The relationship between a wellness coach and client offers a profound level of support, guidance, and encouragement to making changes, without being judgmental. A wellness coach enables change by focusing on a client's stated needs, values, visions, goals and helps them to bring out their personal best.

How does wellness coaching work?

Through thoughtful assessment and inquiry, collaborative problem-solving and goal-setting, and safe, open, and honest dialogue, wellness coaches help their clients become clearer on where they are, where they want to go, and how to get there.

Not only will clients be accountable to themselves they will also be accountable to their coaches. They make and honor their commitments to reaching their goals allowing them to accomplish more than they believe possible.

Wellness coaches provide instruction and mentoring to their clients, and help them set goals, define an action plan, and navigate the path until they reach their goals. Coaches facilitate learning and help clients put that learning into action.

What wellness coaching is not

While psychologists and therapists help clients understand how the past is influencing the present, coaches focus on the present and help the client move towards the future. Coaches do not diagnose mental, psychological or physical issues and may recommend or even refer clients to the appropriate professional for such issues.

What is the benefit of having a coach?

A wellness coach can help you move to a new place in your life by taking you through a change process. By helping you create a wellness vision and setting goals to realize that vision, a wellness coach can be a very powerful tool. When you have decided to make a commitment to change your life in one or more areas (fitness, health, weight management, stress management, nutrition) a wellness coach can help you reach these goals instead of you trying to do it alone.

The coaching process

1. Clients provide background information through a comprehensive questionnaire so that their coaches are well-informed on the key issues, including medical limitations.
   
   
2. During the first coaching meeting, clients and coaches commit to a three-month coaching relationship. Clients confirm that they are ready to make changes. Priorities and realistic goals are reviewed and agreed upon in details.
   
3. In each subsequent 60-minute coaching session, coaches and clients review the progress towards the last week’s goals, learn something new or develop a solution to overcome an obstacle, and then agree on a set of goals for the following week.
   
   
4. After a few weeks of coaching, clients begin to notice improvements in how they feel and look, and their motivation to continue the change process increases.
   
   
5. Sometimes in the second and third months, clients hit one or more obstacles. Both coaches and clients work hard to find solutions to overcome each obstacle to reach the goal of establishing new lifestyle behaviors.
   
   
6. By the end of three months, clients typically reach more than 70% of their three-month goals and are energized and confident to commit to changing new areas.