Integrative Health (IH) Coaching is a client-centered, relational approach to working with individuals collaboratively to address the health and wellbeing of the whole person. It acknowledges the interdependent roles of the mind, body, and spirit and the innate healing capacity within each person, with an emphasis on self-care. An IH coach forms a partnership with individuals or groups to empower and support them in achieving their personal goals related to optimal health and wellness.
What is focused on during Integrative Health Coaching sessions?
During the coaching session, the IH Coach and Coaching Partner (CP) will work together to articulate the following:
- What is most important in life and what one would want their health and wellbeing for.
- The core areas that affect ones health and wellbeing – such as sleep, movement, resiliency, nutrition, spirituality, environment, and relationships.
- Goals to improve health and wellbeing.
- Action steps to achieve this goal.
Additionally, support is discussed for completing action steps, establishing timelines, accountability strategies, and how to anticipate possible challenges or barriers.
What is an Integrative Health Coaching Partner?
A coaching partner is the individual being coached. Many professions may refer to this individual as a client, patient, or customer. Each one of these titles signifies a relationship that is imbalanced. A patient receives medical care, a customer can be a person who buys goods from a store, and a client is generally a person using the services of another. A partner is a person who takes part in an undertaking with another. IH Coaching is a partnership with individuals to empower and support them. IH Coaching is neither advising clients on how to solve problems, nor educating them on what they should do. While educating, advising, or analyzing problems are on occasion necessary, they are not the primary purpose of coaching. IH Coaches are collaborative, co-creators, partners, and facilitators. An IH Coach enters each encounter as a facilitator, not as the expert. IH Coaching recognizes each individual as the expert in their own life and health, and therefore the partnership begins from the beginning.
Why is Integrative Health Coaching Effective?
- Coaching works with the whole person – addressing all core areas that influence health and wellbeing.
- Individuals are in charge of their health and wellbeing – coaches ask powerful questions and facilitate the process to maximize the CP’s potential for success.
- CPs and IH Coach will identify and articulate goals and the actions to achieve them.
- IH Coaches have a wealth of knowledge in lifestyle and integrative approaches for optimal health and wellbeing.
Why an AzCIM Certified Integrative Health Coach?
An AzCIM Certified IH Coach is trained and evaluated to the highest standards and have:
- Previous background and experience in a health-related field (including medicine, nursing, psychology, nutrition, acupuncture, therapy/counseling).
- Graduated from the 6-month (250-hour) Integrative Health and Lifestyle Program (IHeLP).
- Completed and passed all requirements for AzCIM’s IH Coaching Certification.
- Over 200 hours of training, including 35 hours of face-to-face, faculty-led training in Tucson, AZ and 28 total mentor-supervised practice hours.
- Rigorous evaluations of live coaching sessions by coaching faculty, Motivational Interviewing skills using proven MITI score by outside evaluator, and documentation of over 100 hours of practice coaching sessions.
What does an IH Coach do?
- Partners with individuals to achieve personal goals to improve your health and wellness.
- Is fully present with each encounter.
- Recognizes the innate wisdom and healing potential within every individual.
- Meets CPs where they are on their journey, without judgment.
- Enters each encounter as a facilitator, not as the expert.
- Emphasizes self-care and self-empowerment with individuals.
