A trained, certified wellness coach activates strategies and initiatives that have been developed with the client, with the goal of implementation over time. Wellness Coaching is a partnership. The coach's role is to help identify personal reasons to pursue greater wellness, and enhance motivation for behavior change using evidence-based strategies. The client's role is to be vulnerable, to be engaged and to stay present through the process.
Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don't belong. Zig Ziglar, Author and Motivational Speaker
Certified Wellness Coaches are professionals from diverse backgrounds and education who work with individuals and groups in a client-centered process to facilitate and empower in order to achieve self-determined goals related to health and wellness. The relatively new field of wellness coaching is a combination of behavioral change theory, psychology, and life coaching. Successful coaching takes place when a coach applies clearly defined knowledge and skills to mobilize a person's internal strengths while identifying external resources for sustainable change. A coach does not focus on what is broken, but nurtures what is best within a person, guiding them forward into a balanced, dynamic and healthful life.
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. World Health Organization
There is a gap between wanting to be well and the everyday reality of living with the penalty of stress, overeating and under-exercising. Leaders struggle to make health a priority. Jobs, personal commitments, and families often pull at and distract us from our goals. People often feel guilty attempting to take time for themselves and their own personal goals.
Many studies have determined that clients working with a wellness coach are better able to carve out that necessary, focused time and experience a "sense of well-being" including increased job satisfaction and significant, measureable improvement in four specific biometric areas: stress level, exercise, blood pressure, and body composition. For companies employing wellness coaches, there is documentation demonstrating a reduction in health care costs, a reduction in number of sick days, and a reduction in workers' compensation cases. A focus on wellness contributes to increased leadership capacity and resilience. The path to thriving is gaining a sense of well-being that can carry a person through turbulent times. Personal wellness brings success in personal relationships, career, and permanent, sustainable lifestyle changes.
What bad habits get in the way of a particular goal? Do you struggle with a workâlife imbalance that is creating stress? A certified wellness coach can walk you through steps that will promote real, measureable improvement. Lasting change. Great productivity. Peace. Joy. Well-being.
All executive and wellness coaches are credentialed through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and use science-based methodology to achieve change. Bobbie Sue Wolk, MS, MCC, BCC, NBC-WHC is the first ICF Certified Coach in Alaska. Wolk is a certified executive coach, certified wellness coach, industrial-organizational psychologist, accountant, business consultant and entrepreneur with experience in all aspects of running organizations that achieve success.