by Dr. Stewart Levy
- National certification beginning February 1, 2017, is all done through the National Consortium of Credentialing for Health Coaches and Wellness Programs. This has resulted in high standards in the industry and training and credentialing process to enable health and wellness coach training and education programs to adapt their programs to meet the standards for program approval. For more information, go to http://ichwc.org/organizations.
- The value of the health coach is the opportunity to use a behavioral change agent, which is the training and certification process for a health coach. The Health coach acts as a mentor and guide to realize changes in behavior and education plans for the individual.
- Health coaches communicate information for the total wellness of an individual that could include medical as well as physical issues.
- Employers and insurance carriers look at what changes have occurred in the individual. Some monitor the high-risk factors that have decreased and subsequent changes in biometrics. Coaches try to show how changes in behavior have resulted after the coaching.
- The credentials of health coaches vary according to the programs they are involved in. The National Consortium of Health Coaches is an excellent resource to evaluate what is needed to realize the outcomes and provide the skills to psychologically evaluate the risk factors and what behavior changes are needed.
