to speak to their clients directly and ask questions of their experience and success rates etc.
- Any other certifications or designations such as: Registered Nurse, medical licensing etc.
Registered Nurses
The approach to supporting individuals during times of change and transition is being embraced by the medical industry as well; these niche coaches are RN Health Coaches. Doing a quick search online with the key phrase “RN Health Coach” provided numerous links. A typical description sounds something like this:
“provide telephonic support to members through health education, decision support, clinical assessment, and utilization management. The goal is to assist consumers in taking control of their health care by making informed and effective health care decisions. Thereby managing their health care costs”
It is important to remember your coach will never guarantee you will achieve your desired level of health. But they will be able to support you through a period of time to stay on track. One of the key benefits behind working with a health coach is they are your cheerleader. Keeping you on track. Brainstorm strategies and actions with you so can potentially meet your goals. It is this follow-through approach that will empower you to get even healthier. As an individual who has set a personal goal to improve your health, partnering with a RN Health Coach may not be what you are in need of. But if you are facing a serious health crisis then maybe this is the right road. Especially, for a more successful outcome and investment of your time and finances.