What is Coaching and How does it Help Me?
The International Coaching Federation (ICF), defines coaching as "partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership.
We all have goals we want to reach, challenges we’re striving to overcome and times when we feel stuck. Partnering with a coach can change your life, setting you on a path to greater personal and professional fulfillment."
What is a Health and Wellness Coach?
A health and wellness coach helps clients work through their health or wellness goals. Examples of areas are weight loss, fostering healthy lifestyle habits, fitness, and nutrition. They may, or may not have a professional license in health. Many great health and wellness coaches exist, and many are licensed health experts in their area.
So What is a Nurse Health and Wellness Coach?
The difference is simple - the depth of knowledge, training, and clinical knowledge is second to none, compared to a non-medically trained health coach. A nurse health and wellness coach has the expertise and training to navigate disease and preventative health practices. Nurse Health coaches work with clients navigating serious health events, life-changing adjustment planning, and in all stages of life, to name just a few.
As a Nurse Health and Wellness Coach
As a coach, I work with a client to help them think through a major health challenge or goal, setting out a plan and keeping them focused and on track. My extensive specialist clinical background is advantageous to clients, in understanding health challenges and goals. I know how a health system works and have abundant resources for my clients to help them make informed decisions.
Hang on a Minute, so What is a Nurse Consultant?
If I was working as a nurse consultant, a client would be hiring me to do the work for them, teaching and advising, and offering my opinions. A nurse consultant is hired by an organization like a legal firm working on a case, or a medical device innovator to develop a product to be used by nurses in patient care. They provide information, knowledge, clinical input, offer solutions and opinions, and deliver a product such as a project, paper, or research report. I have previously worked with medical innovator start-ups as their clinical advisor and developed supporting clinical materials and regulatory advice, as a nurse consultant.
What is a Counselor?
A counselor is a professionally trained, licensed behavioral or mental health professional who helps patients work through mental health issues from any time in their life, usually the past or present. A coach focuses on the future supporting clients to attain an important goal.
Tips on choosing a health and wellness coach vs a nurse health and wellness coach
Anyone can set up as a coach and claim to specialize as a wellness coach. But make sure to ask what qualifies them to be a health and wellness coach, and are they a certified coach?
In summary....
Many fine people are wonderful coaches, and specialize in nutrition, fitness, and well-being, and have the training, expertise, and knowledge to back it up. Make sure to choose the right specialist health coach for the task, so If your goal is fitness - you work with a coach who is qualified not only as a fitness coach, but is certified as a coach too. The same goes for a nutrition coach. If you need someone for clinical expertise - choose a nurse health coach.
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