Coaching Science

In case you are wondering about what a Health Coach does, or if health & wellness coaching can be an effective tool in your healthcare plan-

These articles share the science of coaching, research on the effectiveness of health coaching, medical organizations utilizing health coaches (including the VA and Harvard), and more. 

Health Coaching: Teaching Patients to Fish

May 2013

AFP (American Family Physician) Journal

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"Health coaching can be defined as helping patients gain the knowledge, skills, tools and confidence to become active participants in their care so that they can reach their self-identified health goals."

A Pilot Study of Health and Wellness Coaching for Fibromyalgia

November 8, 2016

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BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

"The Health & Wellness Coaching (HWC) program added to standard FM therapy produced clinically significant improvements in quality of life measures (FIQR), pain (BPI), and marked reductions in health care utilization. Such improvements do not typically occur spontaneously in FM patients, suggesting that HWC deserves further consideration as an intervention for FM."

Success with Health and Well-Being Coaching Codes

December 30, 2019

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

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"There are nearly 2,300 VA trained Health Coaches working in VA medical centers and clinics. Coaches help Veterans as they develop personal health plans, working with them to discover what matters to them and set goals. Together the patient and coach consider complementary and integrative health and well-being programs that may involve physical activities, contemplative practices, or creative expressions. Coaches offer patients support and attention to help them stay on track to meet their health and well-being goals and live Whole Health."

This Health Coaching Model Will Change the Way Doctors Engage With Patients

April 23, 2019

Wayne Jonas, MD

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"Health coaching helps these patients understand their chronic diseases and actively participate in their care. Coaches support patients in developing and following action plans for healthier behaviors. Health coaching has clinical and operational benefits and contributes to integrative primary care."

What is Neuroplasticity? A Psychologist Explains

January 1, 2020

PositivePsychology.com

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​"Neuroplasticity can also play an important role in helping people manage and treat chronic pain. After all, pain itself is experienced as a set or sequence of neuronal firings—if we can change the way our brains are wired, what’s to stop us from changing the experience of pain?"

Health coaching is effective. Should you try it?

April 8, 2020

Harvard Medical School

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"Coaching is effective for people managing a variety of health conditions. According to a recent study, coaching “results in clinically relevant improvements in multiple biomarker risk factors (including systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting glucose, body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and cardiorespiratory fitness) in diverse populations.” Coaching has also helped improve health-related quality of life and reduced hospital admissions in patients with COPD. No wonder some doctors’ offices are offering it, some insurance companies are paying for it, and private companies are even starting to offer coaching to their employees in order to lower their healthcare costs."

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