In the realm of health and wellness, Amy is a true luminary. Her journey is marked by a relentless commitment to helping individuals transform their lives, reinvigorate their health, and rediscover their potential. Amy’s impressive credentials bear witness to her dedication to the field, where she stands as a beacon of knowledge and hope for those in pursuit of holistic well-being. In this article, we’ll embark on a journey of discovery with Amy, unveiling the depth of her expertise, her philosophy, and her unique approach to health and wellness. We’ll explore the transformative power of a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, while also delving into the specialized insights that come with being a Certified Functional Medicine Health Coach. Join Mystic Mag as we delve into the world of Amy Haugen, a guiding light on the journey to a healthier, more vibrant life.
As an NBC-HWC, CFMHC, can you share how these certifications have influenced your approach to virtual health and wellness coaching?
I became a Functional Medicine certified health and wellness coach because I believe in finding the “root cause “of problems using holistic methods and wanted a better solution for getting myself and my family healthy rather than using the traditional medicine methods. I became Nationally Board Certified in health and wellness because it is the “gold standard” for health and wellness coaching and it represents my dedication to providing the best coaching practices to my clients. With both credentials, in addition to being a registered dental hygienist, I believe I can provide my clients with the most up to date health information and support them with the best methods in behavioral health change.
How do you incorporate FM principles into your virtual coaching practice to address the root causes of health issues?
As a certified Functional Medicine health coach, I view my clients holistically, as a whole person where each system of the body works together in a bigger system. I collaborate with clients on finding the root cause of health issues by using lifestyle-based interventions to address risk factors for chronic diseases and begin to work on establishing and maintaining a strong foundation for change as it aligns to optimize their health and well-being. As it pertains to the client, I also work with their physician to form a collaborative healthcare team to further support and empower clients to make lifestyle changes. These forms of collaboration help motivate clients to reduce their risk factors for disease and therefore enhance the change process together with greatly improving a client’s health outcome. All of which help my clients get to the root cause of their health concerns and behaviors in an uplifting, positive coaching environment.
What type of services do you offer?
My services include 1:1 personalized virtual health and wellness coaching. I also offer virtual group coaching sessions set up by topics of special interest. I specialize in a variety of nutritional approaches, exercise and stress management, weight loss and hormone challenges, along with sleep struggles and adopting a healthy lifestyle.
Virtual coaching often involves setting and tracking goals. Can you describe your process for helping clients set realistic and achievable health and wellness goals through virtual interactions?
I am a huge believer in using the SMART goal technique to help clients set up and attain reasonable goals. Using the SMART goal techniques requires the client to think about the many components involved in achieving their goal. S-specific, M-Measurable, A-Attainable, R-realistic, and T- timely. Guiding a client to consistently change or improve a habit requires a lot of work. Deciding to change is a huge first step in the right direction, and then actively thinking and planning for the change will further the success of the goal and help prepare and motivate the client to stay on track.
Virtual coaching is very similar to in person coaching in that you are coached by a live person in real time. Clients must have an internet connection, and then they can work on a variety of skills or areas of development that are important to them. Working with clients virtually allows them to be coached in an environment that is comfortable to them. Virtual coaching allows for more flexibility in time and place because there is no travel to a destination and the location is convenient and chosen by the client.
Building a supportive and motivating relationship is crucial in coaching. How do you establish a strong coach-client connection in a virtual setting, especially when dealing with complex health issues?
Establishing and maintaining a supportive and motivating relationship is crucial in coaching. In addition, maintaining a strong and empathetic relationship with a client is a powerful way to connect and sustain lifestyle and behavior-based changes. Meeting my clients right where they are in any area of health and wellness without judgment is important and necessary in the coaching relationship. My clients control their choices and are encouraged to act on things that are of value and meaningful to them. Through exploring, engaging, focusing, and planning I am dedicated to my client’s health and wellness journey.
What advice would you give to individuals who are considering virtual health and wellness coaching, and how can they select a coach who aligns with their specific needs and goals?
A health and wellness coach gets you unstuck by helping you figure out what’s keeping you from reaching your lifestyle and behavior health goals. You can think of your health coach as your personal health guide and close partner for making a change you might not feel you can make on your own. A health coach helps guide you to implement lifestyle and behavior changes to improve your overall physical health by coming alongside you and being your biggest supporter and encourager. Health coaches help sort out where to start and how to make small changes that grow overtime as they lead you in putting the pieces of your life back together yourself.
With that said, my advice would be to search first for the type of coach you want. Is a holistic approach what you are looking for, a coach who specializes in a specific fitness program or a smoking cessation coach, someone who also offers group coaching, the list goes on, but finding the right fit for you is essential. Some coaches offer a free “meet and greet” short session for this purpose. I would recommend if you are looking for a health and wellness coach to look for one with a National Board Certification. A National Board-certified health and wellness coach (NBC-HWC) has taken the highest standard board exam for health and wellness in the coaching industry. The NBC-HWC certification lets you know that the coach you are working with is skilled and qualified and is someone who has put in the hours for you. A Functional Medicine health and wellness coach will be able to guide and educate you in all areas of health, wellness, and behavior and lifestyle changes you may want to explore from a holistic, whole-body point of view.
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