What Is Health Coaching, Really?
It’s deja vu. You're back at your doctor's office, nodding as they tell you, once again, to “eat better and move more.” You’re smiling on the outside, but cringing on the inside because no matter how good your intentions are, you’re terrified you’ll fail again. You know what to do, but weeks later, nothing's really changed, and you're still not sure why.
That gap, between knowing what you should do and actually doing it, is where health coaching lives.
If that title “health coach” is new to you, you're not behind. It's been slowly working its way into our lexicon for a few decades now. As the industry grows and matures, so does coaching itself. What once looked like the Wild West is slowly being tamed, with clearer standards, stronger credentials, and a growing body of research.
Health Coach vs. Life Coach vs. Registered Dietitian vs. Therapist
Most people have heard of a life coach (not that everyone understands that either) and assume it's synonymous with a health coach. Likewise, people sometimes seek a registered dietitian or certified nutrition specialist and stumble upon a nutrition coach (basically a health coach focused on nutrition). And while coaching isn’t therapy, most coaches do focus on behavior change and explore thoughts and feelings.
Where Health Coaching Overlaps
Profession | Their primary focus | Where health coaching overlaps |
Life coach | Personal or professional growth, including goals, confidence, relationships, careers, and life transitions. | A health coach also looks at the bigger picture. Work, relationships, confidence, and purpose can all affect your health and your ability to make changes. |
Registered dietitian/CNS | Food and nutrition. Dietitians can assess nutritional needs, create individualized plans, and provide medical nutrition therapy for health conditions. | A health coach can explore eating habits, routines, and the obstacles that make healthy choices difficult. We can also help clients follow recommendations from a dietitian or doctor, but we don’t prescribe diets or treat medical conditions. |
Therapist | Mental and emotional health. Therapists can diagnose and treat mental-health conditions, explore thoughts and feelings, and help clients understand how past experiences may be affecting the present. | A health coach may help clients notice how current thoughts, emotions, stress, and behavioral patterns affect their health. We don’t provide therapy, process trauma, or manage mental-health conditions or crises. |
To be crystal clear, health coaches don’t act as licensed professionals, nor are we meant to replace them. We’re trained to look at the big picture, from the food you eat to your relationships, from behavioral patterns to motivating change - and everything in between. We help you connect the multitude of dots that make up your life, and turn those insights into action; action into lasting change.
More to the story
There are, of course, a multitude of things a coach might specialize in; this is only a broad view of the topic. Every coach is as different as a snowflake, bringing their own unique combination of education, training, and personality to the table.
What does the research say?
We complement healthcare professionals. When health coaches team up with dietitians, therapists, and doctors, we can have a positive impact. More and more physicians are working alongside health coaches, specifically to help patients follow through on the goals they set in the exam room. Learn how the American Medical Association describes health coaching in primary care.
Does It Actually Work?
Fair question. Coaching can sound soft next to something like a prescription, so here's the short answer: yes, it can, and a growing body of research supports it.
A systematic review of health coaching in patients with chronic disease found improvements in weight management, physical activity, and overall physical and mental health. Read the review.
A Vanderbilt-led study of coaching for people at risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes found that participants stayed more active at six months and again at one year, with lower depression scores at the six-month mark. Read the study summary.
A recent study of older adults with multiple chronic conditions found that health coaching boosted confidence in managing their own health, improved nutrition habits, and reduced both loneliness and depression. Read the study.
None of this means coaching replaces medical care. It means it's a legitimate, evidence-backed piece of the puzzle, not just a feel-good buzzword.
Your guide on the side
Think of a health coach as a guide, one who helps you turn good intentions into habits that actually stick. We work on the follow-through: building routines, working through obstacles as they come up, and keeping you accountable when motivation dips (because it will).
That often takes us into some of the same territory as life coaches, dietitians, and therapists, because your health doesn’t live in a neat little box. Work, relationships, food, stress, confidence, habits. It’s all connected.
In a way, we're a jack of all trades. And sometimes, that's more helpful than a master of one.
Curious whether coaching might be a good fit for you?