Specialists

Dietitians, psychologists and physiotherapists are specialists that dancers usually have access to if they are looking for help. A health coach is something that people in the Netherlands are not very familiar with, so this form of guidance and support is often overlooked, while it can be very useful for dancers and complements the help of specialists. Although it may seem like a broad title, if you find a health coach with the right qualifications and training, it can change your (dance) life for the better. I would like to take the time to explain more, so that health coaching can also be implemented in the Dutch dance world.

What is a health coach?

Of course, an expert approach from specialists is vital when a dancer is facing an immediate health crisis or considering surgery. However, it is not well suited to help dancers develop and maintain health-promoting behaviors. The approach of a health coach can be more appropriate and additional.

 Let me explain exactly what a health coach does:

• A health coach enables clients to adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Instead of creating a workout schedule or a diet plan, they use the science of behavior modification to further enhance a client's strengths. 
• A health coach acts as a guide in the quest to achieve goals set by the client himself. 
• A health coach is trained to bring out the best in the client.
• A health coach can help you uncover and strengthen any good habits and strengths you already have, but may not have taken advantage of. 
• By engaging closely and personally with clients, their mission is to help individuals make positive, accessible change. Consistency is the most important factor in leading a healthy lifestyle, and a big part of a health coach's job is to help you maintain that lifestyle.

Coaching is a particularly powerful method when it comes to encouraging individual behavior change, as it focuses on helping clients become more autonomous experts in their own well-being and personal path.

 Evidence

The above sounds very plausible, of course, but is there any evidence that this method also works?

Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN). The institute from which I obtained several certificates has existed for more than 30 years, and was already a forerunner in the market at the time. IIN is approved by the New York State Education Department and the Ohio State Education Department as a certificate program in health coaching and is recognized by the International Consortium of Credentialing Health and Wellness Coaches and International Institute of Complementary Therapists

IIN, understands there is a need for credibility, proof that health coaching works. Precisely because it was the first health coaching institution in the market, they first of all took the lead in distinguishing their program.

• IIN is licensed by the New York State Department of Education as a vocational school. This means that the IIN Health Coach Training Program curriculum is regularly reviewed to ensure that students receive the most accurate, up-to-date information.
• IIN earned full recognition by the NBHWC as an approved program provider, giving graduates of IIN's Coaching Intensive Practicum 2.0 the opportunity to earn board certification as well as continuing education credits through IIN's additional program offerings

In addition, IIN is continuously researching the results of health coaching.

Data from several studies is in and a variety of important health outcomes have been found to improve when individuals work with a health coach. In addition to physical health improvements, health coaches can also influence mental and emotional well-being. If you need to receive this documentation, please send me a message so that I can make sure you receive the proof.

 What is the difference?

In addition to people wanting proof, I also regularly get the question; “We already have a dietitian and a psychologist, why would we need a health coach?” 

Consider the health coach as a generalist for a healthy life: A health coach offers general coaching in several areas. You go to a psychologist if you want to process a trauma, you look at what is not going well and work on it. A health coach looks to the future and to what is going well.

It is quite possible that a health coach also has certifications in psychology, personal training or nutrition, but otherwise health coaches should always stay within their scope of practice , and always refer clients to a certified professional if the need arises.

Example:

If you are a dancer dealing with disturbed eating behavior or an eating disorder, then a doctor or registered dietician is the person you want to go to. However, if you need help staying consistent with their recommendations, a health coach can help you stay accountable.

 Should you hire a health coach?

Not everyone needs a psychologist or a dietician; maybe you just need a little better accountability, a fresh mindset, and personalized health tips. If you are a dancer looking for a positive change in your overall mental and physical health, hiring a health coach is definitely recommended. It is then important to find a health coach with whom you have a positive click. Also know that health coaches have a responsibility to take your entire lifestyle, medical history, and personality into account when helping you achieve your health goals. 

Some additional proof: 

I would also like to draw your attention to the work of two of my examples:

• Margaret Moore ( Co-Founder/Chair, Institute of Coaching, Mclean Hospital, A Harvard Medical School affiliate).
• My colleague, a former dancer and graduate of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, provides health coaching for dancers through The Dancers' Best Body Program. For example, this program has helped with binge eating, low self-esteem, and low energy in dancers. 

Future

In the future, health coaches will have a huge responsibility to bring their expertise to those who need it most. I hope that the dance world and the healthcare sector in the Netherlands will see the importance of health coaches in spaces that are traditionally only filled by specialists.

Source: IIN, Shape.com