What is a Health Coach—and Do You Need One?
Have you ever made New Year’s resolutions only to give up a few weeks in? Struggled with stubborn breakouts no matter what you try? Or left a doctor’s appointment feeling more confused than when you walked in?
If so, you’re not alone. In today’s world of constant (and often conflicting) health advice, it can feel impossible to know what to do. And even if you do know what steps to take, actually following through is another challenge altogether.
This is where a health coach comes in. Having someone on your team who can guide, support, and hold you accountable may be the missing piece that helps you finally make lasting change. In this post, I’ll explain what a health coach is, what we do (and don’t do), and how we can play an essential role on your health team.
What is a Health Coach?
A health coach is a health and wellness professional whose focus is to help clients improve their health through education, support, and behavior change. Depending on the client’s unique goals, this might mean:
Addressing persistent health challenges
Building healthier lifestyle habits
Reaching specific goals (like training for a race, reducing stress, or improving energy)
Creating routines that support chronic disease prevention
Health coaches typically focus on lifestyle foundations like nutrition, movement, sleep, stress, mindset and more. Additionally, many health coaches specialize in certain populations or health concerns, so you can often find a coach who aligns with your unique needs and goals.
Benefits of Working With a Health Coach
One of the biggest challenges in traditional healthcare is time. Doctors, physical therapists, and other providers may only be able to spend a few minutes with you–enough to diagnose or recommend next steps, but not enough to support the how.
This is where health coaches add value. We:
Spend more time with you
Help you turn recommendations into realistic, daily action
Provide accountability and motivation to make changes stick
Support you as you navigate your health journey
Think of it this way: your doctor provides medical expertise, while your health coach helps you implement those recommendations in a way that works for your real life. Together, that creates a much stronger health team.
What Health Coaches Do
Health coaches can help clients by:
Educating and teaching
Guiding and supporting
Motivating and empowering
Offering accountability
Helping clients advocate for themselves in healthcare settings
What Health Coaches Don’t Do
Because health coaching focuses on education, prevention, and behavior change, there are important things we don’t do. Health coaches do not:
Diagnose conditions
Prescribe medications
Create disease-specific meal plans (unless additionally licensed)
Interpret labs (unless specifically trained/certified)
Treat or cure medical conditions
Instead, we complement–not replace–your existing healthcare providers. A great health coach helps you feel more confident and prepared when working with other members of your healthcare team, so you can get the most of those partnerships and get the best care possible.
Ready to learn more about health coaching and how it can support your goals? Here’s how you can get started today:
Join my email list to stay in the loop on wellness tips and the launch of my services
Follow me on Instagram and Pinterest for wellness insights and inspiration
Contact me directly to explore becoming one of my first clients!
Your health journey is unique to you–but you don’t have to walk it alone. Let’s take the next step together.
