Kinesiology Paths: Health Coaching

Alison Reichter, Ph.D

The Department of Kinesiology will begin offering courses in Health Coaching in the Winter Quarter (2023-2024) and we are awaiting final approval of a new undergraduate certificate in health coaching by the Board of Regents. With these new opportunities, I wanted to take the opportunity to share more about health coaching as a career path and my background in the field. 

What is health coaching?

According to the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching, “Health & wellness coaches partner with clients looking to enhance their well-being through self-directed lasting changes, aligned with their values. In the course of their work, health & wellness coaches display unconditional positive regard for their clients and a belief in their ability to change, honoring the fact that each client is an expert on their own life while ensuring that all interactions are respectful and non-judgmental.” What this means is that health coaches help support their clients to make sustainable and healthy lifestyle behavior changes.

Health coaches are trained in behavior change theories, motivational concepts, health education and health promotion, as well as the link between health behaviors and health outcomes. This skill set that combines evidence-based behavior change strategies, communication tactics, motivation tools, and health knowledge puts health coaches as a prime player to help individuals live healthier lives.

Health coaches work with clients as an equal partner to help them make desired healthy lifestyle behavior changes. Health coaches do not tell their clients what to do; instead, health coaches understand that their client is the expert of their own life. Coaches help clients develop their own realistic goals with manageable strategies to achieve their desired health outcomes. Change is difficult, and a health coach works with their client to help them through the process of developing and keeping new health-related habits.

A number of different research studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of health coaching to help individuals modify their health behaviors, improve health outcomes, and improve holistic well-being outcomes – such as improved quality of life and psychological well-being (e.g., Sforzo et al., 2019). Health coaching has been especially beneficial for individuals living with chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, as well as risk factors for chronic disease including obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure(Sforzo et al., 2019).

Health coaching is a relatively new field and career path. The first program dedicated to health and wellness coach training was developed in 2000 (wellcoachesschool.com). The National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching was formed in 2012 and established the current standards of education, training, credentialing, and research for the profession. In 2016, the NBHWC worked with the National Board of Medical Examiners to establish a board certification exam to standardize and advance the profession of health and wellness coaching. Since 2016, over 9,000 individuals have become National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coaches.

What does a career in health coaching look like?

To pursue a career in health coaching, it’s recommended that students become a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach by passing the NBHWC Board Exam. To be eligible to sit for the board exam, students must pass an NBHWC Approved Training Program, complete 50 health coaching sessions, and have an associate’s degree or higher (or 4000 hours of work experience). For more information on the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching, please visit nbhwc.org.

Health coaching is a growing profession, with annual growth rates expected at 6.7% per year, which is faster than many fields. Health coaches can work in a number of different settings – from healthcare settings, worksite or insurance programs, digital health, community-based programs, to self-employed. The day-to-day work of a health coach is dependent on what setting they work in, but it often involves meetings with multiple clients or groups of clients over the course of a day. 

What are the offerings related to health coaching at Louisiana Tech?

The Department of Kinesiology at Louisiana Tech University now offers two classes on health coaching. KINE 221, Health Coaching, is an introduction to the field of health coaching and students will learn the fundamental skills and theories of health coaching. KINE 321, Advanced Health Coaching, includes training in advanced skills and methods in health coaching, and provides students with a primer in ethics and professionalism as related to the field. As health coaching involves the development of many behavior change and communication skills, both classes include many demonstrations, activities, and other hands-on opportunities to learn and practice the material. 

Additionally, the Department of Kinesiology is awaiting final approval for an undergraduate certificate in health coaching. This certificate will include 24 credits of coursework, with 18 credits of required coursework, and 6 credits of elective coursework – to allow students to tailor the certificate to suit how they plan to utilize health coaching in their future career. Students will be able to add the undergraduate certificate in health coaching beginning in Spring 2024. In the coming months, we intend to apply for our undergraduate certificate program to become an NBHWC Approved Training Program, and I will be excited to share more when that happens!

What is my background in health coaching?

My academic background is in Kinesiology, and I have a Ph.D. in Kinesiology with an emphasis in sport and exercise psychology. One of my main areas of research has been motivation and social influence in physical activity, which lends itself well to health coaching. 

I completed a training program in health and wellness coaching in 2017 when I began teaching undergraduate courses in health coaching at the University of Iowa. In 2018, along with my colleagues at the University of Iowa, we developed an experiential learning program for our trained students to offer health coaching services to community members. In 2020, I became a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach after passing the NBHWC Board Exam. My goal in becoming a board certified health and wellness coach has always been to stay up to date with the latest knowledge and practices in the field in order to better serve the students I work with. 

As our health coaching coursework becomes integrated into our curriculum in the Department of Kinesiology and undergraduate certificate program launches, I look forward to sharing more opportunities for our students at Louisiana Tech in health coaching!

To watch the seminar Dr. Reichter presented on Health Coaching:
https://fb.watch/nQ0tjd-mUl/?mibextid=cr9u03