Healthy-Self Choices
Have you noticed that there seems to be an emerging new paradigm in the field of health and wellness? Lifestyle Medicine approaches, combined with Complementary and Alternative health approaches seem to be becoming much more integrated with more orthodox fields of health.
I think this is perhaps largely as a result of the Covid pandemic lockdowns when, in the UK at least, people were finding it much more difficult to get medical appointments with their GP (General Practitioner) or other health professional, hospital appointments were getting deferred .. and deferred .. and medication supplies were often getting dangerously interrupted. So many people are thinking much more about what they can do for themselves with their health and wellness, taking more responsibility perhaps and being more open-minded to alternatives.
After all, being able to adopt an integrated approach provides a person with more choices and options .. and that's got to be a good think.
In a culture where we “have a pill for every ill”, so few people seem to realise they can truly take more responsibility for their own health. But wherever we are on our own health and wellbeing journeys, we ALWAYS have options and choices available to us.
I remember as a child that my father used to make tonics and poultices from herbs he grew in our garden, as did his mother before him; they were always an option. Equally, I recall more than once or twice my mother taking me to see the family GP at the village practice. (He had a kind face, huge bushy eyebrows that used to fascinate me as a 7 year old, and indiscernible writing, I recall)!
Today though, at least in the UK, we can make the most of a wealth of choices on how we manage our own health by looking at both orthodox and alternative options, doing our own research, looking at different perspectives and different views from different experts. It can be a little daunting or confusing at times because well, let’s face it, there are so many experts, whether they focus on Nutrition, Exercise, Specific Remedies, Orthodox Medicine, Holistic Therapies, Homeopathic Remedies, and so on. There is so much choice!!
Looking at different perspectives and then making our own choices is so much more empowering and liberating than feeling as if there is no choice at all, or being resigned to a particular fate or specific outcome. Would you agree?
What is Health Coaching anyway?
When you work with me as your Health Coach, I won’t make decisions for you, or tell you what to do.
When I am doing some “pure coaching.” I’ll ask you questions and help to empower you to find the solutions that are right for You. We’ll get clarity together on what your goals are, what is important to you, what you have or have not already tried, what has or has not already worked for you, and what inner conflicts (if any) have been holding you back from reaching these goals by yourself.
To support you further, I’ll also be able to draw on my own experiences, if required, to help you achieve some of the things I’ve already achieved myself or for other clients I've worked with. This might include sharing a specific technique with you so that you can develop extra skills for yourself that you can use time and time again whenever required.
Through my health coach training (specifically with the Lifestyle Prescriptions™ University, and META-Health Academy before that) I have gained a much deeper awareness of the language our bodies speak, expressed through very specific symptoms. Coupled with my other skills and experience working and teaching in complementary therapies, meditation, meridian-energy therapies and as a certified Passion Test Facilitator, I have a lot to offer you in terms of additional and dedicated resource you can tap into.
Who can benefit from working with me as their Health Coach?
You don't have to be unhappy with your health to benefit from working with me.
You may have reached a plateau or flat spot with your health, or feel plain stuck and feel that you need a bit of extra impetus or plain-old brainstorming with someone you can trust.
You may may feel your optimism and love of life waning a little, and you want to be able to turn challenges into opportunities instead
You want to learn some new strategies - and preferably some practical skills - to help you achieve your health and wellbeing goals and uplift your health to the next level.
You know you’ll benefit from that extra bit of extra motivation and support that your own social or family circle is unable to help you with at the moment.
You want to work with someone who is a great listener, and who will notice the things you don’t say just as much as the things you do.
You want someone who is going to welcome and work with you unconditionally, accepting you just the way you are, who you are and where you are.
You’ll get some options on how you work with your coach, agree together on the terms of your relationship, and the level of support and intervention that you need.
If you want to move your health and wellbeing up to a higher level or priority in your life, you can keep on making progress the way you have always done by yourself. Or you can accelerate your progress and get more clarity on your short, medium and long term health goals, and work with someone who is going to support you and encourage you all the way! That could be the extra bit of motivation that helps you take those extra little actions that make all the difference.