Think of a wellness vision as a directive goal that underlies the entire coaching process. The vision is more broad and progressive compared to a typical outcome goal—like, to lose 20 pounds—and is the driving force behind each clients’ wellness mission.

A wellness vision is a compelling statement of who you are and what health-promoting, life-giving behaviors you want to realize for yourself—starting now.

When coaches co-design a wellness vision early in the coaching process, it helps set the tone of the coaching relationship, building trust and rapport early on and getting clear on the client’s path of inspiration towards goal setting for weeks or months to come.

In today’s article, we’re sharing:

7 Steps to Start Co-Designing a Wellness Vision with Your Client

5 Qualities of an Effective Wellness Vision

6 Out-of-the-Box Wellness Vision Strategies

and 16 Open Questions For Health Coaches to Consider While Co-Designing a Wellness Vision

To better understand the complexity and relevance of a wellness vision, the coaching experts behind Wellcoaches created this graphic metaphor, called “Mount Lasting Change” (image below)—which is explained in-depth inside the Coaching Psychology Manual (Moore, Jackson, and Teschannen-Moran).

The bottom level of this change pyramid speaks to the elements of a wellness vision that represent your clients’ most meaningful purpose and motivators for change.

Notice, on the Vision level, the following elements not only provide information and support for the wellness vision, but also prepare the client for the next stage of change on the pyramid—the preparation level.

The Vision process is supported by:

• Self-Awareness + Responsibility: the client begins “taking charge” and accepting personal responsibility for change.
• Strengths: what strengths, abilities, and resources have proven successful in other areas of the client’s life?
• Values: representing the client’s purpose and deeper meaning for change; who do they want to be?
• Benefits + Information: the client is aware of the benefits of change, and obtains information or education to support self-efficacy and the change process.
• Challenges + Strategies: identification and discussion of conflicting motives, obstacles, and limiting beliefs are ongoing processes during the early stages of change and in the coaching relationship.

Why is it so essential to help your clients design a wellness vision?

A meaningful personal vision contributes to your client’s motivational energy as they move towards their desired goals. It also serves as a foundation on which to build reinforcing platforms for action, results, and an ongoing commitment to their best self.

“Devoting the time to generously explore these vision-level building blocks, prior to moving into preparation and action, is enlightening and valuable. Revisiting and reinforcing the vision building blocks along the way breathes life and inspiration into the change process.” (Moore, p. 107, 2nd Edition)

7 Steps to Start Co-Designing a Wellness Vision with Your Client

Adapted from Coaching Psychology Manual (Moore, p. 131, 2nd Edition)

Step 1. Explain the value of a wellness vision.

Step 2. Discuss what’s working now regarding the client’s health-promoting efforts and behaviors.

Step 3. What are the client’s strengths?

Make a list together, exploring hallmark strengths and lesser-known gifts the client can leverage to overcome challenges or experience more ease in the change process. This is a good time also to ask what achievements they’re most proud of as well as challenges they’ve overcome in the past when they may have doubted themselves before.

Step 4. Identify what people, places, activities, or things help the client thrive and feel most full of life.

Step 5. What changes are most important to the client right now?

Step 6. What are the benefits of making the changes now? What is the driving force and motivation behind this desire to change?

Step 7. Support the client in articulating their wellness vision, using the present tense as if it’s already happened.

Ask for details including the most important elements of the vision, what it looks like and feels like to be at their ideal level of wellness. Ask, “What kind of person are you when you realize this version of yourself?”

5 Qualities of an Effective Wellness Vision

Ask yourself if your vision hits these marks:

1. Is it grounded? (building on your current status)
2. Is it bold? (stretching your current status)
3. Is it important to you right now? (you’re driven to take action now)
4. Is it palpable? (believable and written as if it were true)
5. Is it participatory? (involving relationships or having an effect on others)

6 Out-of-the-Box Wellness Vision Strategies

As with all strategies of effective coaching, it’s important to remember that each client is unique. A traditional wellness vision statement may not resonate with a particular client, while some of these more creative, out-of-the-box versions will.

1. A coach-guided visualization exercise.
2. Create an acronym. For example, STRIVE: Self-Aware, Truthful, Resilient, Introspective, Valiant, Essentialism
3. Design a vision board.
4. Write a wellness vision in the form of poetry.
5. Express your vision through art or music.
6. Write a letter from the perspective of your future self.

16 Open Questions to Consider While Co-Designing a Wellness Vision

1. How would your life be different if you discovered a healthy, more confident version of yourself? Describe, in detail, the feelings and things you’ll experience when you realize this version of yourself.
2. What are one or more things you most want to achieve in your life?
3. What do you believe is possible for you in the next year (3 years, or 5 years)?
4. What would you like to experience more of in your life?
5. What part of your life is most important to you? Follow-up question: In what ways can that align with your well-being?
6. What would you like to experience less of in your life? Follow-up question: What are some obvious or even imaginary ways that could be possible?
7. What gives you energy or excites you? Follow-up question: In what ways can this enhance your well-being?
8. What are you like when you’re at your best? When you shine, when you feel great, when others are drawn to you?
9. What strengths and skills do you possess that make certain parts of your work or life more effortless or enjoyable?
10. What resources (time, money, freedom, family/friends, groups) do you have that can be leveraged to help you succeed on your wellness journey?
11. What do you see yourself doing consistently 3 months from now that would get you closer to your wellness goals?
12. What are your primary motivators to change?
13. What keeps you going when times get tough?
14. What will you experience from making these changes? How will it feel?
15. What are some of the top values in your life? Consider principles you live by, areas of your life that are your passions, positive characteristics that define you or drive you…
16. How might your values be connected to your journey for well-being?

Now that you have the map to help co-design a wellness vision with your health coaching clients, think about when and how this will fit into your coaching process. Remind your clients that this helps them get excited about the possibilities for their future. It’s all about what’s truly important to them as an individual because that’s what will have the most fulfilling impact on their life.

]]> https://www.primalhealthcoach.com/blog/industry-trend-alert-mental-health-coaching-is-on-the-rise/ Mon, 05 Jul 2021 20:23:34 +0000 https://www.primalhealthcoach.com/?p=8889

Just conduct a quick job search on Indeed.com using the term “mental health coach” and you’ll find over 203 results displayed. That number will likely double by the end of 2021, because the trend for mental health coaching is inevitably underway.

As behavior change experts, we health coaches find ourselves helping clients make connections between their dietary choices, physical activity, and their stress levels or mood. We may also support our clients in valuing self-care and experimenting with different strategies to incorporate more mindfulness, relaxation, and personal enjoyment into their daily lives.

Today, we’ll take a look at some key headlines and data on this industry trend, then talk scope of practice and best practices for health coaches working and integrating within the mental health and wellness sphere.

The Growing Industry Trend of Mental Health Coaching

Headlines left and right bring awareness to the psychological toll the worldwide pandemic has had on individuals’ and families’ mental well-being. In a 2020 survey by Lyra Health, where they surveyed 1,200 full-time U.S. employees, 81% of them reported mental health issues due to the coronavirus pandemic and/or the racial justice movement. 40% said they were close to burnout or already experiencing burnout.

Traditional insurance networks demonstrate a shortage of available and approved mental health providers, which leads people to seek non-traditional resources or to pay out of pocket for services. In comes mental health coaching within a collaborative care model at large that integrates experts ranging across many degrees on the healthcare spectrum.

Trendsetting Tech Companies Combine Mental Health Coaching with Therapy

Chipotle Mexican Grill partnered with Aduro to provide employees with integrated mental health coaching services. Aduro‘s new wellness platform cultivates a holistic, proactive, and inclusive approach to improve mental health among employees….”By offering access to a personal wellness coach, individualized content, and solutions for self-care, our goal is to foster a continual culture of wellbeing for all employees.” 

In March, Prince Harry announced his new role as Chief Impact Officer for BetterUp coaching and mental health services. BetterUp connects workers with professional coaches, counselors, and mentors for one-on-one sessions (and they have a network of more than 2,000 coaches across the United States!).

Leading Services Aiding Mental Health with Wellness Coaching:

• Vida Health
• Lyra Health
• Ginger by Cigna
• BetterUp
• Aduro
• AbleTo
• Meru Health
• LIFE Ascent

Why Coaching for Mental Health?

Mental health influences how we think, feel, and act. It factors in our emotional, psychological and social wellness, and it affects how we handle stress and make choices in our day-to-day lives. These psychosocial elements, when unmanaged, become major risk factors for chronic disease, which is why stress management and mental health are inevitable topics for health coaches today.

Coaching can serve as the first level of support and a great complement to therapy.

“Coaches can provide members with day-to-day support between appointments. If a member works with a therapist or psychiatrist, a coach can help them maximize the benefit of their clinical treatment through ongoing check-ins, curated content, and more.” (Ginger)

Not everyone needs clinical intervention. One person’s mental health needs or challenges can vary widely from another, with some being lower on the spectrum where psychotherapy or licensed expertise is unnecessary. Consider, also, a person who’s had prior success with therapy and is in now a place where they can focus on sustainability and personal growth in support of their mental well-being.

“Unlike therapists, coaches don’t specialize in treating complex clinical problems. However, they do help clients manage emotions, challenge negative thinking patterns, improve relationship skills, and reduce stress and anxiety—all of which bolsters mental health.” (Lyra Health)

Health and wellness coaching works synergistically with therapy. The overlap between the skills and tools of health coaches and therapists is what causes some professionals to be confused regarding a health coach’s legal scope of practice.

Scope of Practice

Therapists are licensed to treat diagnosable disorders based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). It’s important that coaches are vigilant in noticing issues that require the support of a licensed mental health provider.

Signs that your client requires the support of a licensed mental health practitioner:

• Client exhibits a decline in experiencing positive emotions
• Client exhibits an increase in hopelessness, or helplessness
• Client’s energy has changed, exhibiting states of hyper-alertness or excessive tiredness
• Changes in client behavior demonstrate impulsiveness, risk-taking, or substance abuse
• Client has thoughts of death or suicide
• Client experiences increased irritability or outbursts
• Client wants to process feelings repeatedly rather than moving forward toward learning and insight. (Arloski, 2013)

As a practicing health and wellness coach, I’ve noticed that many clients are seeing a therapist while also working with me as their coach. Some of the mental health topics they seek clinical support for include emotional eating, depression, ADHD, grieving the loss of a family member, childhood trauma, and more. In most cases, the therapist knows about the work I’m doing with the client, and vice versa. I do witness a synergistic effect from this multi-level support system.

One of my clients happens to be a licensed therapist. She has been seeing me as her health coach for a year while also seeing a therapist for deeper mental health support, and I appreciate this message she sent me acknowledging the benefits of coaching:

“One of the most appealing aspects of working with you as a health coach is the humanistic approach to health and wellness. I like that our communication isn’t stiff and I don’t feel like a patient with a disease…I also love that it doesn’t feel one size fits all. I think the way you do things is really effective.”

When it’s time to refer a client to a more qualified professional, it’s important for coaches to consider the client’s level of readiness. A certified health coach is trained at coaching people through the Stages of Change, from contemplation to preparation to action; meeting the client where they’re at; and helping them explore ambivalence or brainstorm actionable steps needed to make this change possible in their lives—especially if they’ve never worked with a mental health practitioner in the past.

If you’re interested in working with clients as a mental health coach, it’s important to stay up to date with the surely evolving scope of practice legislation—which will vary state by state in the US.

As unlicensed behavioral health practitioners, certified health coaches should always refer clients out to a licensed professional whenever client language or behavior suggests the need for therapy or psychotherapy services. It is also our responsibility as health coaches to inform clients of our scope of credentials and expertise, making clear that coaching services are not counseling or psychotherapy.

A Health Coach’s Role in Mental Health

In belonging to several virtual health coaching communities, I’ve noticed discussions about our scope of practice that are riddled with fear and misconceptions regarding what a coach is allowed to do in the realm of mental health support. I found it to be quite clarity-inducing when I read through the Job Task Analysis for Health and Wellness Coaches.

Certain tasks “are used throughout the Health and Wellness Coaching relationship and are the most central to the coaching process,” and the following official coaching tasks help bring clarity to some of the crossover duties shared between coaches and therapists:

Establish or identify the present situation, past history, previous successes and challenges, resources, etc. associated with the client’s vision [T-7].

Invite the client to identify and explore patterns, perspectives, and beliefs that may be limiting lasting change [T-9].

Health coaching is about wellness coaching at its core, and that means we look at a person holistically and support them in a holistic way. We observe and interact with our clients according to their most immediate motivations, interests, and concerns in a way that is unfailingly aligned with their personal wellness vision.

The competent and effective performance of Health and Wellness Coaching requires skills in stress management, self-care (for coach and client), enhancing self-efficacy, building positivity, building autonomy, reframing, time-management, self-management, setting boundaries, and many more.

We also serve as an important element of social support, encouraging them to explore ways to acquire more positive social support, practice self-compassion and positive self-talk, set and pursue wellness goals, learn to self-monitor their actions and feelings, prioritize their mental well-being, and to understand the relationship between mental health, stress, and physical health or disease states.

You can see how mental health plays an enormous role in the health coaching relationship and in your clients’ ability to make and sustain behavior change. Together we are witnessing the rising demand for integrated health services as the world places greater importance on mental health and stress resilience—and certified health coaches play an essential role in this societal evolution.

]]> https://www.primalhealthcoach.com/blog/pros-and-cons-using-client-assessments-in-your-health-coaching-practice/ Mon, 26 Apr 2021 19:41:45 +0000 https://www.primalhealthcoach.com/?p=8721

When it’s time to welcome a new health coaching client, you need more information in order to coach them in a truly meaningful fashion.

That’s where the essential exchange of an intake form comes into play. This form contains the client information you’ll refer to throughout the coaching relationship, and, along with the possibility of implementing other assessments, they offer a variety of benefits during your partnership.

Those benefits do come with a healthy dose of caution, which is why we’ve compiled this list of Pros and Cons, for coaches and for clients, in regards to using assessments in your health coaching business.

There are many types of assessments coaches use to support the client’s self-awareness and pave a more dependable path towards their vision and goals…

The Most Common Assessment Types For Health and Wellness Coaching:

• New Client Intake Form (example below)
• Life Balance/Satisfaction Wheel (image below)
• Character Strengths and Gifts
• Holistic Wellness Status
• Personality Type
• Health Risk Assessment (for coaches in a clinical setting)
• Readiness for Change (TTM Stages of Change)

What’s the Difference Between an Intake Form and an Assessment?

All coaches use some type of intake form when onboarding a new client. The intake form used for one-on-one coaching can be quite robust, asking clients to provide information on a wide range of topics related to their health and lifestyle like their diet, goals, sleep, habits, expectations, motivations, etc…

Here are some example Intake Form questions and answers from our curriculum at The Primal Health Coach Institute:

The intake form is something a coach refers to, periodically, throughout the relationship. It provides a baseline snapshot of the client’s health, well-being, personal preferences, and idiosyncrasies that make the client unique.

Although intake forms are often referred to as an assessment, they technically differ in a significant way: Assessments aim to evaluate or draw conclusions, by definition, whereas an intake form is simply for gathering information.

Assessments typically have a scoring analysis or result drawn based on the client’s answers, whereas intake forms do not. Another common way intake forms and assessments differ is that the intake form covers a broad scope of wellness-related factors, whereas most assessments niche down to one focus—like a sleep assessment or a personality assessment.

In today’s article, we address both intake forms and assessments, because they each have a valuable role to play in the coach-client journey. 

5 Tips for Using Assessments and Intake Forms as a Health Coach

1. Make most assessments optional to the client. Considering the fact that intake forms are typically required, and lengthy, making other assessments optional helps emphasize client autonomy—which is necessary for effective coaching and successful change endeavors.
2. Search for the positives. When reviewing any intake/assessment answers, highlight the areas your client is already succeeding. Don’t just look for problem areas, look just as hard for the advantages and strengths, plus all the things they’re doing right.
3. Assume that every answer on an intake/assessment is only a snapshot of the client’s situation. Humans are complex, emotional beings, and it benefits you as the coach to consider that there’s more to the story. Any answer requires a discussion before drawing plans or conclusions.
4. Highlight meaningful quotes for later. Especially when using an intake/assessment in which clients answer in their own words, highlight any impactful statements so you can quickly find them whenever your client needs a motivational reminder or contemplative prompt.
5. Consider the client’s stage of change. Do you see clues indicating your client’s readiness for change? Consider how that might influence your coaching strategy so that you readily meet your client where they’re at.

The Cons of Using Assessments and Intake Forms

Cons for Coaches

• We’re tempted to draw conclusions or make wrongful assumptions, which can take away from organic discovery and collaboration.
• Coaches put on their “expert hat” or go into “fix it” mode, instructing the client regarding what they need to, or should, do.
• After reviewing assessment results or the intake form submission, coaches are tempted to begin sessions with the problem areas. Focusing on what’s going well, instead, is encouraging for the client and nurtures their self-efficacy.
• When an assessment reveals disturbing information—like major trauma or loss, for instance—coaches may experience pity and express sympathy to the client, inviting rumination during the coaching session as a result.
• Assessment/intake answers are not always accurate or tell the whole story. Clients may complete them under rushed time constraints, for example, and their answers may not reflect their circumstances in a broader scope.
• It’s quite a common reaction for coaches to feel propelled into a premature plan of action. Assessments are helpful as guides, but they become unhelpful when they introduce an agenda that presumes the appropriate path or triggers resistance in the client.

Cons for Clients

• Some clients will not share the true details of their habits or experiences on an intake form or assessment simply because they feel the desire to impress or avoid disappointing the coach.
• If your client is busy and stressed from existing obligations, they may see the assessments as homework—another responsibility on their to-do list, which adds to their overwhelm.
• When a client senses their autonomy being challenged, they may begin to resist your full support due to an instinctive reaction towards being told what to do.

The Pros of Using Assessments and Intake Forms

Pros for Coaches

• An intake form, or relevant assessment, can help establish trust early on while laying the groundwork for a growth-promoting relationship. It also helps shape the first coaching session without any prior conversations needed.
• Once submitted by the client, the intake form saves precious coaching time for more meaningful interaction during sessions.
• The answers help notify the coach of any red flags or warning signs in areas like self-destructive patterns of behavior, mental health risks, or the need for a referral.
• Forms and assessments give the coach opportunities to spot discrepancies, whether it’s between what the client said on one question vs. another, or confirming which goals they truly prioritize.
• Learning about the client in advance is an opportunity to demonstrate acceptance and coaching empathy, even without a history of meaningful interactions together.
• Health-related questions can provide hints about how engaged and knowledgeable a client is regarding their health—or, PAM, a measurable level of interest, understanding, and participation a person takes in their own healthcare.
• Comprehensive intake forms/assessments help clients realize how many factors and domains actually influence their health, well-being, and challenges.
• The process of answering assessments/intake forms helps foster more self-awareness in the client. The International Coaching Federation identifies “creating awareness” as a core coaching competency because progress depends on the client’s expanding awareness of what’s possible. This cannot be done for them, they must experience it themselves.

Pros for Clients

• One top benefit for clients is the stimulation of self-reflection that occurs when they complete these requested forms, articulating their unique needs and experiences. Learning more about themselves in this format can be fun and fulfilling.
• Forms help clients see the difference between where they are and where they want to be.
• The process of intentionally answering questions about their lives and desires promotes self-discovery in your client—especially when it comes to priorities, readiness, and challenges—which further fosters self-awareness and insights needed for transformational change.
• In-session assessments can feel like an interrogation, which is why it’s so valuable to use digital assessments/intake forms and save precious session time for meaningful conversations.
• Digital forms provide clients with a safe space to first tell their “story.” More introverted clients, or those who rarely express feelings and desires aloud, tend to feel more comfortable sharing in writing—especially when they have time to ponder their answers prior to meeting.
• The experience of writing their goals and summarizing their current state of well-being can be a powerful motivator for action.
• Targeted assessments that align with the client’s most pressing concerns help the client feel supported and assured they’re with the right coach. It can also feel as though progress has already begun.

Coaches, remember this: we work with clients in the moment. Things may have shifted since our client completed the forms, and it’s our duty to remain open and ever-curious about where their interests and energy may lead each session. The coach’s aim is to co-create their path to success rather than showing up as the expert, teacher, or advisor…especially when it comes to one-on-one health coaching. The client is, after all, an expert in their own life.

As health coaches we have a responsibility to facilitate a client’s plans for personal growth, supporting them as they navigate the winding roads of change. Thankfully, behavioral psychologists have theorized the skills, principles, and processes that contribute to successful change outcomes.

Today we’re focusing on one of the most revolutionizing behavior change theories called The Transtheoretical Model (TTM) by James Prochaska and Carlo Di Clementi (1977).

At its core, TTM provides coaches with an explanation behind why some people struggle or fail to follow through with a desired change, while other people—or the same person having a different experience—persevere, succeed, and even sustain the new behavior.

According to this framework, there are 6 stages of change that, ideally, a person would progress through in a linear fashion, but most people bounce around the stages in a more winding or regressive fashion. This non-linear tendency is completely natural and perhaps the most important aspect for coaches to understand. 

Research shows that when a person is rushed into taking action before they are ready, they’re more likely to get discouraged, quit, or fail. That’s why it’s important for health coaches to identify the phase a client is in, and meet them right where they’re at.

The 6 Stages of Change Are:

1. Precontemplation: “I don’t need to or want to change anytime soon,” or “I can’t.”
2. Contemplation: “I’d like to make changes soon, but I feel conflicted about it.”
3. Preparation: “I will make this change, and I’m ready to start planning for action.”
4. Action: “I’m actively attempting this new change, working through setbacks, and displaying goal-oriented behavior.”
5. Maintenace: “It’s been over 6 months since I started my new behavior and it feels pretty automatic now. I may experience temporary lapses, but I’m mastering how to get back on track and be consistent.”
6. Termination: “This is who I am now, and I have zero desire to return to my old way.”

When the coach uses important skills such as active-listening, reflections, affirmations, and open-ended questions, it supports the client as they weave their way through the stages of change.

Let’s look at 15 strategic open-ended questions a coach can ask to help a client progress through their current stage—which, according to Prochaska, is a great idea because of what he calls the “stage effect,” meaning, the sooner one progresses to the next stage, the more likely they are to have success overall.

From Precontemplation to Contemplation

Scenario: Your client has been working with you on nutrition to help burn excess body fat and reduce her fasting blood sugar levels. She says her doctor and her partner are always pushing her to start exercising, but it doesn’t appeal to her at all.

Note: It’s crucial for the coach to meet a client where they are at, especially during precontemplation. Many of our clients will teeter on the edge of precontemplation and contemplation regarding a certain change—and you’ll know they’re on the edge simply because the client raised the topic up in conversation with you while simultaneously expressing an aversion to change.

Example Open-Ended Questions:

1. What are some of the reasons your family or doctor feel so strongly about adding exercise into your life? 
2. What would need to change in your life, or change about exercise, in order for exercise to be a fit for you?
3. Sometimes it helps to get all of the pros and cons where we can see them. [Asking permission first] Would it interest you to brainstorm a list together? [If yes] So, what are the positive effects exercise would have on your life and relationships? Next, what are some positive effects you experience or will continue to experience by staying the same or avoiding exercise in your life?

From Contemplation to Preparation

Scenario: Your client says he wants to start exercising again, but he just doesn’t have the energy, time, or motivation to start doing it yet. He’s also concerned about his back injury acting up again.

Example Open-Ended Questions:

4. What have you learned from your doctor, or from past experiences regarding which exercises are likely to cause injury and which ones are safe to do with your history of back pain?
5. Looking back on a time when you did exercise more regularly, what were some of the resources or people that helped you get motivated and prioritize exercise?
6. Imagine you’re back into working out again, and you’re feeling pretty good. How would this affect your relationships or areas like work and home life?

From Preparation to Action

Scenario: This client is ready to start intermittent fasting. They like the idea of it and want to start on the 1st of the month because it feels like an official start date that they can prepare for now. They tell you they’re excited but nervous because “What if it doesn’t work for me, or I can’t do it?”

Example Open-Ended Questions:

7. What sort of information or opportunities could support you in feeling more confident about starting I.F.?
8. Think back to another time in your life when you started something new and you weren’t sure you could do it. What strategies and strengths got you across that bridge?
9. Imagine that I am the client now, and you are the coach. What would you say to me if I told you I was nervous about trying I.F. and I wasn’t sure it would work for me?

From Action to Maintenance

Scenario: Your client started cooking two weekly dinners for her family, and she takes Sundays to plan meals and grocery shop for the week. This has helped her reach her goals of eating more whole foods, spending more time with her family, and reducing the stress around what to eat throughout the week. How can you support her in turning this into a habit that lasts?

Example Open-Ended Questions:

10. Sounds like things are going really well! What do you think about brainstorming together some ways to keep it interesting and turn this into an ongoing way of life?
11. What’s something you’ve done with, or for, your family that you eventually made into a regular thing? Looking back on that, what helped you stick with it even when you hit some roadblocks?
12. What sorts of cues can be put into place to help make this process more effortless for you so that it becomes more automatic? This can include sharing or outsourcing tasks involved, setting reminders, batch planning, etc.. In other words, what ideas might you come up with to make this even easier to stick with?

From Maintenance to Termination

Scenario: Your client now loves the primal lifestyle. He has adopted an 80/20 primal diet, his family is pretty cool with it, and he has added other primal-inspired aspects to his life like spending more time in nature, creating enriching relationships, and adding more frequent activity in his everyday life. He says, “I can’t even imagine going back to the way things were before. This is a part of who I am now.”

Example Open-Ended Questions:

13. In what ways does your primal lifestyle contributes to who you are now as a person, a friend, dad, and partner? Describe them to me.
14. What’s something in your life that can, or does, serve as a vivid reminder of how far you’ve come?
15. Let’s play with our imagination for a moment if you’re open to that…[wait for the okay]…If you were writing a letter to your current self, from your future self 10 years from now, what sort of obstacles did life throw at you, and how did you stay committed to a primal lifestyle as you overcame those obstacles? 

The TTM stages of change are relevant in all that we do as health coaches because they serve as a roadmap for effective, client-led health-behavior change. If you’re feeling inspired by this introduction to behavior change psychology, check out what else you’re missing from our new Level 2 Certification program.

]]> https://www.primalhealthcoach.com/blog/how-health-coaches-can-drive-client-behavior-change-using-cost-benefit-analysis/ Tue, 23 Jun 2020 00:44:32 +0000 https://www.primalhealthcoach.com/?p=7782

Humans are driven towards a behavior for one of two reasons: to escape pain and discomfort (negative motivation), or to attain something they desire (positive motivation). In the context of health coaching, new and prospective clients often come to you driven by their desire to overcome a negative aspect of their health, like to lose weight so they no longer feel overweight, or to improve their diabetes so they no longer depend on medications.

This negative motivation can fuel an impressive amount of determination, and may be enough to keep them on track to achieve their desired outcome. Clients like this, who have a strong level of self-efficacy, are driven by their self-assured ability to overcome their own struggles.

There’s an alternative outcome, however, when negative motivation manifests into a pattern of self-talk, beating oneself up in one’s mind, and these thoughts can take away the person’s motivational drive.

Why?

Because those negative thought patterns will turn into self-defeating feelings, such as:

• Hopelessness or overwhelm
• Helplessness or feeling like they’re a “lost cause”
• Perfectionism and self-blame (as they make mistakes and assume they have failed)
• Fear of success (or an identity-crisis) when it feels risky to succeed because it conflicts with the person they are (or the people they’re close to, or the beliefs they’ve held)

The alternative scenario begins with a form of positive motivation, the drive to attain something for an anticipated reward. That same client who wants to lose weight (because they’re sick how it affects their self-image) may also be motivated by the desire to have the endurance to run a 5K and play actively with their grandchildren.

It’s important to recognize that the two primary types of motivation, positive and negative, often co-exist and intertwine. For any client, the combination may be the ideal scenario to strive for.

What is a health coach’s role in the actualization of these motives?

Although there are dozens of ways a coach can foster ongoing client motivation, today we’ll discuss motivational conflict, and a health coaching tool called cost-benefit analysis that helps the client gain more resolution during their battle with conflicting desires.

Before we dive in, we should get clear on a tricky nuance involving positive motivations. This nuance is one of the most common stumbling blocks a client and coach will experience…

Positive motivations don’t always trigger positive behavior. Because positive motivations are driven by the desire to experience reward or pleasure, they can be a source of conflict in your client’s mind. Think: I want this cookie because it will comfort me, and I haven’t had a cookie all week! Technically speaking, these are positive motivations in the client’s psyche, and they conflict with their goal to cut sugar and lose weight.

These conflicting desires are at the core of our challenge as a behavior-change expert. Conflicting desires—AKA conflicting motives, goal conflict, or motivational conflict—can range from something surfaced to something deep and complex.

Take for instance a client who wants to lose weight, but is also afraid they’ll end up with loose, sagging skin. Perhaps they mentioned this concern briefly, but little did they realize, it is holding them back from being fully committed to weight loss.

The conflict can be more surfaced, like the desire to eat that cookie and satisfy their craving, while simultaneously knowing they’ll feel guilty afterward (and it will hinder their weight loss).

There’s one more example that’s often hidden in plain sight:

Your client is conflicted by their desire to work out more. They really want to work out harder, but they don’t like being sore afterward, and they don’t have time to shower after. They may be very driven to work out, but the voice in their head tells them many different reasons why they shouldn’t.

This type of motivational conflict comes up often, interrupting a client’s progress, making them constantly second-guess themselves and sabotage their own success.

There’s a dependable, multipurpose tool for coaching your clients through the many types of internal conflict, and it’s called Cost-Benefit Analysis.

This classic technique is a proven strategy for decision-making, and it’s often used in cognitive-behavioral therapy to challenge undesirable thoughts or behaviors. In many ways, it’s like weighing the pros and cons. Simply by listing the advantages and disadvantages of their current behavior, your client can resolve a motivational conflict and progress towards more willing behavior change.

Let’s get into 3 different variations of this cost-benefit exercise so you can begin using it in your health coaching practice.

1. Cost-Benefit Analysis

Overview:

Your client identifies an undesirable behavior or belief that they want to change, then lists the advantages of continuing the behavior, lists the disadvantages of continuing the behavior, and lastly, writes their revised outlook.

When to Use It:

This is useful when the client is experiencing conflicting motives that prevent them from stopping a particular behavior.

Goal:

The goal of this exercise is to have the disadvantages outnumber the advantages, so that the client is then motivated to stop the undesired behavior.

Example:

2. Pros and Cons

Overview:

Your client identifies a desirable behavior they want to adopt, writes down the cons of adopting the behavior, then writes the pros of adopting the behavior, and lastly, writes their revised outlook.

In my opinion, this should almost be called Cons and Pros (but it doesn’t quite roll off the tongue as nicely), because I have found that it’s much more impactful when the client starts with the cons first and follows with the pros.

When to Use It:

This is useful when a client sounds motivated to adopt a new behavior, but they struggle to actually do it when the moment comes because they are convinced that the other behavior is justified as well.

Goal:

The pros should outweigh the cons at the end of this exercise (opposite of cost-benefit analysis), and, once they reach the end, they often feel driven to adopt the new behavior no matter the perceived cost.

Example:

3. Declaring Value

Overview:

Your client identifies a desirable behavior/habit they eagerly want to adopt, but are faced with strong resistance/avoidance regarding that behavior (in the moment of action). Then they’ll answer the following two questions: 1) Why don’t I want to do this behavior (or why am I avoiding it in the moment)? 2) Why should I do this behavior? Lastly, they’ll reflect on the perceived value of the behavior and a reduced feeling of resistance.

Should is a word we typically avoid in coaching because it’s often attached to guilt or unrealistic expectations. I’d like to, however, make a case for should in these scenarios. The rebellious client is feeling like an adolescent teen who knows they should do their homework, and they want to turn their homework in, but they’re conflicted by this huge resistance to actually doing the homework. This resistance often sounds like “I don’t feel like it!” in their head.

When to Use It:

This is similar to the pros and cons scenario, but it’s more useful when someone feels very resistant to the behavior and can’t identify why or how to overcome that resistance (even though they eagerly want to/plan to).

Goal:

The client should feel more pulled to take on the new behavior because the value of the new behavior is now more apparent. This happens when the weight of their answers in the “should” question feel more valuable compared to the lighter impact of reasons on the avoidance list.

Example:

Psychologist Patrick Keelan clarifies how these exercises work once the client realizes that

“the reason they’ve been unable to stop doing the behavior despite using every skill and technique under the sun is that they have, at some level, been choosing to continue the behavior because of the benefits they derive from it. Once we discuss how they can alter the cost-benefit balance to help them want to choose to stop doing the behavior, they gain a sense of hopefulness in finally being able to address the unwanted behavior.”

Even with a revised outlook, your client needs your help coaching them through the desired behavior change. The temptation of short-term rewards and instant gratification will still be there, but you can lessen the frequency by helping them plan ahead and arrange the environment so that the temptation is removed or made less convenient to attain.

]]> https://www.primalhealthcoach.com/blog/10-key-duties-for-certified-health-coaches/ Mon, 08 Jun 2020 22:55:25 +0000 https://www.primalhealthcoach.com/?p=7758

Health Coaching is a relatively new field, but with newness comes ambiguity. What is it that a health coach does? Are there expectations and limitations in regard to your role as a certified health coach?

The National Consortium for Credentialing Health & Wellness Coaches beautifully summarizes the role of a health coach:

“Health and Wellness Coaches partner with clients seeking self-directed, lasting changes, aligned with their values, which promote health and wellness and, thereby, enhance well-being. Health and wellness coaches display unconditional positive regard for their clients and a belief in their capacity for change, and honoring that each client is an expert on his or her life, while ensuring that all interactions are respectful and non-judgmental.”

It’s common to assume that a health coach’s primary responsibilities are to instruct clients on the subject of nutrition and/or exercise. But that familiar presumption overlooks the core specialties of a health coach—which are to support, empower, and encourage clients—and in some cases, the assumed responsibilities are outside of a coach’s scope of practice (more on that at the end this article).

Let’s break down 10 of the primary duties expected of a certified health coach:

1. Clarify Client Needs and Desires

Listening is an important skill. There’s a technique called active listening that’s especially useful because the coach reflects back to the client (what was just expressed) in order to reassure, clarify, and confirm an understanding. Active listening makes space for openness, nudging a client to dig deep and come up with their own goals and solutions. Whenever necessary, the coach asks open-ended questions that start with “what” or “how” to further reveal the client’s own inner guidance.

2. Assist in Goal-Setting

A person seeks out coaching with a certain goal in mind. It’s quite common for this goal to be about establishing better habits to achieve weight loss. A health coach assists by asking questions that allow them to collaboratively define the goal so that it is client-driven, and articulated in a clear, reasonable, and actionable way. Together, they must revisit the goal and reflect on progress regularly.

3. Create Accountability

One of the greatest benefits of hiring a health coach is the external accountability provided by the coach. Accountability comes in many forms. It can be as straightforward as sending the coach weekly food logs, or as informal as a quick text from the coach, “Just checking in. How’s it going?”

There’s even accountability that doesn’t involve the coach. For instance, you might ask your client to register for a workout class in advance so they feel more accountable. Accountability goes a long way, and many clients will say that just having a coach makes them feel more accountable.

4. Foster Increased Self-Awareness

One-on-one health coaching is so effective thanks to counseling-style interactions between coach and client, which help clients recognize and identify patterns of thoughts or behaviors that may prevent them from reaching a goal. With coaching skills like active listening, you begin to increase your client’s self-awareness. Once you help them recognize recurring scenarios, they become more aware of their tendencies and become better able to interrupt patterns to induce lasting change.

5. Build Self-Efficacy for Positive Change

It is a coach’s ultimate goal to conclude a coaching relationship with certainty so that the client is able to sustain the positive changes they’ve achieved. This is entirely possible when the coach helps build the client’s self-efficacy—their belief about their own ability to meet and solve their own challenges.

When your client learns better self-awareness, and they gradually acquire new skills to navigate the journey of change, they begin to see themselves as more dependable and confident. This is a key factor in one’s ability to sustain healthy lifestyle changes.

6. Provide Educational Resources

It’s our job as health coaches to provide resources and tools that make behavior adjustments easier for clients. A health coach supplements their own knowledge and skills by sharing trusted resources and educational materials that relate to the client’s areas of interest. These supportive materials can provide answers to their questions and more clarity on a certain topic or diet.

7. Master Non-Judgmental Communication

The degree of success that’s expected for a certain client is quickly predetermined by the level of trust and rapport established early on in the coach-client relationship. To build rapport and trust, a coach must interact and reciprocate with similar energy to the client’s. The coach must display empathy, use nonjudgmental language and responses, and use positive psychology that focuses on client strengths rather than weaknesses. Together, these communication styles strengthen the client-coach bond, and long-lasting change is more probable.

8. Connect Behavior Change With Deep Motivations

Aiding in behavior change is one of the most essential duties of a health coach, and it is also one of the most defining differences between a health coach and other health-focused professionals. By means of effective communication, coaches help clients connect their lifestyle behavior choices to deeper values and identity-driven motivations.

A great health coach uses questions and communication techniques, such as motivational interviewing, that help clients discover their own motivation for change. The goal is to use the right thought-provoking questions and reflective listening skills to take a conversation beyond the surface and into the root of a client’s issues and goals.

9. Help Prevent and Overcome Environmental Obstacles

More often than not, people resist behavior change or fall back into their old ways because they regress in the face of obstacles. Obstacles occur in a variety of areas, like a client’s schedule, coworkers, finances, family life, social pressures, etc. Health coaches work with clients to optimize their environment for the greatest odds of wellness success.

Helping your client to better navigate and predict these challenges ensures that you’re instilling solution-based thinking and self-efficacy characteristics in them.

10. Collaborate for Comprehensive Support

A health coach not only collaborates with the client but also with other wellness experts. It is wise to build you own network of trusted and licensed health care professionals, such as a registered dietitian, chiropractor, etc. When an issue arises outside of your function as a health coach, refer your client to the appropriate licensed professional.

You may also find yourself collaborating with a client’s existing physician or nutritionist. In this case, you practice nonjudgmental listening and communication so that you remain accepting of the ideas and suggestions made by these licensed professionals. Ultimately, you serve as your client’s health advocate, supporting them as they seek and discover better solutions/resources for healthy living.

To better understand the expectations, and illusive limitations, of a health coach, let’s answer the following question:

What Is a Health Coach’s Scope of Practice?

“Scope of practice describes the procedures, actions, and processes that a healthcare practitioner is permitted to undertake in keeping with the terms of their professional license.”

Although health coaches are not licensed, there are practice laws and regulations in place to help differentiate what a health coach can do versus what other licensed health-care professionals can do.

To further specify a health coach’s scope of practice, each state in the U.S. has varying degrees of regulations in place (which are continuously being challenged and updated). Visit The American Nutrition Association to start learning the regulations of your state. International licensing works in much the same way, with rules varying country to country.

“While it’s important to have a solid foundation of understanding around diet and fitness and the like, it is not the health coach’s role to diagnose an illness, treat an illness, offer medical advice, provide an assessment of nutritional needs, or create a customized nutrition plan to help mitigate the symptoms of an illness.” – The Primal Health Coach Institute

A health coach’s primary responsibility is to learn what changes a client is interested in and ready to make, and then encourage them to create and sustain those changes.

Even before the work-from-home era started, health coaches and small business owners experienced mounting pressure to keep up with digital marketing and communications of our time. The more access we have to advanced technology the more it seems we need to be everywhere and do it all.

Only a few decades ago, digital marketing didn’t exist. Vince Aguirre from Distinct Web Design says, “Great marketers understand that the methods to reach customers are always changing, however, today that change is more rapid, harder to learn, stay ahead of, and operate your business, too.”

The pressure we feel to keep up is written across our daily planners; we’re all over the place, switching from task-to-task without a system. If we end up working this way, task-switching numerous times throughout the day, we’re not doing ourselves any favors.

You see, task-switching demands maximum resources from the most advanced part of our brains. In the 2009 Encyclopedia of Neuroscience, scientists explain, “…The ability to switch tasks is thought to require extensive high-level cognitive processing…the behavioral outcome of this processing is a robust switch cost–slower and more error-prone performance when switching tasks than when repeating tasks.”

I personally struggle with task-switching, and it’s obvious to me when I’m trying to manage multiple business goals and responsibilities throughout the day. I can literally feel the conflict in my brain when my mind is working in one zone and then I ask it to switch to another.

So how can we keep up with the demands of growing a business in a digital world, while cutting back on task-switching?

The solution I’ve found most helpful is called Theming.

Theming is a scheduling and productivity hack that keeps your brain working on a stream of similar operations at a time…

I learned about theming from my productivity coach, Alan P. Brown. Alan describes theming as:

“a structuring of your calendar and workflows around concepts – or themes – that help you better manage your time, tasks, priorities and goals – throughout your day, across your week, for the month or even the coming year.”

How and Why Theming Works

In Alan’s CrusherTV episode that’s dedicated to Theming, he explained something we all experience: Let’s say you’re working on a social media post and you suddenly remember a bill you need to pay. You’re tempted to stop working on the post and go pay the bill before you forget about it.

That’s not efficient.

“But what if one of the days of your week, say, every Tuesday, were themed as your administrative day (for stuff like expenses, paying bills, renewing things)…you could just put that bill on your calendar for next Tuesday and just forget about it—and stay on the important task you’re working on. You shouldn’t have a mental-wrestling match every time a new thing pops up. Theme the days of your week, and these things will have a home—a storage bin—in your workweek.”

I think we can all agree that just trying to prioritize our tasks every week or every day is taxing. Imagine now that Mondays were themed for social batching and emailing subscribers; Tuesdays were themed for administrative tasks; Wednesdays were a client day, and so on.

These daily themes are like “mental anchors for each day of your week…this would simplify your prioritization. You’d spend less time analyzing tasks and stressing over which to work on today.”

How I Determined My Themes

Earlier this year, my workload was at its peak. I needed to organize my responsibilities and create a new work routine, so I knew it was time to theme out the days of my week. I became overwhelmed by all of the seemingly unrelated tasks that were required of me on a recurring basis.

That’s when Alan inspired me to create this mind map where I drew circles for the overarching categories—Alan calls these “dials.” Then, within the main dials are smaller dials consisting of tasks within each category.

Here’s what my initial mind map turned out like:

Now you can see how many things I needed to manage. Once I broke down all of my dials, I could see which content needed to be batched and/or themed.

The following was my most complex theming schedule to date:

Mondays – Theme: Content writing for my audience (batching social posts, podcast or app scripts)
Tuesdays – Theme: Podcast (recording, editing, uploading)
Wednesdays – AM Theme: Writing (book), PM Theme: Catching Up (any unfinished tasks and marketing)
Thursdays – AM Theme: Writing (blog articles), PM Theme: Social media engagement
Fridays – Theme: Blog Article

Is every single responsibility in here? No. We don’t want to overdo it. Everything that’s most urgent and recurring is themed, but everything else will be a second priority.

Batching or Theming?

Maybe you’ve heard of batching, which is similar to, but not necessarily the same as theming. Batching is a strategy to batch-produce content, or tackle similar work, in a certain chunk of time.

For example, instead of checking your email fifteen times a day, it’s wise to “batch your email” at designated time slots throughout the day. This isn’t necessarily theming unless it reoccurs every week (like on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays), or at the same time every day. The latter is called horizontal theming, where a task takes place at the same time every day across the week (hence the horizontal description). To learn more about weekly, monthly, and yearly themes, too, check out Alan’s episode.

Many health coaches use batching to create a few social media posts in advance so that they’re not scrambling to find photos and inspiration every time they need to post. Batch them every week at the same time? That’s theming.

Challenges I Faced With Theming:

One of the biggest challenges I face with theming is being adaptable whenever something interferes with the new structure. For example, if I wake up sick one day, and my brain fog prevents me from batching social media, I would feel discouraged and wonder, “What do I do tomorrow? Do I do Tuesday’s theme, or try to squeeze in Monday’s on the same day? Do I push everything back? Do I skip social batching this week?”

Then, by Thursday I’d be so thrown off my schedule, I’d think, “Forget it. I’m not theming anymore.” This would happen also if something in my life deemed a certain theme no longer possible (Imagine: “I can’t do my writing on Wednesdays from now on? That screws up the whole week! I’m done with theming.” Dramatic, I know.)

When I shared that struggle with Alan, he said these obstacles happen to everyone. Things will keep coming up and throwing you off. The key is to do what you can, know which priorities are the most urgent, and get back into the swing of your themes as soon as you can.

Here’s What I Learned:

1. It’s not all or nothing.
2. You may not stick to it every week.
3. You may have to change it up.
4. You’ll probably need to experiment.
5. Start slowly, theming only one day. Then add more.

That last one was big for me. I couldn’t start by theming out my entire week. I needed to start with only one day, feel it out, and add another theme when the first one was locked in. I slowly worked my way up to theming three days a week. Then this February was the first time I themed out every day of my week. It was a gradual process.

Try it for Yourself:

• What are your recurring tasks?
• How can you categorize your tasks into similar themes (or dials)?
• Is there a certain day of the week that’s more predictable than others? Start there.

As Alan puts it, “Your brain needs anchors. When you create themes, like X day is about Y, you anchor your brain to real priorities, and you no longer wake up asking yourself, ‘What should I work on today?'”

]]> https://www.primalhealthcoach.com/blog/a-health-coachs-guide-to-overcoming-imposter-syndrome/ Mon, 06 Jan 2020 21:06:22 +0000 https://www.primalhealthcoach.com/?p=7368

It’s a new year, a chance for a fresh start, and if you’re anything like me, you’re confidently telling yourself, “I got this!” Unfortunately, your subconscious might also be telling you, “what if they find out I don’t know what I’m doing?” or “why would anyone want coaching advice from me?” or “I don’t even look like a health coach.”

You may not know it by its official name, but you likely know the feeling. Imposter Syndrome is that gut-wrenching feeling that you’re not enough or that you’ll be embarrassingly exposed as a fraud. It can affect anyone too, not just health coaches.

But you don’t have to let Imposter Syndrome derail your plans to become a successful health coach—you just have to know how to overcome it. And in this guide, I’ll show you how.

Imposter Syndrome stems from your limiting beliefs (which, just so you know, everyone has). These are the stories you tell yourself based on beliefs you’ve compiled from your past, your environment, or even from the time you spend comparing yourself to others on social media.

• If you’re still working on your health transformation, you might believe you don’t look like a health coach.
• If you’ve never stepped out of your comfort zone, you might believe you’re not good at trying new things.
• If you have 53 Instagram followers and another health coach has 53K, you might believe that people don’t want to hear what you have to say.

Think of it this way—if one of your clients (or a friend or family member) came to you and said they’ll never be healthy, it would be pretty clear to you that they had some limiting beliefs around good health. As a coach, you know how to help them overcome their beliefs. Here’s how to overcome yours:

Step 1. Acknowledge It

Be aware of your feelings of inadequacy when they pop up, without reacting to them. Awareness is different than acceptance, so you can have thoughts go through your mind without believing them. Also, think about why you’re having those thoughts. Are you trying something completely new? Are you growing in new, positive ways? Have people told you before that you can’t or shouldn’t do something?

Like we talk about in our new section on Imposter Syndrome in the Primal Health Coach Institute curriculum, you’re stepping into a new version of yourself—one that most people aren’t brave enough to even try. So be kind to yourself as you learn and just acknowledge the feelings you’re having.

Pro tip: Christine Hassler shares her expert advice on overcoming Imposter Syndrome in day 5 of PHCI’s Virtual Masterclass. Sign up for the class here.

Step 2. Reframe It

Learning how to change your self-talk is the best way to take control of self-doubt. Instead of saying, “I don’t have enough experience,” ask yourself if that’s really true, then approach it from a different, less harsh perspective. You might reframe the original statement as, “I’m learning more and more every day” or “I know enough to help my clients right now.” Instead of, “I’m not cut out to be a business owner,” you could reframe it in a positive way like, “I’ve never owned a business before, but I have all the tools I need to put myself out there.” And instead of “my practice isn’t perfect yet; I can’t start until it is,” you might say, “no one’s practice is perfect when they start; I’ll adjust it as I go!”

What are the limiting beliefs holding you back? Write a couple of them down and try reframing them in a few different ways, or practice reframing these other common Imposter Syndrome statements:

• I don’t have a unique point of view
• I’m not important enough
• I don’t know anything about opportunities for health coaches
• I’m under-qualified

Pro tip: For even more information on reframing, check out Byron Katie’s book, Loving What Is. It’s a little woo-woo but a good read.

Step 3: Believe It

In his book, Atomic Habits, James Clear shares a key ingredient for making changes in your life—and that’s believing you’re the person you want to be. He tells a story of two people trying to quit smoking, and when offered a cigarette, one person says, “no thanks, I’m trying to quit.” The other person says, “I’m not a smoker.”

The same idea holds true for your beliefs about being a health coach. Instead of telling yourself that you’re trying to make it as a health coach, visualize and really feel what it’s like to have already made it. Do you feel energized by sharing knowledge with your niche audience? Do you feel proud of your exceptional listening skills? Do you thrive on seeing your clients lose weight, get off their meds, or pick up a pair of dumbbells at age 72? Visualize it, feel it, and believe it.

Pro tip: Watch this TED talk on body language and confidence, where social psychologist Amy Cuddy recommends ‘faking it ’til you become it.’

Step 4: Do It

You may not feel ready to enroll in a health coaching program, launch your business, post more on social media, or do whatever it is you’ve been chewing on for way too long. Heck, you may never feel perfectly ready—but it’s important to do it anyway. In fact, once you start, the less scary and uncomfortable it will feel, and you’ll have more proof under your belt that you actually can do it. This action alone starts to reprogram your beliefs about your ability to be successful.

Also, keep in mind all the incremental steps you’ve taken to get to where you are now. What have you learned (about yourself or health coaching) that you didn’t know a year ago? What limitations did you have then that you don’t have as much of now? Most of the time, it’s your own insecurities that keep you from moving forward. And knowing that you’re constantly improving is an incredibly empowering thought.

Pro tip: Nerves are the same energy as excitement. So instead of feeling nervous, you can interpret it as feeling excited, like Simon Sinek describes in this video.

In Summary

Everyone suffers from Imposter Syndrome from time to time, so if you’re dealing with it right now, there are two things you should know: one, you’re not alone; and two, it’s easier than you think to overcome it. The difference between people who are successful and those who stay stuck in self-doubt lies in taking action. You’re the creator of your own story, and you have the power and the tools to rewrite it.

Make this the year you share your gift with the world by following these steps:

• Step 1: Acknowledge your feelings 
• Step 2: Reframe your self-talk
• Step 3: Believe you’re the person you want to be
• Step 4: Do it without hesitation

We’ve all been there. You’re having a really productive one-on-one session with lots of talking and excitement and even a few a-ha moments. Your client is ready for change! But you’ve also got your eye on the clock, and you’re noticing that it’s getting awfully close to the end of the session.

Wrapping up your health coaching sessions isn’t always easy. And there are lots of reasons why. You might feel bad about ending on time if your client is in the middle of explaining a complicated issue. Or maybe they have a last-minute question right before their session is up. Or you don’t want to interrupt them. Or they’re making such great progress, why stop now?

It’s important to end your health coaching sessions properly every time you work with a client.

Not only does this set expectations, it puts boundaries in place that keep you from getting taken advantage of. It also keeps your sacred post-session routine from being impacted.

Say you’ve scheduled a 60-minute appointment with your client and the session runs long. The next time you meet, your client will probably expect that it’s alright to take up more of your time. Even if it’s okay with you, it’s not okay!

Keep your sessions to the designated time, even if your client arrives late. You have the right to end your sessions on time, regardless of when they arrived. Again, it’s about creating boundaries. You don’t want your clients to think they can come to every session late and still get a full 60 minutes with you.

Here are more best practices for ending your health coaching sessions the right way:

Keep Your Eye on the Clock

If you can’t see the time from where you’re sitting, set a quiet alarm to notify you when there’s 5-10 minutes left in the session. You can use an app to remind you or use the alarm on your phone. Just remember to choose a subtle ring tone or set it to vibrate.

Transition the Conversation

When it’s getting close to the end of the session, start transitioning your words and your body language by sitting back and saying something like, “We’ve covered so much today. I’m excited to hear about all the progress you’re making.” This shift in tone signals to the client that the session is beginning to wind down. If your client continues to engage in conversation, add, “this is great point to bring up in our next session. I’m going to write it down so we both remember.”

Recognize Their Hard Work

Changing your habits so you can have the life you want isn’t easy for anyone. So, wrap up your sessions by telling your clients how courageous they are for making their health a priority. Whether they’re changing their habits around diet, movement, sleep, or stress, take this time to acknowledge their hard work. And make sure they’re feeling good about continuing their efforts.

Ask Smart End-of-Session Questions

You might have seen some of the important end-of-session questions to ask in this post, but as you’re wrapping things up, you might also ask:

• What was the most valuable part of today’s session for you?
• What were your major insights?
• What can you put into action from this session?
• What’s your homework assignment for this week?
• On a scale of 1-10, how are you feeling about moving forward with these changes?
• What needs to happen to improve that number?

Remember, as much as we want to tell our clients what to do, their own answers will be the ones that resonate with them the most. That means you should be asking the questions and letting them give you the answers. Also, have your clients write down their action items or homework in their phone, on paper, or wherever they’ll be sure to see them.

Address Last-Minute Questions (Later On)

But what if your client has a question right as the session is ending? That’s your call. If it’s a really quick one and can be addressed without impacting your post-session routine or interfering with your next client’s session, answer it. If it’s more complicated and requires a more in-depth response, say something similar to the response above, like, “I’m going to write this down so we can address it in our next session.” Or, if regular email or phone calls are part of the health coaching package you offer, have them follow up with their question there.

Schedule a Follow-Up Session

Some health coaches have an online scheduler so their clients can schedule their own appointments (some of our favorites are Acuity and Calendly), but don’t assume that they will. People get busy, and things like health coaching sessions tend to fall through the cracks when it comes to priorities. Use this time to make sure your client is on your calendar for another session. And while you’re at it, make sure they’re all paid up, too.

Let’s Review…

Wrapping up your health coaching sessions can be tricky to navigate. But it doesn’t have to be. You want your client to leave their session feeling inspired, acknowledged, and clear about their next steps—without sacrificing extra time or energy on your end. Set the right expectations and boundaries by structuring the last 5-10 minutes of every session using these tips:

• Keep your eye on the clock
• Transition the conversation
• Recognize their hard work
• Ask smart end-of-session questions
• Address last minute questions (later on)
• Schedule a follow-up session

If you’ve been practicing for awhile, you’ve probably got a good handle on how to approach your health coaching sessions. But what about the time you spend before and after seeing clients?

Having a solid pre- and post-session routine is not only important for your clients’ sake, it’s crucial for your sanity. In fact, Primal Health Coach Institute’s own Christine Hassler swears by hers to protect her energy and help her get into a space of being of service.

It’s not just health coaches who appreciate the power of a good routine either. Everyone from CEOs and entrepreneurs to major league athletes say that having one helps them stay focused, be more productive in their roles, and avoid burnout.

Having an established routine before and after your sessions also allows you to:

• Remain calm and grounded
• Make sure your space is presentable
• Get prepared
• Stay organized
• Set intentions
• Take care of personal needs
• Keep from feeling drained

What Should Your Routine Look Like?

The most successful routine is one that works for you. That means understanding your priorities, your schedule, and your energy levels. For instance, introverts might need more downtime than their extroverted peers. So, think about what needs to happen so that you’re in the right space to see clients—literally and figuratively. Do you have the correct files? Is there water or tea to drink? Are you usually stuck in traffic before your first session and racing in at the last minute? Is your computer fully charged? Are you still thinking about the client you just wrapped up with?

No two routines will be alike. However, the questions above and actions below should inspire you to create a pre- and post-session routine that works best for you.

The Pre-Session Routine

Best practices for before your sessions can range from practical things like hitting the restroom and reviewing client notes to more mindful ones like breathing exercises and meditation.

Your pre-session routine might also include:

• Turning off your phone and muting alerts on your computer
• Charging any electronics your need during your session
• Making sure your video conferencing platform is on and working
• Keeping confidential paperwork properly filed and out of sight
• Getting your office space organized
• Meditating or doing a grounding exercise
• Setting an intention for your upcoming session
• Allowing for guidance and clarity about what your client needs to hear
• Doing a series of breathing exercises to make sure you’re present
• Checking in with yourself to see what else you need before the session
• Reminding yourself that you’re human

Some of my favorite resources for before a session are: ThinkUp, an positive mindset app that lets you practice and personalize daily affirmations, the Repeat Timer Pro app for staying on task, The Four Agreements—a good read for anyone who’s ready to overcome their limiting beliefs, and James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits, with strategies for creating an effective routine—and sticking with it.

The Post-Session Routine

After your sessions, your routine will likely include a few of the same things you did beforehand, like bathroom breaks and reviewing files, but since you’ll be short on time, don’t waste it scrolling through social media, replying to emails, or tackling a task on your to-do list. Instead, type up your notes from your previous client and work towards refocusing your energy for your next one.

Your post-session routine might also include:

• Having at least 10 minutes in between clients to compile your notes
• Cleaning your space physically and energetically
• Going for a short walk or stepping outside for a breath of fresh air
• Doing a mindfulness practice that lets you reflect on your session
• Breathing exercises that allow you to “shake off” your last session
• Maintaining a sense of gratitude
• Closing your eyes to meditate for a few minutes
• Re-setting intentions for the next client
• Checking in with yourself to make sure you have what you need
• Asking for guidance and clarity again
• Reminding yourself that you’re still a human, just a busy one

Some of my favorite resources for after a session are: the Calm app with guided meditations as short as 3 minutes, an app called H2O that uses sound frequency to clear your space of negative energy, the 5 Minute Yoga app, which as you might guess, has yoga sessions that are never more than 5 minutes long, and the book The 5 Second Rule, with tips on how to stop procrastinating.

In Summary

Establishing a good pre- and post-session routine can mean the difference between being prepared and present for your clients and feeling completely drained and disorganized. So, think about what you need to do to protect your energy and get in the right mindset for your health coaching sessions, before and after they take place. And be sure to include a mix of practical things and more mindful ones using the ideas and resources above.