What Skills Does a Health Coach Need?

health coach

Learn which traits and qualities make successful Health Coaches

Being a Health Coach is a rewarding and fulfilling career as you are able to educate and empower clients to take positive action to transform their health and lives.

Believe or not, it takes more than people skills and nutrition knowledge to be a great Health Coach.

So, what skills does a Health Coach need?

Discover the desired qualities and abilities required to become a successful Health Coach and why these traits are important.

What skills should a Health Coach have?

  • A good listener who actively listens and hears what their clients say. This involves listening without judgement or criticism, not interrupting, picking up on non-verbal cues and not letting your opinions cloud the situation.
  • An excellent communicator who can effectively connect with clients and explain things with ease. Considering your answers before voicing them, without jumping to conclusions, is also vital.
  • Be solution oriented. This is a fundamental skill that all health coaches need as it is a core component of health coaching. Health coaches help their clients to determine goals and then work together to find solutions to achieve these goals. A good Health Coach is able to think outside-the-box and suggest solutions their clients may not have thought of. 
  • Energy and enthusiasm to inspire and motivate clients to make changes. As a Health Coach, you become your client’s accountability partner who is there to cheerlead them on and support them through challenging times. Your passion needs to shine through.
  • A holistic thinker who understands the connection between all areas of a client’s life (from their health to their career) and how these factors influence their behaviour. A holistic approach to health and wellbeing is about getting to the root cause of what is going on for your client and building from there.
  • An ability to ask the right questions and this comes from good listening skills. When you ask the right questions, you get your clients thinking at a deeper level; this enables you to steer them in the right direction towards achieving their goals. On CNM’s Health Coach Diploma, you learn specialised health coaching techniques that teach you how to ask open-ended questions intended to elicit an answer from your client that inspires change. You also learn problem-solving skills, ways to manage tricky conversations and how to effectively take a client’s history.
  • A repertoire of health knowledge and resources on diet, lifestyle, fitness and mindset and how to tailor these accordingly to your client’s needs. A thirst for learning new things to evolve your skills as a Health Coach is also a good trait to have.

Qualities that make a successful Health Coach

  • Passionate about helping others and committed to living a healthy, happy life. Good health coaches are genuinely interested in others and want their clients to be the best version of themselves. Leading by example encourages and inspires clients to take positive action – and this doesn’t mean you have to be perfect; it means you have “walk your walk” and be authentic.
  • Empathy is a key trait health coaches must possess. Being able to understand your client’s feelings and what they are going through by showing support and enthusiasm is crucial. Not only will it encourage them to make changes, it helps them progress much quicker.
  • Be professional at all times. This means addressing your clients with respect, having clear boundaries and adhering to your contractual obligations. Always be punctual, courteous and prompt to reply to clients when they reach out.
  • Patience is essential as the coaching strategies you set out for your clients may not always go according to plan. Some clients may need more nurturing and hand-holding than others. Every client progresses at different speeds so being patient and mindful of this will set you in good stead.
  • Flexibility is another important trait to have as you need to be able to adapt accordingly and understand that no two days are the same when you’re a Health Coach. Some sessions may run over, especially if a client is near a breakthrough moment, or you may have a client cancel last-minute due to a family crisis. Being able to confidently deal with situations as they arise is key.

The career you’ve always dreamed of

If you think you’ve got what it takes to be a great Health Coach then don’t delay, the health coaching industry needs you! Becoming a Health Coach is an empowering and enjoyable career that offers limitless opportunities and financial rewards.

CNM Health Coach students learn all the skills and tools they need to become successful health coaches so they can get their business off the ground as soon as they graduate.

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