Our Health Coaches have helped countless participants achieve health goals like losing weight or improving fitness. But did you know that Health Coaches also provide support for a range of holistic health needs including mental and emotional health, managing chronic conditions and even menopausal support? This is what sets our coaching offering apart. Read on to learn 7 ways our WebMD Health Coaches provide whole-person support for a wide variety of well-being goals.
Many well-being programs offer health coaching as part of their platform. We like to think that our health coaching services are different. What sets our Health Coaches apart?
1. We consider the whole person.
Participants often come to a Health Coach with a specific health goal in mind—for example, become more active. And while we’re happy to offer a plan to increase physical activity, our Health Coaches first take time to understand all aspects of the participant’s life—work, hobbies, home life, family—that might impact their ability to improve fitness. This way, the coach can develop a realistic plan that’s tailored to the participant’s unique life circumstances.
2. We help people connect the well-being dots.
Coaches increase participants’ awareness that everything we experience in our bodies—both physically and mentally—is connected. Say a participant comes to a Health Coach struggling to lose weight. Our Health Coaches will naturally ask about eating and exercise habits, but they’ll also ask the participant about sleep, given the connection between poor sleep and increased eating throughout the day. If it turns out that sleep is an issue, they can review sleep routines and offer a plan to begin improving sleep quality—in addition to any diet and activity recommendations.
3. We help participants identify their “why.”
The science of behavior change teaches us that it’s critical for participants to articulate exactly what they want to change about their health and “why.” We use motivational interviewing techniques to uncover what will spur and sustain behavior change. For example, a coach might ask a participant how their life might be different if they quit smoking. Responses might include: “I’ll have more stamina to play with my kids,” or “I’ll be able to take the stairs without stopping to rest.” This technique taps into intrinsic motivation, which leads to greater behavior change than extrinsic motivation, i.e., having someone say “You need to quit smoking.”
4. We offer support for mental and emotional health.
Huge numbers of American workers are suffering from mental health concerns like stress, anxiety, depression and burnout. Making matters worse, there’s also a dire shortage of mental health providers. We recently launched a new coaching offering that provides much-needed support for mental and emotional health. And while our Mental Health Coaching is not a substitute for therapy, it can get people on the path to better mental health while they wait to see a therapist. Our Health Coaches are equipped to direct people to the best type of therapy for their concern, and help them navigate their employer’s mental health resources, like Employee Assistance Programs and our WebMD ONE Daily Habits Plans.
5. We provide support for women’s hormonal health and menopause.
Despite the fact that all women will go through menopause at some point, there is very little discussion of and support for it, especially in the workplace. At WebMD, our Health Coaches are ready to help this critical segment of the workforce stay productive and healthy during this phase of their life. All of our WebMD lifestyle management Health Coaches have undergone training on women’s hormonal health and menopause and can provide counseling and support strategies for common menopausal symptoms like weight gain, sleep issues, brain fog, mental health concerns and hot flashes or night sweats.
6. We become trusted partners to our clients.
Changing health behaviors is hard work, and few people can do it all on their own. WebMD Health Coaches form true partnerships with participants and provide the emotional support and accountability that making health improvements requires. The relationship is similar to a professional mentor, sports team coach, personal trainer, or even a financial advisor. Whether it’s a few words of encouragement to push past a plateau or just a listening ear, our coaches are there to support participants however they need it.
7. We make it easy to engage with a Health Coach.
Coaching is available in person, over the phone, through text, via Coach Connect online messaging, and as a group session, allowing participants to interact with WebMD Health Coaches at the times and in the places that are most convenient for them.
That’s not all….
You’d be surprised at the breadth of support we offer. Here is just a sampling of the kinds of non-traditional whole-person support our coaches have provided to participants:
- Alcohol and drug abuse or addiction
- Bereavement, grief, or loss
- Coping with the pressures of being a manager
- Depression and anxiety
- Emotional eating
- Incorporating mindfulness into daily life
- Managing chronic conditions like diabetes, COPD, and high blood pressure
- Marital and relationship conflict
- Medication adherence
- Quitting vaping or smoking
- Setting boundaries between work and life
- Stress management, including workplace stress
- Trauma recovery
- Understanding how to access company benefits, like Employee Assistance Programs or mental health resources
Combining education, experience, and motivational training, every WebMD Health Coach is a teacher, trusted partner, and well-being expert. Their whole-person approach to health helps participants achieve well-being goals across multiple aspects of their lives. If you’re interested in optimizing health coaching in the workplace, contact us at connect@webmd.net.
