What happens if someone wants to discuss health challenges? Often times individuals working with a coach for health challenges find a coach specializing in that niche. Health coaching is a fast-growing segment of coaching. Alternatively, clients working with a coach on other areas of life or work may also be facing health challenges. When they have a positive working relationship with their coach, the client may prefer to bring up their health concerns in a coaching session. Coach training prepares coaches with the awareness that the client chooses what they want to discuss and it is the role of the coach to dance in the moment and flex to the client.
What is someone wants to talk about their weight? Just as with health challenges, the client chooses what they want to work on. Sometimes coaches are uncomfortable discussing weight because it is considered a very personal topic. Coaching certification teaches the coach to be comfortable being uncomfortable and that means empowering the client to choose the topic then having the conversation on their chosen topic.
What if someone wants to talk about their mental health? Coaching is very different from counseling, therapy, or psychiatry. The ICF coaching competency on meeting ethical guidelines includes this: clearly communicates the distinctions between coaching, consulting, psychotherapy and other support professions. Coaches work with people who are whole on what they want and how they will move forward. Sometimes this means a conversation on what other professional will best support an individual. Sometimes clients are seeing a mental health professional and work with a coach too. The role of the coach is to work with clients on what they do want and how they will achieve their objectives. This means ensuring the coaching is appropriate and if yes, asking questions with a forward focus.
