Wellness Coaching, sometimes called “Life Coaching” or “Health Coaching” began to emerge as a field around 20 years ago mostly helping executives and businesses be more productive with increased satisfaction. Positive psychology, founded by Martin Seligman, noticed a trend that when clients addressed how to improve their well-being in psychotherapy, clients began to improve in numerous areas of their lives and thrive. The World Health Organization defines thriving as optimal physical and mental health while emphasizing that one can thrive even when facing adversity or disease. A wellness coach can assist you with finding your formula to thrive.
A recent Gallup Poll assessed American well-being. Respondents self-reported on a ladder scale to questions that reflected perceived well-being today and 5 years from now.
- 51% of Americans rated themselves as thriving
- 43% of Americans rated themselves as struggling
- 6% of Americans rated themselves as struggling
This poll indicates approximately half of Americans have inconsistent or poor well-being in their present lives and viewed it the same for 5 years into the future. Respondents who were struggling, were more likely to take more sick days, smoke, less likely to eat healthy, and had higher disease burden, both physical and mental. They had higher levels of stress, including real and perceived burden. https://www.gallup.com/394505/indicator-life-evaluation-index.aspx
Wellness coaching recognizes that the client is the expert on their own life that leads to self-efficacy where clients find ways to self motivate and improve well-being. Coaching is often described as an energizing process where clients discover new insights about themselves and how they want to live and thrive. What thriving looks like for each person is unique for them and their circumstances.
How you make steps to get there is as different as we all are as individuals. Your coach will use evidence-based practices such as motivational interviewing and the transtheoretical model of change serving as a guide. Examples of areas you might explore could include:
- How to improve physical and mental health
- Lowering feelings of loneliness by exploring ways to increase community
- Improving satisfaction or change with work, whether it’s paid work, volunteer work, or the work of raising and caring for a family
- Increasing the experience of positive emotions such as joy, affection, or hope
- Finding new hobbies or getting back engaged in previous ones
- Discovering new ways to live with meaning and purpose
There is a lot of overlap between Wellness Coaching and Psychotherapy. One of the main differences is your coach cannot diagnose a mental health condition or directly treat it. Coaches use many of the same concepts as therapists do. Coaching works well in tandem with psychotherapy, as a transition when ready to end psychotherapy, and as a standalone modality. If you are new to Nugent Family Counseling Center, a member of the intake team will assist you in finding the right clinician and give guidance if coaching is right for you.
Improved well-being is associated with higher quality of life.
https://health.gov/healthypeople . Having a trained coach by your side means you are allied with an excellent listener who will ask questions to improve your life in any area you are struggling with. You might get surprised by something brand new and move into a place of thriving.
Well-being isn’t the absence of disease or disability but finding ways to live the best you can.
Nugent Family Counseling Center has a certified Health and Wellness Coach on our team and looks forward to working with you! Coaching sessions are available in person in Reno and via Telehealth in California and is appropriate for older teens and adults.