Health Coach

Health coaching is a relatively new occupational field and one that is growing in popularity. As people are starting to become more health conscious and/or requiring health interventions, an integrated approach is needed to best achieve overall health in patients/clients. The health coach role has arrived as a long overdue solution.

As health care costs continue to surge, more American companies are beginning to hire health coaches to establish workplace wellness programs for employees. In fact, according to the Huffington Post, 51% of all employers with a workforce of fifty or more employees created workplace wellness programs in 2013. With over 500 vendors selling these programs, workplace wellness is estimated to be a $6 billion industry.

Health care professionals that intend to become a health coach typically have either an undergraduate or graduate degree an applicable discipline. After earning a degree, aspiring health coaches acquire experience in the field through job positions, internships or volunteerism. To establish credibility, many health coaches also become certified professionals.