By Kristy Dusevic CHC
So what exactly is a Health Coach?
You know, I asked myself the exact same question a few years ago…As soon as I learned the importance, I immediately acquired my certification.
Let’s start here; when was the last time your doctor was able to take the time to discuss your nutrition or your health habits? How about your stress levels or physical activity?
These conversations rarely take place with a primary care physician. The reason for that is because they most often have appointments booked every 15 minutes and quite frankly these are not areas discussed in medical school. The short time that your doctor does get to spend with you, is spent on assessing symptoms while coming up with a plan to make those symptoms disappear. Many times your doctor will do this by leveraging prescription medication which in many cases may not even be necessary. However, the thought of a natural way is not even discussed. Their primary job is to focus on sickness. A Health Coach works with you to focus on wellness.
Let me be clear, I am not saying that a Health Coach should replace your primary care physician in any way.
Your Health Coach will work with you on healthy strategies so that those visits can become less frequent.
Not only has science changed the healthcare landscape, but our diseases have changed as well. According to the CDC,
“As a nation, we spend 86% of our health care dollars on the treatment of chronic diseases. These persistent conditions—the nation’s leading causes of death and disability—leave in their wake deaths that could have been prevented, lifelong disability, compromised quality of life, and burgeoning health care costs.”
The Role of a Health Coach
- In a nutshell, we help our clients achieve health goals (as varied as they may be) through lifestyle changes and behavior modifications.
- We offer guidance and suggestions in the area of stress management.
- We support, we encourage, we inspire and we hold our clients accountable.
- Most of all we LISTEN.
Most people want to feel better, they truly want to be healthy.
You already know that a sugary snack followed by a soda is not the best option, but with all the marketing out there, where do you even begin to make these changes?
A Health Coach has the time, education and experience to walk you through that.
There are many factors that go into the decision-making process in regard to poor nutrition choices. The good news is that many doctors offices and traditional medical practices are starting to recognize the benefits of having a Health Coach on staff and the great news for you is that you have one available at your favorite yoga studio! I am here to help, offer suggestions, support you on your journey to whole wellness. If you would like to contact me directly, you can reach me at Kristy@thriveyogaandwellness.com.