What Is a Wellness Coach?
A wellness coach serves as a dedicated advocate, guide, and motivator, helping clients set and achieve their health and well-being goals. Because everyone’s goals are unique, their experiences with wellness coaching likely will be, too. Wellness coaches connect clients to resources and empower them to enjoy physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social well-being.
What Does a Wellness Coach Do for WellAhead Members?
WellAhead is an innovative program offered by WesleyLife to individuals who want to invest in their well-being and plan for their futures. One of the many perks of WellAhead membership is instant and ongoing access to a wellness coach.
What does a wellness coach do for these members? They help in a variety of ways, including:
- Wellness plans: Coaches work with clients to create personalized wellness plans that reflect the client’s goals, desires, and abilities. They also recommend practical steps and resources to help clients optimize their wellness.
- Education: Coaches educate clients on wellness-related topics such as fitness and nutrition. They can also answer questions or direct clients to resources.
- Regular check-ins: Wellness coaches check in with their clients at least weekly to hold ongoing accountability and foster a close connection. These check-ins can take place in clients’ homes or wherever clients are most comfortable.
- Annual assessments: WellAhead members take part in yearly assessments, which provide the opportunity to reevaluate goals and take on the next year with even greater confidence.
The responsibilities of wellness coaches can vary based on their clients’ needs. For example, one client hosts many family gatherings for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and wants to focus on staying physically active. Her coach is working with her to make fitness classes, personal training, and aquatics part of her healthy lifestyle so she can continue to be an active matriarch in her family for years to come.
Addressing Common Misconceptions About Wellness Coaches
Wellness coaching is often misconstrued. It’s important to understand these facts:
1. A wellness coach is not the same as a personal trainer.
Personal trainers can be great resources for helping clients improve their physical health through regular exercise. In fact, wellness coaches may connect their clients with personal trainers to help them take positive steps toward achieving their fitness goals — but wellness coaches are not personal trainers.
2. Wellness goes well beyond physical health.
Wellness coaches take a holistic approach to wellness, understanding that a person’s well-being encompasses far more than their physical health. Some coaches may help their clients become involved in social programming or connect them with a counselor, for example, to invest in their mental health.
3. Wellness coaching is proactive — not reactive.
Some people believe a wellness coach should assist them only when they’ve experienced a health-related incident. However, wellness coaching is designed to help clients take a proactive approach to prevent and minimize future health challenges.
The Benefits of Wellness Coaching
Wellness coaching can deliver some invaluable benefits to WellAhead members. You can work with a coach to:
- Enhance your health and wellness: You’re far more likely to enjoy better health and well-being when you set a goal and take intentional steps to achieve it. A wellness coach can help you do just that!
- Understand what well-being looks like for you: Wellness coaches can help you think through possible improvements related to your physical, mental, social, spiritual, and emotional well-being. With the help of a coach, you can define clear goals to achieve your ideal lifestyle.
- Enjoy a meaningful relationship: Wellness coaches aren’t just there to do a job; they’re trusted partners in your wellness journey. By meeting regularly with your coach, you’ll develop a close and meaningful relationship with someone who has your best interests at heart.
Join WellAhead and Meet Your Wellness Coach!
Starting on day one of your WellAhead membership, you’ll gain access to a wellness coach. Your coach will connect you with resources available through your membership, helping you maximize the benefits of WellAhead and be your best self.
Ready to begin? Learn more about investing in your well-being with WellAhead!
