What is Health and Wellness Coaching?
Health and well-being are impacted by multiple interconnected dimensions - physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. A Health and Wellness Coach will help support you in discovering ways to successfully implement healthy, sustainable lifestyle behaviors across these various dimensions. The coaching relationship is a partnership that focuses on the whole person, helping you develop and realize your optimal health vision through inquiry, personal discovery and accountability.
Scope of Practice
Coaching appointments differ from primary care appointments at AFP in that health coaches do not diagnose conditions, prescribe treatments, or provide psychological therapeutic interventions. The coach is there as a support and guide, but the agenda, goals, methods, and pace are up to you. Coaches may provide expert guidance in areas in which they hold active credentials. For example, Judy is credentialed as a HeartMath instructor, and Liz is certified as a Functional Medicine coach.
Mental/Behavioral Health
If applicable, we expect you to maintain regular follow-up with mental/behavioral health providers as recommended by your primary care provider (PCP) or psychiatric provider. If the coach determines that further behavioral health interventions are needed, they will discuss these with you. If you are unwilling to seek the recommended services, the coach reserves the right to terminate the coaching relationship.
Medical Concerns
Health coaching visits at AFP are “shared” with a supervising provider. However, these visits are not a replacement for medical care. Therefore, we expect you to maintain recommended follow-up with your PCP and other medical specialists involved in your care, including an annual physical with your PCP. If you have a new medical concern, please make an appointment to discuss with a medical provider BEFORE discussing with your health coach. If you bring up a new medical concern with your Health Coach we may need to cancel your coaching appointment and try to reschedule with your medical provider. The coach reserves the right to terminate the coaching relationship at any time.