Good Advice
The coming of the health coach revolution
Institute for Integrative Nutrition founder Joshua Rosenthal addresses budding health coaches. (Photo: IIN)
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Juice powerhouse Organic Avenue was founded by one. The wellness workshops at Whole Foods are led by them. New Yorkers attend their cooking classes and grocery shopping tours and buy their cleanses and gluten-free granola.
In New York, suddenly, holistic health coaches are everywhere. And their unique approach to jump-starting the health of their clients—and the general population—is changing the ways people approach getting, and staying, healthy.
We interviewed numerous industry insiders, delving into the blossoming profession, the impact it’s having, and where it’s headed.
Quinn Asteak worked in fashion before becoming a health coach. “It felt like a good way to help people heal themselves, because I had just been on that journey myself.”
WHO THEY ARE
Health coaches are generally educated at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) in New York, which was founded 20 years ago by Joshua Rosenthal. Often, personal health issues and revelations draw them to IIN. They used to be sick, tired, and unhappy and want to help others kickstart their own transformations. And they’re not buying traditional approaches to nutrition.
“A lot of the masters and RD programs are a little outdated,” says Jen Morris, a coach and the co-founder of Urban Detox Club. “The traditional approaches that we’ve been using in our country are clearly not working. People continue to be sick. I wanted a program that looked at all components of a person’s life, that offered a more holistic approach.”
And that approach does not mean an education in raw, vegan orthodoxy. “There’s no one way of eating that works for everyone,” Rosenthal says, so IIN teaches more than 100 different dietary theories.
“One speaker would say you have to eat lard and meat, then the next would say to eat all plant-based, raw foods. And each of them proved their point,” says Jennifer Kass, a successful coach (and contributor to Well+Good).
WHAT DO HEALTH COACHES DO?
While health coaches are primarily trained to counsel clients one-on-one, the diverse curriculum leads to a variety of approaches and business models.
Kass mixes spirituality into her sessions with clients. Current student Lexi Hagenson plans on incorporating her new nutrition knowledge into her acupuncture practice. And, as mentioned, a slew of healthy companies—from Sakara Life and Gnosis Chocolate to Clean Plates have been created by health coaches.
Amy Jarosky left a hedge fund to become a health coach. “They say that all the broccoli in the world won’t fix your marriage. No matter how healthy you eat, if other areas in your life are out of balance, you won’t be healthy and happy.”
THE CREDIBILITY QUESTION
IIN’s program is just a year long, and certification is granted through the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. And, in 2011, the school converted to online-learning only.
While the program includes courses with wellness luminaries like David Wolfe, Mark Hyman, Andrew Weil, and Neal Barnard, many still question the depth of expertise that can be acquired in such a short period of time, and the fact that admission requirements are lax and classes are pass-fail.
“Coaches continue to get some backlash from people in medical and RD programs, from people who are eight years into schooling,” says Urban Detox’s Morris.
Morris and many other coaches said they wished there were continuing-education programs available after graduation and further holistic certifications that would enhance their credibility.
A REVOLUTIONARY NEW ROLE
Coaches are not meant to be RDs. And current IIN student Amy Jarosky says that she doesn’t see health coaches replacing another profession but supplementing what is already offered at doctor’s offices, gyms, and spas.
And lots of coaches compare the profession’s growth to yoga.
“Twenty years ago, who knew what yoga was?” says Quinn Asteak, a coach and co-founder of Healthy Cooking Camp. “Now, there’s a studio on every block or in every town, and it’s totally normal.”
Jennifer Kass agrees. “The health coach fills this new role that makes up for the doctor who just gives you Valium without having a conversation with you, the nutritionist who calorie counts, and the therapist who wants to dig into childhood and never talk about next steps. That stuff is so antiquated. We’re moving into a place where we’re taking responsibility for our health and happiness.” —Lisa Elaine Held
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This is a terrific, forward looking piece on the innovative interesection of health, fitness and wellness. I was part of a team that just developed the new, evidence-based Health Coach certification for the American Council on Exercise. “An ACE-certified Health Coach isn’t just a fitness professional. It can be a nurse, an occupational therapist, or even a corporate wellness representative who helps change the behaviors that have kept their clients and employees from losing weight, changing the way they eat, incorporating physical activity into their lives, and improving their overall health and well-being. An ACE Health Coach helps people with strategies and systems to change the fitness, nutrition and lifestyle behaviors that may be holding them back.”
Great article!! Especially about the credibility portion. I am currently doing yoga therapy with a client with whom I wanted to work as her health coach. She decided to go with the more “qualified” nutritionist / registered dietician who 1. is counting calories 2. Sees nothing wrong with her daily use of Equal 3-4 x’s a day 3. Using Lean Cuisine as her dinner to prevent her from going over her calories 4. Telling her she needs to start eating vegetables that she doesn’t like vs. working with her to begin finding and eating ones that she does like.
I believe some areas are worse than others as far as facing this situation. Any comments and suggestions are welcome.
I was actually thinking of getting my RD JUST so I could have the credentialing yet practice the what I know is truth and believe in.
I am also enrolled in this school. I came to the decision after watching my hubby’s health fail due to kidney failure and conjestive heart failure. We were told that better eating habits could have avoided both. That there is a clear link between some very unpleasant diseases and what food you put in your body. I want to help others BEFORE they damage their body to the point of illness.
As someone who attended IIN and is finishing up my Masters in Coaching from UPenn, it’s important to realize that health coaches do fill a different niche. Coaching is a very different modality than anything an RD might offer. Coaching is a healing modality just like yoga, acupuncture and food. The brilliance and why it’s relevant is it gives people understanding. We all have enough information today – what people need is understanding.
I don’t believe the coaching field is as regulated as it should be but I’m sure in time that will come. It’s just a new field getting itself organized. It is also helping shift the mentality that we have control and responsibility for our health, which is wonderful news to those of us who want what that possibility offers.
As a person who has studied nutrition on my own for over 30 years, I cannot believe how much I have learned and am learning every day since attending IIN. There are so many ways of approaching healthy living that the average person would never take the huge amount of time we spend learning how to personalize a program for our clients…and ourselves. And it is the personal attention that is missing healthcare today. Health coaches fill that need.
Thank you, Well and Good, for sharing this. As a grad of IIN, and several other programs, I’m thrilled to see someone address this.
I’m not a doctor, or a naturopath, or an RD who prescribes supplements or orders tests.
I like to think of my business as an angel on your shoulder.. I love food, I talk about food, and a holistic healthy lifestyle, and I guide others in my writing and speaking and media.
It’s a niche that’s growing and giving, sometimes in conjunction with a doctor, but often people need help navigating what to eat for optimal health in a way that health coaches focus on.
Your blog is amazing, and thank YOU for helping us!
Much love,
Holli Thompson
Great artical, Love that you call us Holistic health warriors! <3 we are! 53% of Americans are obese, 1 in 3 have cancer. Globally 17.3 million people die of cardiovascular diseases every year!! I think. RD's and Health Coaches should support one another,learn from each other and work together. By working together, we can change the world by making it a healthier and happier place!!!
Jennifer Kass NAILED it!:
“The health coach fills this new role that makes up for the doctor who just gives you Valium without having a conversation with you, the nutritionist who calorie counts, and the therapist who wants to dig into childhood and never talk about next steps. That stuff is so antiquated. We’re moving into a place where we’re taking responsibility for our health and happiness.”
Nice introduction into the subject of Health Coaching! I don’t see health coaches in competition with any of the professionals that have years of textbook and hands-on education. I see a health coach as someone who has the time to provide that extra one-on-one time. What Doctor or Registered Dietician (RD) has time to sit with a client for an hour two or three times a month discussing how to deal with cravings? Do either of them have time to check in wthi their clients and see how their trial run of eating la new grain is going? Or to go grocery shopping with them and show them the ins and outs of the produce aisle? We all know that our society as a whole is increasingly gaining more and more pounds and spending more and more time battling diseases that are robbing us of our quality of life! If there is a Health Coach out ther that can work with a client to enable them to achieve the goals that a Dr or a RD has htold them they need to meet, then why not? We have Life Coaches that are making a huge difference in the lives of people, why not a Health Coach? so far, it seems that the Health Coaches are only helping and people are meeting their personal wellness goals! Who can complain about that?
Incredible incredible article! I am just starting my career as a health coach, and am so excited about what the future may bring and how many lives I will touch. Thank you for posting this!
Thank you for the positive press! More people need to know about the resources available to them to help them become healthy and lead more fulfilling lives. I cannot say enough great things about IIN and the things I have learned. Touching other people’s lives and helping them get back on track is the most rewarding experience imaginable.
thank you IIN…I am proud to be a part of this school.
Thank you for this article Well & Good! I became a Health Coach about 2 years ago and have not looked back. To be able to guide women to change their lives, as I’ve changed mine, makes every day feel amazing. If anyone has any questions about Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I am happy to help. You can contact me through my website (www.healthylittlebit.com) Well & Good NYC you rock!
Great article. Nice to see both sides, as well as examples of other IIN grads rocking it out there. Hope to see more collaboration among the medical, health and fitness worlds as the field grows.
I as a 2012 grad from IIN this article totally touched me in many ways. I especially appreciated “The Credibility Question” section if it. In that regard I’d like to add that there is a continuing education program for grads at IIN called Immersion that provides graduates with the most advanced coaching techniques, marketing tools and an ongoing community support of like minded peers where we discuss our current client’s cases via IIN’s Online Education Forum and Facebook closed groups. I personally feel blessed to be a part of this HOLISTIC HEALTH REVOLUTION that is changing the world, one client at a time!
Your last paragraph really sums it up. I like the broad views brought to students of IIN by authorities with many different viewpoints. When I was working on my undergraduate degree and again on my master’s, I was exposed to a wide spectrum of philosophies, viewpoints and theories. The most important thing I learned in my college days was question everything. This is truly the guiding force of the IIN founder. Listen. Keep an open mind. Question everything and remember that we’re all different.
The great thing about trainers is that they can really dig into their market and give you all the information you need. You can not just rely on a doctor to be an expert in everything. It is good that more trainers are stepping up.
Thank you for spreading the word about health coaches and the important role we play in making the world a healthier, happier place to live. I’m very grateful for my IIN education!
Thank you for such a good article. I agree with the comment that said “Jennifer Kass nailed it!” She did, and if you just focus on the “action” (i.e. the list of so-called good and bad foods) and don’t focus on the root problem to get to the proper ecology (i.e., what’s holding the client back? Where is she/he stuck?), there will be no follow up–and no ultimate transformation.
Great article. I love IIN, I’m so happy to have graduated from there and learn all that I did. That being said, I graduated from IIN in 1999 which was a very different time for “health coaches” and not as popular as it is now. I did go on to get my Masters in Nutrition (and now PhD) so that I could get licensed with my state if I wanted to, and to get more in depth education in clinical nutrition, metabolic disorders, medical nutrition therapy, etc, which we did not focus on very much back then. I know the curriculum has changed and greatly expanded over the years, so hopefully all of that is part of the education now. What I love most about Health Coaches is that they are passionate people that really want to help, spread awareness, and create change. Our world needs that now, more than ever. I’m very grateful & proud to be a part of that movement. Sat Nam. xo
Bonita:
How about furthering your study in eating disorders to find out why people eat the way they do? As for your current client, don’t say too much, when she finds its not working, she may come around to you. She has to understand what working with her body means. Sometimes all that takes is slowing down.
I’ve just hit the one year mark in my health coaching practice and it’s so great to see this recognition for our industry. I’m thankful everyday that I see another client fit back into their skinny jeans and most importantly how the changes in their life has a ripple effect to their loved ones too.
Calling Jennifer Kass is the best thing I ever did. I suffered for yrs from various digestive issues and after a few months I was symptom free and even more important medication free. Her mind body soul approach gave me my life back!
Attending IIN was the best decision I’ve ever made. Not only do I have a career that I love, but I’m also the happiest, most balanced version of myself. And that alone is priceless. Thank you, Integrative Nutrition for existing!!
Yeah! IIN rocks. Definitely the best decision I’ve made for myself too…the community is super supportive and awesome. :) Thanks for sharing the love…
Thanks so much Well + Good for sharing about the wonderful world of health coaches! It’s been incredible seeing how this industry as a whole has been transforming over the years. I love what I do and I’m grateful to be part of this awesome community.
YAY HEALTH COACHES!!
Not only have I benefited from my own Amazing Health Coach, Liz Vequist http://watertownholistichealth.com/lizvequist/, I also Became a Health Coach through IIN!!
It totally changed my life personally and professionally and I am SO grateful to be living my Dream Life truly thanks to IIN.
Spreading Health and Happiness to the World!!!!
Great article with fabulous comments. That convinced me to join the program.
This article has been written at a critical point in time as many people are still “lost” when they hear of a holistic health coach. So thank you Well + Good for shedding light on this topic!
Holistic health coaches play a crucial role to balancing many different facets of life. The general population is aware of the need to be consuming more vegetables, but has this really been incorporated into their daily routine? In our increasingly busy world, this is where a health coach comes into play; by providing guidance and support every step of the way.
Much love,
Elena Kulakovska
Great article! Seeing a Health Coach literally changed my life five years ago and I remember being surprised that Health Coaching was not widely recognized. This is one of the many reasons LeanWagon.com was born. We make health coaching avaialable for everyone. We connect health coaches with consumers.
I am a current IIN student and am thrilled with the breadth of training in dietary theories to marketing. Following a lifetime of compulsive dieting and exercising, I intend to practice with women and girls to shift from weight loss diets to a healthy lifestyle which will lead to weight loss. I am focusing my writing and outreach towards that goal as well. Thanks, IIN! And thanks for the supportive blog and comments!
Great article! There is such a need to fill this hole in our health care system. It does not need to be competiton between RD’s and health coaches, we can both help this country become healthier.
So thrilled to see this amazing article! So many health care plans are now taking on Health Coaches as its the best way to really stay in-tune with your body and become the Healthiest YOU…and I’m glad you wrote about it! I’m a current student at IIN!
Hi everyone! I am also a health coach, studying to be an RD for the credibility reason exactly. So many people find more trust and comfort working with an “RD”. Like my Facebook page for more interesting info:
http://www.facebook.com/skinnybytara