How Does Wellness Coaching Work?

 

Wellness coaching works because it is based on proven health behavior psychology methods used by coaches with health and /or fitness expertise who have strong “being” skills: mindfulness, empathy, warmth, calm energy, a nonjudgmental attitude while listening, and the courage and authenticity to be direct at times, as well as a belief in you.

 

Some of the tools that Wellcoaches™-trained wellness coaches use are:

 

The Transtheoretical Model of Stages of Change

This was developed by James Prochaska, PhD, and others at the University of Rhode Island and is the basis for understanding when and why people are ready to change and how to help them make positive health changes. The model has 5 stages that Wellcoaches focuses on: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance.

 

You can learn more about the stages of change by reading Dr Prochaska’s book, written with colleagues John Norcross and Carlo DiClemente:

 

Changing for Good: A Revolutionary Six-Stage Program for Overcoming Bad Habits and Moving Your Life Positively Forward

 

Appreciative Inquiry

Really listening. Asking positive questions. Good wellness coaches use appreciative inquiry (AI) a process for transformational change developed by David Cooperrider at the School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.

 

Using AI., a coach can help you to acknowledge and use your strengths and passions to imagine possibilities for the future. AI increases energy, motivation, self-esteem, and self-efficacy, the belief  that, “I can do it” .

 

 

Motivational Interviewing

Motivational “interviewing” (MI) techniques can help to move clients along the transtheoretical stages of change by helping them to access motivation, make decisions based on balancing the “pro” and “cons” of their behavior or desired behavior, and by assessing your confidence level in making the change, and working to increase that if it’s low.

 

 

Generative Moments

A generative moment is one in which  your energy has noticeably increased and in which you’ve expressed interest during a coaching conversation, indicating an area where you may want to make a change. This is a great opportunity to explore and brainstorm ideas (if you want to do so) to create a new goal or to strategize on an existing goal that needs a bit of help.

Positive Psychology

Dr Martin Seligman, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, developed Positive Psychology after realizing that he himself had the ability to choose to be happy. Positive psychology uses your Signature Strengths to build success upon success. Coaches employ positive psychology to help your access those strengths. You can learn about positive psychology and take a number of  online questionnaires, including the VIA Signature Strengths questionnaire to learn more about where you stand at www.authentichappiness.com. You can also read his books:

 

 

 

Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life

 

Authentic Happiness: Using the new Positive Psychology to realize Your Potential for lasting Fulfillment

 

What You Can Change… And What You Can’t* The Complete Guide to Successful Self Improvement

 

Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification

 

 

The Process

 

Wellcoaches™-trained wellness coaches use these techniques in a planning process that helps clients to develop wellness plans.

 

Creating  a Wellness Vision

A wellness vision is uniquely yours and is based on your imagined future of health, wellness and the behaviors that you will incorporate to get you there. Motivation is key and is explicitly included in your vision. Acknowledging and using the strengths you will use to overcome any obstacles will help you to move onto the nest part of the process, creating 3-month goals based on your vision.

 

Setting 3-month Goals

Once your vision is defined, you will work with your coach to set 3-month goals in order to work toward your vision. Your coach ensures that these will be SMART goals, meaning that they are specific, measurable, action-based, realistic, and on a timeline. Then, they are broken down even further, to make small, manageable steps toward sustainable changes.

 

Weekly Goals

After you have created you first week’s SMART goals, your coach can work with you on an  ongoing basis to help you to create an environment of success that is built upon your strengths. Goals are tweaked as needed ion order to increase the likelihood of success and added to over time to achieve the original. But change is change, and you may find that your 3-month goals have shifted. That is okay. Your coach will check in with you on occasion to be sure you are still going in the direction you choose. If you choose to change direction, it's your decision to make.