There are several formal definitions of the term, “Health Coaching”. Palmer, Tubbs, & Whybrow define health coaching as “The practice of health education and health promotion within a coaching context to enhance the well-being of individuals and to facilitate the achievement of their health related goals”. According to Rollnick, Mason, & Butler, health coaching is “A directive, client-centered counseling style for eliciting behavior change by helping individuals explore and resolve ambivalence”.
Health coaching has now become recognized as a most effective way to help people get on top of the limitations that their health condition places before them, especially those with chronic ailments. Health coaching is actually nothing but a means to guide them to understand their own ambivalence towards health behavior change. All of us hold certain beliefs, ideal and/or worries that may end up inhibiting our own progress with reference to bringing about positive life changes. Much like traditional life coaching, health coaching too focuses on using the principles of identifying obstacles, setting goals and finally using personal support systems to help people attain those goals. Here, the relationship between the coach and the “coached” is like an equal partnership that focuses on achieving optimum health for the latter.
Health coaching has proved itself an ideal model to bring about health behavior change. It provides structured guidance for the health care professional, giving them the opportunity to help patients to stick on to medical and health recommendations as charted out by them, thereby bringing about positive, health-enhancing changes in them.
The reason for health behavior change during health coaching arises from the fact that the idea comes from the client himself/herself, hence he/she might be more readily responsive to change. Health coaching helps professionals to keep their patients motivated and ready for change, to help them alter their negative traits and thought patterns, to empower them to self-manage their lifestyle in a manner so as to rid themselves forever of their chronic and other illnesses.
How Health Coaching Works!
- Health coaching includes within its spectrum, several types of health behavior change techniques and uses them in a manner so as to help patients discover what they can actively do to improve their health. Hence, it teaches the client to take responsibility for his/her own health.
- Health coaching involves professionals’ assessment of their patient’s health, making recommendations for positive health changes and educating the client about the benefits of health behavior changes.
- Health coaching helps professionals in early intervention, chronic disease prevention and quicker rehabilitation of patients suffering from chronic ailments. This also helps professionals dealing with senior citizens’ care, disability services and general practice as well.
Health coaching, by itself, can also help bring about positive health behavior change. Many health organizations today turn to health coaching professionals to help them serve their patients better. Such consultations are usually carried out one-on-one or could even be telephone-based.
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