Book Review: Wellness Coaching for Lasting Lifestyle Change by Michael Arloski, PhD, PCC, CWP

This book addresses wellness coaching specifically and is built from experience both in wellness and in coaching.

Summary – The chapters of the book include:

• Introduction – Lifestyle Change, Coaching, Taking Wellness One-on-One, Mapping the Course

1. Toward a Psychology of Wellness – Deficiency Needs, Being Needs, Keys to Wellness, Being Centered
2. Grounded in Wellness: Basic Wellness Principles – What is Wellness? Defining Wellness Coaching, The Illness/Wellness Continuum, Dimensions of Wellness: Models, Michael Arioski’s Ten Tenets of Wellness
3. Taking Wellness One-on-One: Changing the Health Promotion Model from Large Groups to Individuals – Preventive Health, Wellness Full Circle, Individualizing Wellness, The Mindset Shift – Being an Ally, Four Cornerstones of Coaching, The New Four Cornerstones of Coaching
4. Seven Steps to Lasting Lifestyle Change: Lifestyle Improvement Model – Present Lifestyle, The Desire to Change, Seven Steps to Lasting Lifestyle Improvement, Assessment, Foundational Work on Self, Setting the Focus, Working Through Habit + Environmental Support, Initial Behavioral/Lifestyle Change
5. Becoming a Wellness Coach – Who Becomes a Wellness Coach,  What Makes a Good Coach, Getting Professional Training to Be a Coach, My Own Story, Insuring Your Own Personal Wellness Foundation
6. Creating the Alliance: Let the Coaching Begin! – Getting Clear on Coaching, Who’s Responsible for What, The Foundation Session, Foundational Coaching Skills, Active Listening Skills Used in Coaching
7. Charting the Course of Change: Wellness Mapping 360˚^TM Part I – Wellness Mapping 360˚^TM, Tools for Exploration, Wellness Assessments, The Wheel of Life, Formal Wellness Assessments, The Wellness Inventory, Physiological Measures
8. Charting the Course of Change: Wellness Mapping 360˚^TM Part II – The Personal Map or Plan, Co-Creating the Wellness Plan, Wellness Mapping 360˚^TM, Obtaining Loophole-Free Accountability, Wellness Mapping 360˚^TM
9. Choosing, Living, Loving, Being: Coaching the Strategic, Lifestyle, Interpersonal, and Intrapersonal Aspects of Effective Change – Coaching for Strategic Lifestyle Change, Choosing: Coaching the Strategic Aspects of Life, Goals Selection Based on True Priorities, Conscious Calendarizing, Living: Lifestyle Improvement Coaching, Loving: Coaching the Interpersonal Aspects of Life, Being: Coaching the Intrapersonal Self
10. Health and Medical Coaching – Coaching People with Health Challenges – Facing the Health Challenge, Readiness for Change, Grief, and Wellness Coaching, Wellness Mapping 360˚^TM in Health Coaching
11. Wellness Coaching in Action – Wellness Coaching: Destination Unknown-Possibilities Endless, Some Self-Employed Wellness Coaching Business Tips, The Wellness Revolution Rolls On

The Good: Excellent coverage of health and wellnessfrom the perspective of coaching for maximum benefits with foundational knowledge in both areas.

The Bad: It can be a bit dry of a read.

Conclusion: Definitely a great learning opportunity for coaches – plan time when you are most alert and read it in small parts.