Health Coaching with OWL

So you’re thinking about getting a health coach? Hooray for you! Think of a health coach as a close teammate that wants to see you thrive! Since the notion that health is more than a medical diagnosis has become widely accepted, health coaching has been gaining in popularity. Health coaches believe that health is much more than the absence of disease. As a health coach, we not only want to help you figure out the best foods for you, but also how to help you jump out of bed each morning feeling excited, energized and fulfilled. Achieving this isn’t a one size fits all approach. Health coaches work closely with their clients to address the diet & lifestyle factors impacting their health and come up with customized approaches. Since most people haven’t worked with a health coach we thought it'd be helpful to lay out some information on what to expect and how to prepare for your first session.

Will this be like a doctor’s visit?

Not at all! Health coaches don’t diagnose or treat disease or illness. Instead, we look at your daily rhythms (think: diet, lifestyle, stress, fitness, spirituality) and help you understand how your daily habits are supporting/hindering your wellness goals. In a typical doctor's visit you’ll spend 7-8 minutes face to face with your doctor. In a health coaching session you’ll spend 60-90 minutes discussing YOU! We're not saying that you should work with a health coach instead of your Primary Care Physician, but it can be helpful to add this type of service into your health routine to achieve optimal wellness and ward off the development of chronic diseases.

What kind of questions do you ask?

What questions do we not ask would be a better way to start this off. When we're working with clients we want to know everything! Nothing is TMI or off-limits and everything is important and confidential. We’ll discuss your goals, what your days look like, your personality, social support system, diet, etc. etc. If things get really juicy we may even learn the name of your dog and all about your childhood! Kidding, kinda... as a health coach we understand that wellness is influenced by so much more than the food we eat. Our daily habits, the environments we grew up in, our spiritual and mental health. It all matters.

Will you tell me to stop drinking coffee?

Nope, we wouldn’t do that to you! We don’t like to restrict foods from someone’s diet. Rather we’ll work together to find ways to incorporate more of the good stuff so you’re less likely to reach for the "bad" stuff. We’ll also explore ways that you can tune into your bodies’ cravings, addictions and hunger cues to understand what your body is telling you on a deeper level.

Is there anything I should do to prepare for my health coaching session?

There’s nothing required of you before your health coaching session. We just ask that you show up open minded and ready to chat! If you want to optimize your time we find it helpful for our clients to keep a food journal for a few days before the session. If you want to go above and beyond, along with food you could also keep track of your daily elimination (yup, we’ll go there!), energy levels, sleep patterns, and mood. This paints a great picture of what’s going on in your day to day so that we can explore what’s helping and hindering your health goals.

Working with a health coach is a different experience than being prescribed a pill. Health coaches will “prescribe” lifestyle shifts, habit changes and dietary adjustments. These types of changes take time but are totally worth it! At OWL, we offer a la carte health coaching as well as package options. Schedule a free 15 minute consultation to discuss your health goals and which approach would work best for you.

Have additional questions?