A key part of effective coaching is helping our clients to find a way over, under, around and through the barriers that get between them and their goals. The best-laid wellness plans are inevitably challenged by some combination of “life getting in the way”, lack of environmental support, or sometimes even the “push-back” resistance from peers.
The other side of this coin are the “internal barriers” that also block our progress. These are composed of our personal belief systems, values, and self-talk, including the “inner critic” or “gremlin” talk that sabotages our efforts at change. We will address the internal barriers in a later article.
We’ve all seen the efforts of clients, family and friends derailed when a source of stress arises, there is a break in routine, a spouse or partner objects to them using time for self-care, families rebel against dietary changes, etc. Someone’s workload increases, money gets tight, an aging parent’s health worsens, and the person resumes smoking, drops their healthy eating habits, increases their amount of sedentary activity and so forth. When attempting lifestyle improvement alone this is when progress halts or even regresses.
When a person is working with their wellness coach this is where support, creativity, strategic thinking and real fun comes into the coaching process. Let’s look at how the wellness coach can employ various skills and strategies to help their client create lifestyle change that lasts.
1. Use a strengths-based, positive psychology approach. Approaching a challenge to change with the usual “What’s wrong and how can we fix it?” style is kind of like asking a “Why?” question. The usual response is… “I don’t know.” Instead take complete inventory of the situation first getting a very accurate picture of “what is”. The effective wellness coach will draw upon earlier foundational work with their client and bring forth the strengths that the client has that they can make use of in meeting this particular challenge. For example, one client of mine was in a great rehabilitative exercise program for her surgically repaired knee when “life happened”. Remembering how she had earlier described meeting other scheduling challenges at work with great flexibility and creativity, I challenged her to use those same attributes to deal with her new dilemma. Her energy surged and she came up with a solution that got her back on track.
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Free Webinar Schedule Join Dr. Arloski for Free 30 min. Lunch & Learn Webinars 12:00pm - 12:30pm Eastern time. Available to the first 25 people who register - Debora
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- JAN 26th (Wed.) - Coaching Through Barriers – Part One – Outer Barriers To Lifestyle Improvement : A key part of effective coaching is helping our clients t o find a way over, under, around and through the barriers that get between them and their goals. The best-laid wellness plans are inevitably challenged by some combination of “life getting in the way”, lack of environmental support, or sometimes even the “push-back” resistance from peers. This is where support, creativity, strategic thinking and real fun comes into coaching. Lifestyle improvement efforts can easily be derailed by these external barriers. In this webinar Dr. Arloski will focus on how the wellness coach can employ various skills and strategies to help their client create lifestyle change that lasts.
- FEB 23rd (Wed.) Coaching Through Barriers – Part Two – Inner Barriers To Lifestyle Improvement
- MARCH 30th (Wed.) Successful application of wellness coaching in different settings
- APRIL 26th (Tue.) The Power of Habit: Neuroscience and Coaching
- MAY 27th (Fri.) Coaching with lifestyle and fitness Apps
- JUNE 29th (Wed) Successful application of wellness coaching in different settings
Wellness Coach Opportunity - this is a great opportunity for coaches certified as WM360 wellness coaches! A couple of global providers of Wellness & Health Coach services are looking to hire Wellness Coaches certified in the WM360 method. One of these companies is based in San Diego and the other in Denver, Colorado. If you are interested and live near or in either of these cities please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please include the details about your coaching and health and wellness background as well as your Name, E mail and Telephone number.
Certification Training Schedule This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.for information or to register!
$200 incentive for enrolling in both Wellness Coach & Health Coach Certification trainings at the same time!
This training activity has been approved for continuing education credit for Nurse CNE’s, Academy of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and Health Educators (CECH).
Complete 2011 Class Schedule
Upcoming Certification Classes
WM360™“Wellness Coach” Certification Training (20 hrs) Learn wellness concepts and professional coaching competencies that will give you the skills needed to individualize your wellness program or current work. Learn how to motivate others toward health and positive lasting lifestyle change.
- January 25th - March 3rd 12pm - 2pm Eastern time (T/TH) No class 2/8 & 2/10
- January 25th - March 3rd 7pm - 9pm Eastern time (T/TH) No class 2/8 & 2/10
$895.00 US- Registration fee includes course manual, digital tool package, and web-based support. You will need to purchase the book Wellness Coaching for Lasting Lifestyle Change.
WM360™ “Health Coach” Certification (Wellness Coach Certificate is a pre-requisite) (12 hrs) Participants learn to apply the WM360 model of wellness coaching to working with people with health challenges and in different settings including working the model with groups.
- March 8th, 10th, 29th, 31st, and April 5th and 14th (6 sessions) 12-2pm Eastern time
- March 8th, 10th, 29th, 31st, and April 5th and 14th (6 sessions) 7pm - 9pm Eastern time
$495 US - Registration fee includes course manual and web based supports. Participants need to purchase Paths of Wellness, Your Guide to a Healthier Life
Trainings Live and On-Location!
“Wellness & Health Coach” Certification Intensive (32 hrs)
$1295.00 (with early registration) Registration fee includes 2 course manuals, digital tool package, the books Wellness Coaching for Lasting Lifestyle Change, Your Guide to a Healthier Life, Paths of Wellness guided journal, snacks/drinks daily, continued web/ personal su pport and daily access to Miramont Lifestyle Fitness Ce nter. Assistance with travel arrangements available with request.
Live in Raleigh, North Carolina
January 19th - 22nd (Weds. - Sat.)
Live in Fort Collins Colorado
June 15th - 18th (Weds. - Sat.)
More coming Soon!
For Information or register for any class call 866-568-4702 or email
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Other than smoking and hearing about too little fiber in our diets most people don’t really get the impression that cancer is related much to lifestyle, yet the American Cancer Society sees an 82% correlation! In fact they say that fully one-third of all cancer deaths are related to diet and activity factors. Being overweight has been exposed as a major cancer risk, especially for the development of breast cancer.
Moving past his own doctor’s admonition that there was nothing he could do to prevent a relapse, he explored integrative and wellness approaches that showed him lifestyle changes could make a difference.
