“ How would it feel to have someone who listens to you and empowers you to make changes in your life that are sustainable and lead you towards your health goals?”
Health Coaching is a process of empowering and educating people to reach their own health goals. Coaching is thus about teaching, guiding and providing social support to people to make changes that will inspire behaviour change. Coaching is about collaborating with clients to make lasting changes for better health and well-being. Health coaching is gaining momentum around the world and we have started hearing about it more and more.
But what is Health Coaching?
Health Coaching is a process by which a person is empowered to make better choices and change habits that can improve health outcomes. As the world struggles with a rising number of chronic, complex diseases, a different healthcare system is needed which can provide the much needed support to people as they embark on their journey back towards good health. The sheer number of people who have type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, autoimmune conditions, cancer and other chronic conditions outnumber the number of health professionals and doctors required to treat them. Fortunately, nutrition professionals and health coaches can fill that gap.
Functional Medicine Health Coaching
Functional Medicine Health Coaching is a particular type of Health Coaching which incorporates the principles of Functional Medicine along with Health Coaching. Functional Medicine is a way of treating chronic conditions by getting to the root cause of the disease. The management of patients using this approach involves a personalised programme in the areas of nutrition, stress, movement and activity. Thus Functional Medicine is by nature personalised, preventive and participatory and engages both the client and health coach in a therapeutic relationship.
This is a field that is growing rapidly across the world and the healthcare industry is now incorporating health coaches into various settings including but not limited to hospitals, clinics, corporate wellness programmes, spas and private practices.
Functional Medicine Health Coaching blends the principles of Functional Medicine along with that of Health Coaching and focuses on food as medicine, the concept of mind body medicine and positive psychology. Functional Medicine Coaching Academy or FMCA was formed in collaboration with the Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM) which is the global leader in Functional Medicine education.
A Functional Medicine Health Coach collaborates with a client and helps to set his or her health goals through an inquiry process using the motivational interviewing technique. Using a client centered approach, the coach helps the client brainstorm and arrive at their own conclusion and embark on their health journey with the coach acting as a guide. This empowers the client to take charge of their health and work towards their health goals by making the necessary changes in their life. This discovery of the client’s own power to make changes is a key part of the coaching process and is made using the tools of positive psychology.
A Functional Medicine certified Health Coach is trained in the science based principles of Functional Medicine as well as health coaching
Using this approach, the coach focuses on what is going right with the client and helps the client discover their signature strengths and use them to change behaviours and help them to thrive again. Health Coaches can help people build a bridge between where they are currently and where they want to be in terms. This is done by providing the much needed support and accountability required to achieve their health goals.
As they start believing in themselves once again, they can once again regain their “spark”.
You can expect customised guidance on
- Nutrition and hydration– eliminating inflammatory foods and adding in quality foods filled with macro, micro and phytonutrients
- Exercise and movement– daily movement can reduce the risk of many health conditions including mental health and also improve energy levels
- Sleep and relaxation– Restorative activities which promote resilience and relaxation as well as adequate and quality sleep are critical for your journey towards wellness
- Social relationships and connections– Social connections and a sense of belonging can transform stress by reducing the sense of suffering in isolation; often this can be one of the biggest obstacles towards reaching one’s health goals
- Mindfulness and stress management- Chronic stress over time can lead to impaired immunity and inflammation leading to chronic health conditions; it is imperative to find and practice any form or stress reduction like deep breathing, yoga, mindfulness meditation
Individual Coaching sessions
One on one coaching sessions are coaching sessions done with the client so that each session is completely customised for that person. There is a minimum of 8 sessions that the client would be required to sign up for initially. This is to ensure connectivity and a high level of commitment on both the client’s side and the coach’s side. Since chronic conditions do not have a pill as a cure, dietary and lifestyle changes are the major focal points. This takes time and effort and needs to be built upon gradually, step by step. For more details about these sessions, please use the contact form provided below.
Group Coaching
Group Coaching can be carried out in small groups of anything from a minimum of 5 or 6 to 10 people and even on a much larger scale. The benefit of a group coaching session is the collective wisdom and the shared experiences that each one of the participants has access to. By sharing and discussing with a small community that is nonjudgmental and empathetic, it is easier to make changes as a group and it also helps to be held accountable towards others.
My coaching sessions are done in small groups of 6 to 8 people with similar health goals.