A wellness coach has an important duty of helping clients through some of the most challenging issues that prevent them from leading a healthier life. Read on to understand what the key roles as a wellness coach entail.
Supporting Client’s Ability to Self Manage
A wellness coach’s role of supporting a client’s self-management skills empowers clients and allows them to take hold of their health goals. At first, it might be difficult for some clients to take on the task of being in charge of their health. This is where coaches come in, encouraging participation. In this supportive role coaches must accomplish several tasks, starting with providing information. Clients come to wellness coaches because they have the education and training to help them along their way to a healthier life. As a wellness coach, it is essential they promote behavior change, as well as impart problem-solving skills. Most importantly to clients’ self-management, coaches must encourage follow up to keep them on this path.
Supporting Clients Emotionally
A wellness coach’s role of providing emotional support is crucial to a client’s success. In order to be effective in this realm, coaches must show interest in the client’s emotional and physical barriers. It is vital for a coach to inquire about and explore the client’s emotional issues. These issues are most often the leading obstacles a client must overcome in order to see lasting results. Once emotional issues are addressed, a wellness coach should teach the client coping skills. Understanding how to properly utilize coping skills again empowers clients and allows them to deal with emotional issues head-on, rather than allowing them to sabotage their results. Every task under the emotional support umbrella requires that a health coach show compassion.
Supporting Clients Through Time
In order for wellness clients to see lasting results, coaches must provide familiarity. With familiarity, clients can fully comprehend the process and pathway that leads to reaching their goals. In order to establish familiarity, wellness coaches must follow up in a consistent pattern. Establishing familiarity only can be done when coaches have built rapport with the client. They must be able to trust the coach. Most importantly coaches must be available to clients. Whether this is done via email, phone calls or texts, it is crucial to do so in a time frame that the coach and the client agree upon. For example, if a client states that he is experiencing many obstacles, agreeing to follow up on a weekly basis might be necessary.
Denise Hernandez is a registered dietitian at The Houstonian Club in Houston, Texas. For advice on how to implement weight management or nutrition programs in your club, e-mail her at dhernandez@houstonian.com.
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Rachel Zabonick-Chonko is the editor-in-chief of Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@peakemedia.com.
