Integrative Wellness Coaching for Recovering Patients and Their Caregivers
I’m honored to help patients facing major health challenges to improve their vital health indicators and overall wellbeing. I coach people who are recovering or rehabilitating from, or managing and mitigating the symptoms of, such conditions as:
- Overweight and obesity
- Cancer survival
- Chronic anxiety and depression
- Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Cardiovascular disease
- Pulmonary disease
- Hypertension
- Arthritis
- Orthopedic surgery
- Substance abuse and addiction
- Diabetes mellitus
- Dyslipidemia
- Trauma and PTSD
- Kidney disease
- Osteoporosis
- Fibromyalgia
- Early-stage multiple sclerosis
- Cerebral palsy
- Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
- Parkinson’s disease
Common Factors in Integrative Wellness Coaching
Although these diseases and disorders vary greatly from one another, coaching people through recovery or rehabilitation from them shares some common factors. For one thing, the coaching program must be individualistic because no two clients are alike. This is especially the case because these diseases tend to come in clusters, meaning most clients are recovering from multiple conditions. For example, people suffering from kidney disease also tend to suffer from hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease.
For all these conditions, client wellness improves through healthy lifestyle changes, such as better nutrition, increased recreational activity, and a supervised exercise program tailored to the client’s disease status. Integrative wellness coaching also addresses such lifestyle issues as smoking cessation, moderation of alcohol consumption, weight management, methods to lower blood pressure, ways to reduce pain and stiffness, and behavioral changes that improve mental outlook and quality of life.
Integrative Coaching for Caregivers
Caregivers of recovering and rehabilitating patients often face major psychological, emotional, and physical challenges in helping their patient heal on a day-in and day-out basis. Indeed, their role in the healthcare process might be the most valuable role of all, though it’s often overlooked. They’re the ones who watch, wait, and worry to ensure the patient adheres to the treatment regimen. They’re the ones who are there to cheer every small step forward—and to keep their chins up in the face of setbacks.
As a coach, I’m able to provide an emotional backstop and empathic sounding board for our valued caregivers. Often, as a function of my training and experience, I can suggest alternative motivational and behavioral change strategies to support the caregiver’s efforts and effectiveness with the patient. Far be it from me to pretend to know better than the caregiver the challenges in supporting a given patient. As an independent third-party, however, I often can be of help by seeing the situation with less emotional involvement and framing it in terms of current best-practices in behavioral change and health and wellness. In essence, I can help caregivers become more effective coaches for their patients.
The Coach’s Role as Trusted Confidant
Often, the emotional and psychological challenges that people recovering from disease face are the hardest challenges of all. These are the areas where integrative wellness coaching can really help by promoting:
- Greater motivation to heal.
- Understanding of the challenges faced.
- A more positive self-image.
- Ways to better manage stress, anxiety, and mood.
- A more hopeful future vision.
- Improved self-esteem and self-confidence.
Above all, a coach provides comfort and emotional support throughout the recovery or rehabilitation process. Somehow people get better faster when someone they can trust walks alongside them while providing empathy, compassion, and confidentiality.
End-of-Life Coaching
End-of-life coaching provides emotional and psychological support for a person who’s dying, as well as for those who may be grieving for a dying person. It’s all about creating a space that’s free from fear of judgment and filled instead with empathy and understanding. It’s also a time for questions informed by the coach’s deep listening, questions that help the person make meaning of their life.
The end-of-life coach also looks out for the person’s needs and makes sure their wishes are respected. Sometimes this means reading to them. Maybe it means playing music they like. Or perhaps it entails affirming the naturalness of the dying process, as well as the attendant anxiety and grief. Everything comes down to connecting with the person in their most difficult hour.
Ultimately, end-of-life coaching is about respecting the dying person—without advice, direction, or moralizing. Transformation can occur when the dying person is understood and respected in such a deep way. This is why end-of-life coaching is an honor and privilege for me. As the survivor of a near-fatal accident from which I was given little chance to live, I’ve seen the “other side.” But I came back to this world to complete unfinished business. I gain immeasurably from the courage and humility of people in their final hours and appreciate the way it tests my own self-awareness, calm, restraint, and presence.
Special Note
It is important to point out that I’m not a doctor. Integrative wellness coaching in no way replaces your doctor’s diagnosis or treatment. Rather, as a coach, I’m there to support you in carrying out your medical team’s advice by helping you put it into practice it in your day-to-day life.