The Whole Person Approach: Integrated Health Education

I’ve been getting many questions about what my job is. This post is to address a few common questions:

1) What is integrated health?

2) How is it different from other forms of coaching or therapy?

3) What is your background in this field?

1) What is integrated health and integrative health education coaching?

An integrated health coach offers a safe space and supportive environment for people to explore their personal health goals. For many of my clients, it is a medical recommendation from a doctor. For others, it is looking for support on reaching a personal wellness goal.

• It’s a whole person approach: Health involves more than just numbers! The view of health integrative coaches take incorporates every aspect of your life that impacts your health and wellbeing (* See Duke University’s Wheel Of Health Below)

  • The Wheel of Health includes:

    • You, at the center

    • Mindful Awareness (how you view yourself and the present moment)

    • The pillars that build you up:

      • Physical Environment

      • Nutrition & Lifestyle

      • Mental & Emotional Wellbeing

      • Fulfillment & Purpose

      • Physical Activity & Fitness

      • Sleep & Rest

    • Your community

• It’s a partnership & client driven: Integrated Health Coaches are not your doctors. I won’t tell you exactly what to do. Why? Because you’re the expert of your own life! To make sustainable change, the steps along the way have to be realistic for you. So, I’ll partner with you and help you explore the best steps to reach your final wellness goal and incorporate new habits.

• We honor progress over perfection: new insights along the way are key, and as you make life changes, we take the data and learn from it! The plan is to translate new insights about health into action that improves your health and well-being.

Duke University’s Wheel of Health

2) How is it different than other forms of coaching or therapy?

The perspective of integrative health is the whole person. Many other forms of coaching hone in on one single aspect. It depends on what you want. If you’re looking for just nutrition advice, you might seek out a nutritionist. But, if you recognize that there might be an imbalance in other parts of your wellness (ex. sleep quality, stress, fulfillment…) that are hindering your nutrition goal, integrative health coaching is the best fit for you.

Therapists and psychologists focus primarily on healings from the past. While past experiences and lessons learned can be helpful and meaningful in self understanding and setting new goals, health coaching is not past-focused. Integrative health focuses on where you are now, and where you want to be. We start at present self and move to future self.

3) What is your background in this field?

I received my Master of Education in 2017 and taught for 6 years. Duke University’s Integrative Health Program has allowed me the qualifications to combine my two passions: education and wellness. It is my mission to help educate my clients about the most important person in their lives: themselves. I work with my clients to reflect on their present self, and set realistic goals to build the foundation to implement new habits and achieve the wellness goals they are working towards.

Master of Education- 2017

For those of you who have made it here, thank you for reading.

Questions or want to learn more? Leave a comment or message me directly!