What is a Health and Wellness Coach?

Rita Thompson

NBC-HWC, Mayo Clinic-certified Health and Wellness Coach

Health and Wellness coaching is a client-centered process which facilitates and empowers the client to achieve self-determined goals related to health and wellness. It is a collaborative relationship that mirrors that of a guidance counselor/student relationship. 
 
Health and Wellness coaches identify what the client’s personal values and motivating factors are. This allows the client to specify why the behavior changes around their health and wellness are beneficial. Clients are therefore more likely to be compliant with behavioral changes long-term because of the meaning attached.  
 
For example, if a client is told they need to eat healthier because they are overweight, that alone may not be motivating enough for behavioral change. However, if we connect the behavior of healthier eating to something personally motivating like more energy to play with grandchildren, the client is more likely to be compliant because of the meaning attached.
 
The Mayo Clinic’s Health and Wellness coach program trains coaches to use Positive Psychology and Motivational Interviewing to engage with clients. My goal as a coach is to help the client to build self-efficacy through small goal setting that ultimately prepares them with a skill set to continually evolve in their health and wellness.