Who is a health coach

When I meet new people and they ask me what I do for living, I tell them I am a health coach. It typically goes in two ways. Some respond with a noncommittal 'Mmm,' while others ask, 'What the heck is that?’

And it’s true: health coaching industry is in its infancy at the moment and it isn’t yet well known and heard of, although the word “coach” has already been discredited for decades by so many magic pill sellers around the world, it just sounds suspicious right away.

Another popular point of view is that a health coach is somebody who gives you directions and teaches you what to do to reach your goals, and you just do what you are told and become the you of your dreams.

There is some truth in this assumption, however giving directions is just a small part of what the coaches do. And good coach will do their best to bring this part to bare minimum.

Personally, I like to compare health coaches to wilderness guides.

Imagine, you want to go on a solo backpacking trip. And you decide to hire a wilderness guide. You come to the outdoor adventure company office to look for one.

The first thing the guide is gonna do is to ask you: where would you like to go? They can surely offer you some options, according to your experience level, but the final decision is yours.

Then they may tell you that there are multiple possible ways to get to the place. One features climbing mountains, another - rafting, one more - crossing a swamp, and so on. Which one would you like to choose? Again, the final word is yours.

When the destination and all the extra activities along the way are decided upon, it’s the guide’s job to ask you what experience do you have, which tools you used in the past, what worked for you and what didn’t. It’s their job to recommend you the gear they judge to be the most useful and effective for your trip, but it’s your choice what you actually put in your backpack.

You set the date. You collect your gear. You get excited and you are ready to begin your adventure.

From day one (yes, the one at the company’s office) you and your guide are a team. The dream is yours, and their part here is to assist you on the way to it. The guide wouldn’t tell you where to go or what path to choose, rather they will provide you with ideas of what to expect and what tools you might need. For example, if you choose a mountain route, they may recommend you to take some good hiking boots, rope and harness, and to travel light. But it’s up to you to listen or not: you can still come in fancy sneakers and bring a full set of Harry Potter hard copies to read on the trip. Your guide is not there to judge your decisions. They are there to still guide you to your chosen destination and help to make adjustments. Like, make sure you have those hiking boots with you just in case, and if you are insisting on carrying those books, then maybe you’ll go a bit slower - no big deal.

And then you leave for your trip. And even though you hired that guide, it is still your job to move your feet and walk. Your choices in the backpack are yours to carry. The mountains you wanted to conquer are yours to climb.

And the guide is with you. Cheering, supporting, telling you stories about other hikers like you, teaching you about the wonders of nature you meet along the way, throwing you his rope when you need a little boost. Just being with you. All the way until you reach your goal. Or decide you want to make a turn and go for the dunes instead 🙂

Health coaches are very similar. We don’t tell our clients what to do with their life. We ask: “Where you want to go and how can we help?” And you decide what to take and what to skip.

We help our clients to figure out what tools work best for them, “what shoes are the most comfortable”. We always walk at your speed. We can give advice or share knowledge if asked for it (we actually do know a lot about the “wilderness”, yes). We will help you to get out of a crack or clean up after a fall.

Like a guide in the wilderness, a health coach is there to support your journey, not dictate it.

And by the way, you are always welcome to check in my “company office” and schedule a free introductory session to decide whether or not you would like to go on adventure with me.

#TamaraTunesIntoWellness