What is Health Coaching?

Health Coaching 101

Most of us have had some kind of coach in our lives. Maybe it was a soccer coach, a ski instructor, an impactful teacher, or even a mentor at work. Chances are, those experiences shaped you in some way and hopefully left a positive mark.

When most people think of a coach, they picture someone giving directions: do this, try that, follow this plan. Health coaching has a similar goal of helping people succeed, but the approach is a bit different. Instead of telling you what to do, health coaches invite you to take the lead.

Together, you explore what matters most to you, uncover what might be getting in the way of your goals, and find small, meaningful steps forward. The health coach is there to listen, ask reflective questions, offer tools, and celebrate with you.

That’s the heart of health coaching: a collaborative process that puts you in the driver’s seat and helps you make changes that actually stick.

What’s a health coach?

Health coaching is a relatively young profession, first surfacing in workplace wellness programs in the mid-20th century and expanding in the 1990s. Today, it’s one of the fastest-growing fields, focused on supporting lasting lifestyle change across a variety of settings.

Here’s the thing: anyone can technically call themselves a health coach. That’s why many organizations, healthcare providers, and clients look for coaches with professional training and credentials. The National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) and the International Coaching Federation (ICF) are two examples of organizations both created to establish standards for the profession and provide trusted certifications.

Coaches who complete training, pass a national exam, and maintain ongoing education can earn credentials such as National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) or Certified Professional Coach (CPC).Think of board-certified coaches as behavior-change specialists. They are trained at the highest level in the field, committed to ethical standards, and skilled at guiding people through meaningful, self-directed changes that align with their values and vision for health.

At its core, health coaching is about supporting people in making changes that feel doable and sustainable. 

These changes often fall into two broad areas: prevention and disease/symptom management.

That might look like:

• Building movement and fitness habits

• Managing stress in healthier ways

• Improving sleep and energy

• Navigating nutrition and meal planning

• Breaking habits like smoking

• Finding better balance with time and productivity

• Supporting chronic condition management

Often, these areas are interconnected. Maybe poor sleep leaves you drained and reaching for quick snacks, or stress makes it harder to stay active. Over time, these patterns build up. A coach helps you sort through the noise, focus on what matters most, and take small steps that add up to meaningful results.

What a coach isn’t

It’s just as important to understand what health coaches don’t do. While coaches can collaborate with your care team, they aren’t mental health counselors, registered dietitians, personal trainers, or medical providers. And they aren’t instructors who hand you a strict plan to follow.

A health coach also isn’t here to overhaul your life or expect perfection. Instead, they meet you where you are, listen to your story, and help you build momentum toward the life you want. Coaching is a partnership: you set the goals, and your coach helps you get there with accountability, encouragement, and strategies that fit your life.

Why work with a health coach?

Doctors often recommend health coaching to patients managing things like chronic conditions (like diabetes or high blood pressure) or for managing healthy habits. You’ll also find health coaches in workplaces, private practices, corporations, and community wellness programs.

The science is clear: health coaching improves outcomes for people building new habits and making lifestyle changes. You might already know what you need to change, but turning that knowledge into a realistic, sustainable plan is another story. That’s exactly where a health coach comes in.

If you’re curious about how health coaching could support you, send me a message here. I also offer a complimentary 20-minute discovery call so you can ask questions and see if health coaching feels like the right fit.

And stay tuned— I’ll talk about (the many) benefits of health coaching in a blog coming soon.

References

Brody, J. E. (2021, June 7). We could all use a health coach. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/07/well/live/health-coach-benefits.html

Hinge Health. (2022, June 7). What is a Certified Health Coach? Responsibilities & Impact. https://www.hingehealth.com/resources/support/what-is-a-certified-health-coach-responsibilities-and-impact/

The History of Health Coaching. Health Coach Institute. (2022, May 25). https://www.healthcoachinstitute.com/articles/history-of-health-coaching/

What is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach?. National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching. (2025, August 13). https://nbhwc.org/what-is-a-health-coach/