What does a wellness coach do? (and what to look for when hiring a coach)

Regarding coaching, there are a lot of different expectations that come up when talking about what a wellness coach does. I thought I’d share some insights about what it is that I actually do as a coach, things that I don’t or won’t do, and some things that you should keep in mind when you are looking to invest in a coach.

What is wellness coaching?

First, I think it would be helpful to define wellness coaching. In his book, Wellness Coaching for Lasting Lifestyle Change, Dr. Michael Arloski writes the following-

…wellness coaching is the application of the principles and processes of professional life coaching to the goals of lifestyle improvement for higher levels of wellness. It is an alliance between a professional coach and a person (or persons) who, through the benefit of that relationship, seeks lasting lifestyle behavioral change.”

When people ask me what I do, I simple say that I support people (and sometimes groups) in making sustainable lifestyle and behavior changes. I take a holistic approach to health and wellness, which means taking into account the whole person. Some of the things I coach for include nutrition, physical activity, stress management, sleep, and smoking cessation.

The benefits of working with a certified coach

There are lots of benefits to working with a certified wellness coach, including the following-

• Support- We all have different levels and avenues of support in our life, including friends, family, co-workers, and partners. Support is critical when making big lifestyle or behavior changes. A coach is someone who you know is going to be on your team and walking side by side with you as you navigate through your challenges and goals.

• Accountability- At the beginning of a coaching relationship, I ask clients how they want to be held accountable. Being held accountable for your goals and commitments can really help people with building consistency. Something else I always encourage is working on self-accountability and what that would look like for a person outside of the coaching relationship.

• Perspective- I think that when we feel stuck or overwhelmed we tend to develop blinders. A coach can be a great “second set of eyes” to help you in exploring opportunities that might be right behind those blinders.

• Clarity- More often than not, most people are aware of what their challenges are and how they don’t want to feel. I often get a long pause when I ask “what are you good at?” or “what do you want for yourself?” Working with a coach can allow you to get clarity on your strengths, identify what is going well, and create a big picture vision for your well-being.

What happens during coaching sessions with me

I call the very first coaching meeting the “Foundation Session.” During this meeting, and with the use of a few coaching tools, we will explore the following important details-

• What it’s like to be you- In co-creating a relationship, it’s helpful to explore what it’s like to be you. This allows you to (hopefully) feel heard and understand, and allows the coach to have an idea of where you are coming from.

• The Coaching Agreement- This outlines my responsibilities to you as your coach, and your responsibilities as a participant in the process. We also review the financial investment and define what the communication process will be outside of coaching.

• Your Present Lifestyle- It’s important for both coach and client to have a good understanding of the way things are in the present with regard to your behaviors in different holistic wellness areas.

• Your Readiness for Change- Knowing what a client is ready for and not ready for is an important step in goal setting and creating a plan. During this first session we will explore what you are ready to tackle and where you may need some support in getting ready.

• Creating a Well-Life Vision- What does “You 2.0” look like? How would your life be different if you could make the changes that you desire? These are the types of things we will dive into in order to build your well-life vision.

• Taking action- Even though we’ve just begun, I will work with you to start on a small goal that we will come back to during the next visit.

During subsequent sessions, I work with clients on goal setting, address any challenges that came up between our meetings, and explore the next steps.

Throughout our time together, you may be surprised to find that it is you who is setting the agenda and deciding what is best for you. This is the coach approach, because a coach understands that you are the expert on your own life. I am always happen to provide tips, suggestions, and resources, but ONLY after receiving your permission to do so. No-one likes unsolicited advice!

Where a coach works and who they work with

A wellness coach can work with individuals 1-1, with groups, in a clinical setting with other providers, and in a corporate wellness setting, supporting employees as part of a wellness benefits package.

And some, like me, do both! I provide 1-1 and group coaching through Living Well and Wild and I also work with a company part-time as an on-site health and wellness coach for their employees.

Things that I can’t do as a coach

At the beginning of this post I mentioned that people sometimes have different expectations when it comes to what they think happens in coaching. Since I’ve covered what I do as a coach, I’d also like to share some of the things that are outside my scope of practice as a coach.

• Meal planning- I am not a Registered Dietitian (RD) so I don’t have the qualifications to create individual meal plans. In coaching for nutrition, we would look at your current nutrition behaviors, identify any habits/behaviors that you’d like to change in that area, and co-create a plan to create sustainable change. If meal planning is what someone is looking for, I would definitely refer out to an RD.

• Workout plans- In the same vein as above, I do not have any personal training certifications so I do not create exercise plans. If a client were interested in a specific workout, or had questions about different types of physical activity, I would refer to a personal trainer, or other clinical provider.

• Therapy/Counseling- Although some coaching tools and resources may also be used in therapy/counseling, they are two different spaces and operate under different models. While therapy and counseling can delve into past trauma, coaching is very forward looking. If I feel that we are venturing into therapy or counseling territory during a session, I would gently guide the client back to the present moment and refer to a qualified therapist or counselor.

I do want to also mention that there are some coaches who wear “two hats.” For example, it’s very common to have Registered Nurses or Registered Dieticians who are also certified wellness coaches. In this instance, it’s important that you let a client know which “hat” you are wearing when you’re speaking with them.

What to look for when hiring a coach

I think qualifications are really important when it comes to coaching, especially since it’s a term that’s not regulated (although I see that changing in the future!). You definitely want a coach that has gone through an International Coaching Federation (ICF) accredited program. My certification comes from Real Balance Global Wellness Services and there are continuing education requirements I have to meet every two years in order to remain certified. You can use this link to find out which training programs are ICF accredited. I think it’s worth mentioning that there is a movement towards standardization through the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching. You can now apply to sit for an exam to become a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach. This will ensure that all coaches who bear that title have minimum training and education standards. (I am excited to be sitting for this board in June!)

Just like it’s any other provider, it’s also important to find someone who is a good fit for you! Usually most coaches will offer a complimentary introduction session so you can have the opportunity to meet them and ask any questions you might have.

Now I’m curious! Have you ever worked with a coach before? Whether that was life, business, wellness, or executive coaching, I’m interested to know what your experience was like!

The Book of Extraordinary Things

"We do not need magic to transform the world. We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already. We have power to imagine better." - J.K. Rowling

I so, so excited to share with you a project that I have been working on for the past 6 months. I have actually been sharing a little over on Instagram and the LWW Facebook Community but I also wanted to make an official announcement here on the blog.

I have created a daily journal called “The Book of Extraordinary Things” (BET) with prompts to inspire self-awareness, positivity, and well-being. The BET was made for the introspective adventurer and was designed to evoke a sense of wonder about our daily lives. I was personally inspired by the fantasy tales of ordinary individuals accomplishing extraordinary feats and the books and scripts that hold these tales.

The Book is extraordinary because we, as humans, are extraordinary. The book is alive because we are alive. Each high and low, victory and defeat, and all the spaces in-between are opportunities for the author to decide how their story will be written.

Journaling has always been a habit that I’ve wanted to include in my daily routine, but, even as a creative, I have been overwhelmed with how much time it may take. I personally wanted something that I could use that would have prompts built in and also include some free space. Structure for guidance and flexibility for creativity. It was also important that this project be aesthetically pleasing to my right brain- the result being something that you might find in a rare books collection, on a shelf at Hogwarts, or in the well-worn bag of an explorer. 

The first section of the BET is comprised of a set of exploratory questions which were designed to support the author in creating a detailed picture of where they are beginning their quest. There is also a blank space to bring visons, goals, and dreams to life. Following the self-reflective questions, there is a section for short, medium, and long-term goal setting. These questions ask the author to describe what they might like to be celebrating in three months, six months, and one year.

The daily journal pages are composed of three parts. First, there are a series of 5 prompts that are based around the PERMA model in positive psychology- Positivity, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Achievement. Although there is not a specific prompt for Vitality, there is blank space to create a tracking method for physical metrics such as water intake or daily movement. Below the prompts is a space to track your mood. The daily journal pages are intended to last for three months. On a page facing the prompts there is a blank section entitled “Field Notes.” This space is for authors to use for drawing, writing, collaging, or tracking. Below the “Field Notes” there is a structured “To-Do” list. The “To-Do” list area is made up of the top three most important quests of the day and subsections for AM and PM tasks. The final section of the BET consists of several blank “Field Notes” pages for authors to use for notes, projects, artistic endeavors, to-do lists, or anything else for which they might need room to create.

I firmly believe that there is a kind of everyday magic in both the ordinary and extraordinary. I hope that the BET can be a container for this magic and a creative outlet for the authors who wield it.  

the book of extraordinary things 1.0

The book is currently in a prototype phase as I work on final content edits and layout adjustments. In addition to the journal, I am developing stickers to enhance creativity and Quest Cards- a deck of cards with small, additional quests to build courage, confidence, curiosity, hope, and resilience. The final version will have a black vegan leather or linen cover with gold foil. It will also include a ribbon and pocket in the back cover (perfect for holding your Quest cards, receipts, pictures, etc.) In order to bring the BET experience to life, I will be running a Kickstarter campaign sometime during the fall of this year (September/October). For more information and updates on the Book of Extraordinary Things, you can follow me over on Instagram, Facebook, or sign up for the Living Well and Wild Monthly Newsletter.

Getting Back on Track

As a health and wellness professional, there is always a low-level of pressure that I put on myself to make sure that I'm "walking the walk" so to speak. I would say I try my hardest to live by example- making sure that I get enough movement during the day, eating fruits, veggies, and whole grains (promoting a vegan lifestyle), and allowing time for self-care.

Lately though, I've been feeling a little off track with my physical fitness. I'm lucky that I fence 2-3 times a week and walk with my dog every day which usually helps me meet my 10k steps. However, I set a goal at the beginning of the year to be consistent with a strength training program and there have been a lot of bumps in the road.

I've been giving it some thought over the past few days (thanks to my fellow CAPP-sters for coaching the coach) and I came to a few realizations.

1. I'm very hard on myself. This is something I'm working on. I'm trying to appreciate my body in its current state and being thankful for all of the things it allows me to do.
2. I keep trying to stick to a "program" of some sort instead of just allowing myself to do whatever works for me on a particular day/time. I already get a lot of cardio with fencing and walking with my dog so I really wanted to have a strength training routine to complement those things. The program I was doing at home used weights but wasn't the heavier lifting I was looking for.
3. I need to spend a bit more time in the preparation stage- making sure my workout clothes are clean and laid out, having shoes that are comfortable, and keeping my workout area clean and tidy.

I know how important physical fitness is and I'm a pretty motivated person. I actually like working out if you can believe it. It was challenging to figure out what was getting in the way of my success and it was really helpful to pick apart the process. When all is said and done I don't care if I start and stop a hundred times with a hundred different workouts, as long as I never stop permanently.

The reason I'm sharing this is because the road to well-being is rarely a linear path. There may be bumps, curves, and obstacles that get in your way. The important thing is to never lose sight of where you are going. Pull over if you need to, re-orient yourself, and enjoy the journey.

You Deserve Self-Care

Self-care is the time/energy/space we give ourselves to recharge spent internal "batteries". These are the things that bring us joy and give us back the energy we need to fulfill our daily responsibilities. Self care also has the power to help us build our mental and emotional resilience. 

So with all of these benefits, why wouldn't someone make self-care part of their routine? 

The biggest challenges I have seen (and experienced personally) are time and societal pressure. And to some, self-care might seem selfish-  which is definitely not true!

I know it can be difficult to find (or make) the time for self-care activities (which could mean doing nothing at all!). I have often looked down at my daily schedule and wondered when I will be able to catch my breath. Take a moment to think about the last time you scheduled 15-30 minutes for yourself to just BE. This could be in the morning before work, after the kids have gone to bed, or during lunchtime. I know this self-care time might be a luxury for some, but I encourage you to really look at your schedule to see when you might be able to find 15 minutes, if not once a day, then maybe once every other day.

Societal pressure can be challenging too. So many of us have taken to using "busy" as a badge of honor. If your day isn't packed from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed, you must be slacking. Self-care activities are sometimes seen as indulgent or time wasting. 

In reality, by engaging in self care, we can contribute to our well-being, increase our ability to handle difficult situations, and better support others when the need arises.

If you are not currently engaging in self-care, take a minute to imagine what it would look like. Imagine what you would do, when you could do it, and what might be different about your life if you were able to carve out that time for yourself. You deserve it.

If you're looking for a way to get started, here is a list of 10 free self-care activities:

5 Tips to Restful Sleep

Recently, I've come to find that peaceful, productive mornings are actually made in the evenings.

Here are 5 tips to a more restful night's sleep.

1. Keep your phone charging in another room. I can't tell you how many hours of precious sleep I have lost to mindless scrolling on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Knowing it would always tempt me on my nightstand, I have since started charging it overnight in my office. I knew I was going to have to invest in an alarm clock since I wouldn't have my phone handy and ultimately decided on this "retro-future" alarm clock radio by Electrohome (pictured above).

2. Switch from an electronic reader to physical books to reduce the blue light strain on your eyes. I really wanted to incorporate reading before bedtime, but trying to read on my iPad was starting to affect my eyes and I would tend to get distracted with the apps I mentioned above. If you are on a budget, or like to keep minimal books around, your local used book store or library would be a great resource. We happen to have a few book shelves filled with books, many of which I haven't read before. I read a lot of personal development and science books for school, so I like to chill out with some fantasy novels before bed. I'm currently loving the Wizard's First Rule series by Terry Goodkind and the Sword of Shannara series by Terry Brooks. (I JUST realized while typing this that there are two extremely popular fantasy authors named Terry.)

3. Be aware and bring attention to your body's sleep needs. We usually hear "get at least 8 hours of sleep" (which I try to follow) but everyone's sleep to functioning ratio might be a little different (more or less.) The right amount of sleep will leave you feeling alert and refreshed upon waking. For me that can be anywhere from 8-9 hours, depending on how much activity I've done during the day.

4. Try allowing 15-20 minutes to meditate before you go to sleep. Those evenings when I've allowed enough time to do meditation have provided me with some of the best sleep. I was using the "Body Scan" meditation from Palouse Mindfulness and really want to incorporate it back into my routine. There are also lots of meditation options available on the calm.com and Headspace apps.

5. Keep a gratitude journal. Cultivating an attitude of gratitude contributes positively to our well-being. Ending the night on a high note, even when you've had a rough day, can provide you with some peace before you fall asleep. Right now I am using a regular notebook and will probably upgrade to this beautiful yet simple option from Etsy seller The Lively Pen (bonus- it's customizable!).


I've also heard great things about The Five Minute Journal which has a space for both morning and evening entries. I will probably check this out in the new year, considering it's almost October.

I will be sharing my new nightly sleep routine soon so you can get a glimpse into the things I do to prepare myself to be well rested for the next day.

Did one of these tips resonate with you? My challenge to you is to find one tiny step you could take to improve your sleep.

May Favorites 2016

Happy Thursday Wellness Warriors! This week's blog kicks off a monthly series where I share a few of my favorite things with you from the month prior.  Everything in this post is something that I have tried, loved, and would highly recommend.

I've been making the switch to cruelty-free and vegan beauty products, as I run out of certain things and I've been really impressed with the following:

1. Jane Iredale Glow Time Full Coverage Mineral BB Cream
I have a confession to make. I have heard of Jane Iredale over the last few years, in passing, but I made the weird assumption that it was a brand marketed towards older women. (Ugh, I know, such a weird thought!) Of course, to my surprise, Jane Iredale is a mineral based makeup line free of perfume, alcohol, artificial dyes, and nasty chemicals. Luckily for pale people like myself, most of her products also have SPF. During my research, I found a ton of great reviews for the Glow Time BB Cream and decided to give it a go. I was really looking for something that was full coverage to replace my Estee Lauder DoubleWear Foundation (which is, sadly, not cruelty free) and after checking out some color swatches I decided on the color BB 3. I am in LOVE with this BB Cream! It does, indeed, provide a full coverage and great finish. For reference, I am very fair, with a slight case of rosacea/redness, and normal skin. The BB cream retails on the Jane Iredale website for $48.00 US but I actually got mine on Overstock.com for $35.49 US which is comparable to most other mid-priced foundations.

2. Evolvh Leave- In Conditioner
I have recently become a huge fan of  the "green" beauty movement and was perusing Credo Beauty when I came across the Evolvh hair care line. I decided to try the Smart Start Leave-In Conditioner as an introduction to brand. For reference, my hair is colored, a little dry, and prone to tangles, and this product delivered on it's claims to detangle and soften. I love that there are no harsh ingredients and my hair is left silky, shiny, and lightly scented. I bought the full sized (8.5 oz) bottle which may be a little pricey for some at $27.00 US, but I feel like it will last a while. If you want to try it before committing, Credo Beauty does have a 2 oz bottle for $10.00 US.


3. Pacifica Dream Big Mascara
I had some extra time before meeting a friend one day and so what else is a girl to do but check out the local Target? I was browsing the beauty aisles when I came across some new Pacifica products. I was familiar with their perfumes and candles, but recently they have built up their line of beauty products and cosmetics. Let me rave about Pacifica here for a moment. All of their products are vegan, cruelty-free, marketed at a great price point, and can be found at Target and Ulta. I purchased the Dream Big Lash Extending 7 in 1 mascara at Target that day and (full disclosure) perhaps it was partly due to the fact that there were stars and unicorns on the packaging. (It was basically calling my name.) I think this is a fantastic mascara and reasonably priced at $15.99.


I've also been working hard on my personal health and fitness goals so I'd thought I share some of my recent favorites from that category.

4. NuGo Bars
Of course whole foods are best, but when I'm traveling or out for a day, I really like a snack that I can toss in my bag or leave in my car for emergencies. Also, I have a sweet tooth and the fact that these have really nice ingredients (especially considering this is a packaged, grab-and-go snack) and are vegan gives these bars a lot of bonus points! They even passed my husband's taste test and he does not like very many bars.They come in lots of different flavors but my personal favorites are the NuGo Dark Mint Chocolate Chip and the NuGo Dark Chocolate Pretzel with Sea Salt. You can find them by the box on Nugo Nutrition Website for $19.00 or (as with most things) for slightly cheaper on Amazon.com. I also buy them individually at my local Whole Foods.

5. New Rules of Lifting for Women Workout
 I bought this book years ago after it started getting raves in some of the fitness forums I frequented. I tried it for a while and started seeing results so I have no idea why I stopped. I think it's because I didn't belong to the gym at the time and didn't have enough equipment to do the workouts at home. I've tried many other workouts since then, with varying degrees of success, but decided to dust this book off about 2 months ago. I had not lifted in a while so starting this workout program definitely left me struggling to get up the two flights of stairs in my house. As the weeks go by I can definitely feel myself getting stronger and leaning out. Bonus- the Stage 1 workouts are about 30 minutes if you do them at home with the "home workout alternative exercises" that they provide. This book can be purchased on Amazon for $14.00. (I also encourage you to check out your local library.)

6. Vega One Sport Performance Protein Powder
After transitioning to the vegan lifestyle about a month or so ago, I was on the lookout for a tasty plant-based protein powder that I could use in smoothies. The Chocolate flavor tastes like chocolate caramel and I love it! I also like the extra calorie boost that it gives me, especially on days when I'm weight lifting. I usually add this to almond milk, bananas, and spinach for a delicious snack that tastes like a milkshake. I purchased mine at Whole Foods but it is also available at Amazon for $41.00 and comes in Berry, Vanilla, and Chocolate.

My Favorite Health and Wellness Tracking Tools

They say that knowledge is power and when it comes to wellness, I couldn't agree more. When asked for advice regarding wellness related issues like needing more movement, better nutrition, and more sleep, one of my first questions is usually "Have you ever tracked <insert wellness metric here>?"

Some people track their metrics daily, but if that seems overwhelming, or too much of a commitment to start off with, I encourage people to track for one week. Tracking is  a great way to check in on your progress and goals. I use it as a wake-up call when I am not feeling my best. (Especially when it comes to food...a little bit o' this and a little bit o' that can add up fast!)

If you want to start using trackers to measure your goals, there are lots of different ways to go about it.

For those of you who prefer the good old fashioned pen and paper method, keeping a journal is a great way to track. Journals come in all different shapes and sizes and can be purchased at every price point.

JOURNALS

Clockwise from Top

1. Luna Journal @ Urban Outfitters

2. R2-D2 Moleskin Notebook @ Amazon

3. Small Lined Notebook @ MochiThings

4. Nikki Strange Narwhal Notebook @ Etsy

As much as I love writing things down, I also love the convenience that my mobile devices provide. Most people usually have their phone with them at all times (for better or for worse). These days, there are so many health related mobile apps (for both iOS and Android) that allow you to track almost anything. 

DIGITAL APPS

 Clockwise from Top

1. MyFitnessPal (available online and as an app)- MyFitness pal is a great way to track your food, nutrients, and exercise. A really great feature is the barcode scanner which uses the camera on your smartphone to "scan" barcodes and instantly search for the item. If someone else has already entered the item into MyFitnessPal, it will add all the appropriate nutrition information automatically. You can also add your own recipes and MFP will provide you with the nutrition content. 

2. Way of Life (app)- This is a simple app where you can set goals for yourself (up to three in the free version) and track your progress each day. 

3. The Five Minute Journal (app)- This is the digital version of the popular hard copy journal. This is a beautiful app which uses positive psychology and cultivating gratitude to make a difference in your day.

4. Habitica (available online and as an app)- This one is for my fellow geeks. Habitica is the app that evolved from HabitRPG and the developers really got it right this time. From their website- "Habitica is a free habit building and productivity app that treats your real life like a game. With in-game rewards and punishments to motivate you and a strong social network to inspire you, Habitica can help you achieve your goals to become healthy, hard-working, and happy." I am a huge fan of gamification (who doesn't like to make things more fun?) and I like the customization options that you get as you make progress on your goals. There is an active forum as well, so you can link up with like-minded users.