I thought I would take a few moments to explain the coaching process: After years of teaching and advising on health and parenting, I discovered coaching while working as a high school health teacher and instantly connected with it. The coaching practice is based on research that shows people are more successful when they make changes for their own reasons, rather than being told what to do, which often leads to resistance. Coaching empowers individuals to create lasting change on their own terms.
Coaching is a dynamic, goal-focused process that helps individuals make positive changes in areas like health, parenting, or personal growth. While career and life coaching have been around for a while, health and parent coaching are newer fields. As a certified parent and health coach, I use evidence-based techniques to help clients leverage their strengths and values to achieve their health or parenting goals
What is a health coach?
Health and well-being coaches empower clients to improve their health by helping them set and achieve goals using evidence-based strategies. Health coaching, proven effective in clinical trials, is most credible when the coach holds an NBC-HWC certification. I have my NBC-HWC and a Master’s in Public Health. I’m also a certified parent coach through the Jai Institute of Parenting.
What is the difference between a health/parent coach and a therapist? Therapists explore emotions by examining the past to understand their origins, while coaches help clients acknowledge emotions and develop coping strategies. Therapists diagnose and guide, whereas coaches work collaboratively with clients to identify challenges and achieve goals. Coaching focuses on action and change, aiming to boost self-awareness and bridge the gap between current reality and potential, while counseling is more reparative.
What do people turn to me for?
Health Coaching Clients: My clients range across all ages, and those seeking health coaching typically come to me for help with nutrition, building healthier habits in general, and addressing challenges like, stress, anxiety, ADHD and disordered eating and body dysmorphia.
Parent Coaching Clients: Parents who work with me seek effective strategies for emotional regulation, discipline, and communication, as well as support for mental health challenges. They look for guidance on managing stress for both themselves and their children, along with reassurance that they are not alone and that their child will be okay. Their ultimate goal is to foster resilience and well-being in their children. I leverage my training and personal experience, incorporating insights from my own children and over 500 young adult student-athletes in my study, “Suburban Student Athletes: Driven to Overachieve,” to enhance my coaching program, Move FORWARD. This research, along with other parenting studies, highlights what approaches are most beneficial and which ones can lead to unhealthy distress.