Health Promotion : What is a Wellness Coach?

In our modern and hectic lives filled with the demands of family, work, and much more, it could seem difficult to tackle our health and wellness on our own.  Many of us create goals that seem beyond reach and we cannot seem to stick to a specific health and Corporate Health Promotion Program for an extended period of time.  With the numerous struggles that prevent us from reaching our optimum individual wellness, many of us would welcome the assistance and guidance of a professional wellness coach.  

A wellness coach is a trained professional who works with individuals to help them to reach their health and wellness goals by developing and implementing personal Employee Health Promotion Programs.  A wellness coach is highly educated and typically maintains advanced degrees in areas such as Exercise Physiology, Occupational or Physical Therapy, Athletic Training, and Nutrition.  A wellness coach sets achievable goals for the client, holds them accountable, and acts as a guide, motivator, and support system for that individual.  They focus on behavioral change by using individually developed programs to meet the unique needs of the client while offering creative solutions to help them achieve their objectives .  

In order to fully understand the role of a wellness coach it is important to understand the various factors that involved in overall wellness.  The five major components of wellness are health risks, physical activity, stress management, weight control , and nutrition.  A wellness coach focuses on each of these areas of wellness while meeting the specific needs of the client whether they are trying to lose weight, get in shape, reduce stress, or quit smoking.  They evaluate a person’s needs based on a highly scientific study known as a HRA .  After a wellness coach has determined the specific needs of the client, he or she is able to create the Corporate Wellness Program, set achievable goals for that individual, and monitor them while they reach success.  Wellness coaches focus on physical health as well as mental and emotional health in order to create a balance in the client’s life.  They not only work on helping the client with their current health and wellness issues, but they assist the client to maintain their individual health by creating future goals in their Corporate Wellness Program.  

Every individual has unique needs and time constraints that require attention in different ways.  A wellness coach provides convenience with their services by working with clients in a variety of ways.  The client and coach may use telephone meetings, e-mails and instant messaging (electronic coaching), face-to-face interactions, or a combination of these various forms of communication.  Although electronic coaching is becoming the most popular method due to its lower cost and efficiency, each client may choose the method or methods will work best for them.  The wellness coach is available 24 hours a day through online communication to make it even more convenient for the client to reach his or her goals .  Wellness coaches offer the kind of assistance that fits the needs of each client in order to make it easier for the client to embrace their personal Employee Health Promotion Program.  

Based on the convenience, knowledge, and assistance that is offered by a wellness coach, it is easy to see why more people  are taking benefit of these coaches to assist them in achieving their ultimate health and wellness goals .