What is Health Coaching?

The technical definition of health coaching involves utilizing interventions and strategies to engender behavioral change, but that doesn’t really get into what it actually is. Health coaching is, at its core, a conversation with intent.

Like any conversation with a health care provider, you can come in with a particular need or a general need, and most often what happens is a series of conversations. You can expect to talk to your coach about a variety of topics, and work through possible solutions.

I already know what I need to do, so do I really even need health coaching?

The fact of the matter is that change is hard, and sustainable change is even harder. Health coaches spend lots of time and training to learn how to make changes realistic and doable on a person-by-person basis. Because while it does seem like it should be easy, it rarely is.

While sometimes we do truly know what we need, often people who come to health coaching are more aware of what society thinks they should need, and there is a lot of work to be done with regards to finding out what the individuals needs actually are.

Do I have to do yoga and health coaching together?

Nope! You can do one, you can do both, you can do neither! They work well together in terms of wellness, but there isn’t anything mandatory here. Feel free to do yoga from any source you want, or give it a pass entirely.

It’s an excellent tool to connect with yourself and have good strength and mobility, but you should never feel railroaded into any kind of activity.

I have to lose weight before I can do yoga.

I promise you, you don’t. You may not be able to do every single pose, but there are few people in the world who can do every single pose. Instructors who have been teaching for years and practicing for even more years can’t do every pose. Do what feels right for you.