The news is all abuzz regarding a clinical study proving the efficacy of health coaching for fibromyalgia. Really? A fibromyalgia coach? Surprised? Here are my reasons WHY fibromyalgia coaching and working with a fibromyalgia coach works. (Pssst … and for other life and health challenges, too).
I’ve witnessed the positive results of health coaching for at least ten years, so the “clinically significant improvements” mentioned in this new study didn’t really rock my world. Day in and day out, I see people improve, grow, and find solutions for their health concerns.
Of course, ten years ago, it wasn’t called fibromyalgia coaching or health coaching. At least it wasn’t commonly referred to as such. There were coaches for athletic, voice, or acting performance, but when it came to health and healing, you were on your own.
At least I was.
When my fibromyalgia pain was at its worst, I desperately wanted to heal but didn’t know how. I struggled to find answers on my own. I not only didn’t receive solutions from my medical professionals, I was hustled toward the door when it was clear I wasn’t getting better. I could practically hear the doctor say, “Next!” before I even had a chance to ditch the paper gown.
I’m still grateful, though.
Even with those frustrations, I’m glad for the journey. The struggles I went through revealed my strengths. I’m thankful to have found the healing path that worked for me. And, I’m well aware of this fact –
… with a knowledgeable guide,
my journey would have been faster.
From my experience as a holistic health care practitioner, I’ve witnessed the benefits of coaching. There are many reasons why, but here are the top 5 as I see them.
Top 5 Reasons WHY #Fibromyalgia #Coaching Works Click To TweetThe Top 5 Reasons WHY Fibromyalgia Coaching Works:
- ONE: You’re a client, not a patient.
You’re not a passive patient in this relationship; you’re a partner. It’s an ongoing collaboration with your health, healing, and life goals as the focus.
A coach/client relationship is a two-way street with both parties equally involved. It’s a team effort.
- TWO: You, the client, have a voice.
In a coaching session, you get to have your say. In fact, there may be many sessions where the client does all the talking. Most health coaches ask questions that go far beyond basic statistics. In fact, you may be surprised at some of the questions you’re asked.
People who deal with health challenges have a lot on their shoulders and oftentimes need to share what’s really going on in order to move forward. This is exactly the type of conversation that a coaching relationship can foster. These conversations are instrumental to the program as they reveal (to the coach), what steps to take next.
- THREE: It’s a concentrated and long-term relationship.
For chronic health challenges, most coaching programs last six months to a year. For health challenges that are not as complex, programs may be as short as 30 or 90 days.
It’s important to understand that long-term health challenges take a long-term solution. For lasting change, an intensive and supportive program gives the client time to try and experiment with solutions and the coach time to monitor and adjust the progress.
This long-range approach provides ongoing, specific, consistent, and guided support for the client every step along the way.
- FOUR: YOU benefit from your coach’s experience.
Your fibro coach brings her history, personal experience, and work experience with her into each session with you. It’s a combination of these things – plus her certifications, trainings, and education that makes her unique.
Unlike a medical professional where your insurance often dictates your options, when it comes to choosing a health coach, the world’s your oyster.
Choose a fibro coach based on your needs and personality. Do you want a loving, supportive, encouraging coach? Do you prefer tough love and strict parameters? Is spirituality and/or a sense of humor important to you?
You get to choose.
Read her books, ebooks, and articles to see what she’s passionate about. Listen to her interviews, go to her lectures, and check out her online social media posts. Take advantage of the information available to you. Get to know your potential coach and see if you feel in sync with her personality. (Of course, coaches can be male, too. I’m using the female pronoun as a simple generalization.)
- FIVE: It’s personal.
Working on your common health goals with your coach gives you an “in the trenches” experience you likely won’t forget. I can’t speak for your experience, but as for me, I’ve loved working with every one of my clients. I consider most of them to be dear friends.
Over the years, I’ve seen clients leave with a smile and a wave of the hand. Others have stuck with me for years in my follow-up and continuation programs. The relationships I’ve forged – with my clients and my own coaches – are some of the deepest and most profound relationships I’ve had.
Have you worked with a fibromyalgia or health coach?
I generated this list of reasons from my personal experience. I’m curious about yours. I can’t speak to the results achieved by others who’ve used a health coach, but I’m sure that most find it – at the very least – beneficial. In a “your mileage may vary” kind of way, results probably swing from feeling better to feeling transformed. And, everything in between.
The Study Results
The study that I’m referring to has this to say:
Conclusion: In this single-arm cohort study, participating in wellness coaching was associated with improvement in 3 key areas of psychosocial functioning: Quality of Life, mood, and perceived stress level. The results from this single prospective cohort study suggest that these areas of functioning improve after participating in wellness coaching.
If you’d like to read it yourself, here’s the study link.
What’s your next step?
Are you curious about how you could benefit from working with me, your personalized Fibro and Rebuilding Wellness coach?
To find out what to do next, check out this post which defines TWO simple action steps to take.
Or go to my site to learn more, HERE.
There’s absolutely no fee or commitment involved to take these steps.
Why not check it out for yourself? Take action now and lock in your opportunity to define this year as the one to discover your best YOU!
