Why Work with a Certified Functional Health Coach

Living a healthy lifestyle can be rewarding, yet difficult, and starting one can be a challenge. From where to start to how to prioritize your many goals, a Certified Functional Health Coach can help you create and sustain change. Before we jump into the benefits, though, it’s important we review some basics first.

What’s an ADAPT-certified functional health coach?

An ADAPT coach has completed Chris Kresser’s Kresser Institute’s year-long training. This involves six months of education on coaching and functional medicine followed by six months of a practicum with coaching and additional training. Many coaches from this program are also board certified through the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaches (NBC-HWC).

Most people’s experience in functional medicine

While functional medicine is powerful and life-changing for many people (including myself!), most don’t get the level of attention they need to make big changes to improve their health. Typically, you’ll run through testing and symptoms, get a protocol, and have limited communication through phone or email before your next appointment.

But what if you have trouble sticking to the protocol? After all, you’re human! And what if you need some additional explanation about why you need to remove gluten or why a supplement is beneficial but you don’t want to pay for another visit just to ask those questions?

Enter functional health coaching. You have extra support with the changes you need to make with someone who’s experienced in functional medicine but with additional training in behavior change and goal setting.

Let’s dig into why that change in perspective and training can help.

A new way to experience functional medicine 

Instead of ending an appointment and going off onto the path of greater health feeling empowered before needing more support the following week, here’s what adding a certified functional health coach looks like.

You get recommendations from your practitioner, but this time, you also have a call with a health coach scheduled so you’re feeling even better. At your first call with the health coach, you review the practitioner’s recommendations (they’ve already chatted with your provider so they’re up to date) and explore your health vision.

At whatever cadence you set (though typically once a week or every other week), you bring the topic you’d like to focus on and the work begins. If your practitioner has given you a few recommendations, we work as a team to determine what you need to focus on first and when to move on to the other areas.

Expect to explore mindfulness and set up SMART goals in each session to keep you moving forward. SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-sensitive. You can move as fast or as slow as you want when working with a health coach; the entire experience is led by you! The coach acts as the guide so you can get from A to B (then all the way to D, P, and Z.)

Can you work with a health coach without a functional practitioner?

Yes! Health coaches can help you reach your goals regardless of what kind of doctors or practitioners you do or don’t work with. However, there are some limitations due to the Scope of Practice that health coaches follow.

Coaches can’t diagnose, treat, prescribe, or cure, and in good conscience can’t recommend supplements. They can, though, provide educational materials to help you and your provider make the right decision for your unique case.

When you shouldn’t work with a health coach

If you aren’t ready to work on health and lifestyle changes, then it won’t be the right time to work with a coach. After all, change is hard! It’s easier when coaching is involved, but it’s still effort. If there are family, life, and work commitments that keep your life full and you’re not sure if it’s the right time, you may want to wait. Or, if you need to focus on your mental wellness first, please do. I’m here when you’re ready.

Health coaching is more than telling you what to do. It’s a partnership that helps you achieve your goals, whether you’re working with a functional practitioner or are looking for some behavior support.

Are you ready to take the next step? While I specialize in those with autoimmune and/or chronic illnesses, I also work with clients who have various goals, from creating better life systems to losing weight and establishing healthier habits.

Click here to schedule your complimentary 15-minute discovery call where we’ll chat about your goals and see if we would be a good fit.