(page undergoing renovation)

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YOUR COACH

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Q.  Who is LebenWell's founder and lead coach ? 

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Q.  Where did LebenWell's founder receive his coaching training... not academic training, I mean coach training and certification?

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A.  Chris, LebenWell's founder, is a national Board Certified Coach (BCC - Center for Credentialing and Education) and received training and certification through the College of Executive Coaching, the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute,  Deep Change University (Deep Change SQ21 Spiritual Intelligence Coaching), the Zur Institute, the Transformation Academy, and participates actively in ongoing continuing education and training.

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Q.  What are the coaching theories and models used?

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A.   An evidence and strengths based integrative orientation is used that is tailored to client needs, preferences, background, circumstances, goals, and hopes for coaching outcomes.  Models drawn on may include Motivational Interviewing, Appreciative Inquiry, third and fourth wave cognitive and behavioral health (CBT) models (e.g. ACT, EFT, TFT, Mindfulness, somatic), lifestyle and behavioral medicine (e.g. SoC Transtheoretical), positive psychology, HeartMath and energy medicine, narrative and existential approaches, the GOOD (Auerbach) and GROW frameworks, and solution oriented strategies.  Chris will blend in elements of consulting (e.g. psychoeducation and advising) and his background in higher education, counseling, and integrative health care, as needed.

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Q.  Who can make a booking?

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A.  At present, bookings are only available to EAP, vendor contracted, or medically referred clients.  Any other self-referred or private bookings are not currently accepted.

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"My cardiologist was amazed and praised me and my health coach, Chris.  He had never seen those kind of positive changes across so many lab measures and symptoms in such a short time with lifestyle changes only. Even my allergies improved!  Saved a lot of money and avoided a world of potential suffering.  Health coaching is awesome!!  Now I am confident in keeping myself healthy and well.  Thank you, Chris!"               

--Aki S.,  Tokyo, Japan

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GENERAL

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Q.  How do I know if I am a good candidate for coaching?  What’s required for coaching to be successful?

 

A.  If you are relatively healthy, understand that coaching is not therapy or medical treatment, have or are willing to set aside the time to take needed action between sessions, are willing and motivated to take full responsibility for your decisions and responses to life, are willing to let go of self-defeating habits and set healthy new ones, are curious and willing to experiment with new behaviors, are willing to take different / shift perspectives, are honest and congruent in word and deed with yourself and others, can do a reasonably good job of noticing, tracking, and articulating your experience (thoughts, behavior, feelings, sensations), are willing to establish an authentic and trusting collaborative relationship with your coach, have good reason to believe you can resource yourself to support large and small changes in your life, are willing to accept potential and likely shifts in habits and relationships (including responses from others to your moving forward), feel a strong sense of "all in" for a change, do not have restrictive mental health issues or other physical, financial, social, cultural, work related, or environmental / external challenges that could reasonably be expected to significantly interfere with coaching, and sense that any gaps between who and where you are now and who and where you want to be seem for the most part realistic and achievable… then there's a good chance coaching would be right for you and success through it is likely to be yours.  The success of coaching will decline in proportion to however many of the above are felt to be currently unworkable (circumstances, readiness, willingness, resources).  If any of the above seem to be obstacles, then your initial coaching (if not referred) will likely include a focus on these.

 

Q.  Is there a free consultation possible before booking?

 

A.  Yes.  In order to receive a free 15 minute consultation (via Zoom, telehealth or vendor portal), you will need to complete and submit the ‘Free Consultation Form’ before your consultation will be scheduled.  Given limited time, this will help the agenda and focus of the call.   After the form is submitted and reviewed, you will be contacted to proceed with scheduling the free consultation.  [EAP or vendor contracted client referrals may proceed directly to booking.]  Non-EAP or non-contracted vendor clients, please check for services availability prior to your request.  

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Q.  Is there a way to by-pass the free consultation and go straight into getting coached for a one-off single session? 

 

A.  Yes.  “Straight in coaching”, proceeding directly into booking a single coaching session may be possible for people who have successfully been coached before.  Initial forms would, however, may still need to be completed (depending on service, contract), and acceptance by the coach is not guaranteed. These types of sessions can work well for people who have experienced and understand coaching well and simply want an occasional single session “boost” or fresh perspective through a conversation with a new or different coach --e.g. to bounce ideas off, articulate and define, quick-plan, process input, integrate, consult, and co-think their way through or toward something on a clear-intentioned "results flexible" one-off or otherwise irregularly or immediate need scheduled terms.

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Q.  What makes coaching work?  Is it just techniques?

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A.  The supportive, trusting, focused, and empowering collaborative relationship between the coach and client (coachee) toward desirable results, discoveries, and changes that matter is the starting driver of what makes coaching work. With that alignment in place, remember that the coaching relationship is not a reciprocal one like you would have in any other type of personal, family, or workplace relationships. It is, instead, a dedicated, confidential, safe, empathic and compassionate, experiment friendly, learning and development-centered professional relationship focused 100% on the optimal outcomes, successes, and values aligned living and flourishing of the client (minus expectations of reciprocity -- it is a professional relationship). Coaching works through the dedicated support, focused energy, strategic partnership, and synergy the coaching relationship provides toward learning, skills practice and development, and effective action within a respectful, motivational, encouraging, and accountable process that promotes becoming clear, intentional, resourced, ready, willing, and effective at moving forward.  And within that context, ultimately, it comes down to a single word:  Action.  Action on two levels 1) foundational action that clears away the clutter and creates the energy, space, and habits that set optimal conditions for success, and 2) goal directed and values guided action to achieve specific results within a structured and supportive process. 

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Q.  What does a typical coaching process look like?

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A.   Although the process will be highly individualized and quite flexible, the common "core" structure may look something like this:  After the initial free consultation has been completed and coaching is booked, the process typically starts with getting to know more about you, your present situation, and how and in what areas you would like your coach to support you at this time in your life (your goals and hoped for coaching outcomes).  In the process of building a trusting and aligned relationship with the coach, we often start with what beckons/draws you, the nature and strength of the energy/draw/aliveness/musts of hope and longing (and aversions) in your life, what you would like for yourself, how you know that to be true, what resources and strengths you have to draw on, what the primary drivers and motivators are, what you've tried, what's worked, and what hasn't, what's gotten in the way, and so on.  Depending on the client and the goals, the process may be mildly or tightly structured and could involve recommended assessments (e.g. values, interests, personality, quality of life, well-being, etc.), a signed coaching agreement, a deeper discussion of what you would like to achieve through coaching and why, discussion of key items on the initial questionnaire, a look at your current reality and resources, an inventory of what elevates and depletes your energy (creating essential foundational goals), and often proceeds to creating a personal vision statement that outlines your "best self" experience across important life roles, what matters to and enlivens you, what it would be like (specific positive outcomes, transformations) if your desired coaching results were in place and you felt a sense of satisfaction, alignment, and vitality moving forward.  We would take a closer look at how your vision aligns with your profile --e.g. strengths, values, usage of time, space/energy, resources, history of successes, ways of staying present and focused, ways of dealing with obstacles and set backs, current skill, support, and capacity needs-- to clarify and define the focus on scaling specific goals, sub-goals and “pre-condition” goals in an achievable, measurable, and accountable way that builds confidence and forward momentum.  In planning steps and taking action, we include ways to plan for, execute, and revise strategies to deal with obstacles and challenges, ways to optimize the enabling fundamentals (energy, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, environmental), readiness, and driving "why".  With actions taken, we celebrate successes, extract learning and positive growth, tweak the plan/action where needed (e.g. less than hoped for results, when challenges in life reverts us to a prior state, when it is discovered a goal may not have been the main priority, etc.), and use the experiential feedback to determine and set in motion further steps to keep moving forward, build on, and sustain success.  We often find that the original goals spawn or morph into slightly different or completely new or additional goals... where the process can become the goal as much as the goal drives the process ("It's everything I always wanted" vs/or "It's everything I never even knew I always wanted.").  Note:  For certain special package programs, coaching goals, client interests (e.g. Targetted Health/Wellness), and EAP / contracted provider agreements, the methods and process of coaching may vary considerably (e.g. greater consulting role by the coach) via collaborative agreement to achieve the desired results (e.g. incorporating more educational, advising, prescriptive, and consulting elements).  

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Q.  What is the difference between coaching and counseling or psychotherapy?  Isn’t my LebenWell coach also a trained professional counselor?

 

                      "Coaching isn't therapy. It's product development, with you as the product." -- Fast Company

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A.  The answer to this question is explained in detail on the Life Coaching page and also, briefly, on the Services Note section of the Services page.  In the simplest terms, it might be said that coaching is oriented to what one wants, while counseling and psychotherapy are more oriented to what one does not want.  Here is a copy of the service limitation statement on our Services page: 

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Services do not include counseling, psychotherapy, or medical treatment of any kind of diagnosed condition, pain, trauma, or suffering with the goals of curative treatment, recovery, or symptom management (though in health coaching, for example, some cases may integrate with primary care providers and treatment plans that do include these).  LebenWell services focus on practical, science based, professional behavioral support, guidance, and mentoring toward clarification and achievement of health, wellness, resilience, learning, and life goals, personal and career fulfillment, optimal relationships and lifestyle, happiness, success, and life satisfaction.  Services do not focus on symptom and diagnosis oriented treatment, curing, remediation, or recovery;  Coaching has an active forward-looking focus emphasizing learning and development, self-regulation, effective resourcing, experimentation, accountabiltiy, and consistent action.

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The above stated, research and practice data show that the process of health and life coaching can, indeed, make a significant, transformative, and positive impact toward desired healing and treatment outcomes.  Mental health / behavioral health coaching is offered to help people become optimally clear, present, integrated, resourced, ready, and resilient to lead the lives and life the lifestyles that are important to them.  This may, for example, include post-illness or post-recovery  growth and development coaching.  Chris Johannes, your LebenWell coach (LebenWell may recruit more coaches soon), is also a qualified professional counselor.  However, as stated above, you will not receive mental health counseling or psychotherapy services at LebenWell and are/will be advised to see a qualified mental health professional if that type of service is being sought and is appropriate.

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Q.  Is this an SSL Secure site?

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A.  Yes, it is.  (https://) .  HIPAA compliant PHI resources (e.g. Doxy.me) are also in place for the privacy, confidentiality, data protection, and security of all forms, emails, documents, files, and teleconferencing (e.g. BAA agreement).

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Q.  How long does coaching take?

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A.   There is no formulaic or typical answer to this question.  It depends on the intent for coaching and what results are sought and achieved, as well as what else the process reveals, uncovers, and opens up. The need and length of coaching is determined by/with the client in collaborative agreement.  While it depends on your goals, resources (inner and outer), readiness, and relative clarity, we know that for most people behavior change, personal transformation, and forming new habits can take a fair bit of time and committed effort.  Coaching can help people make the most of that time with optimal efficiency, commitment, supportive reinforcement, and success.  Often, at least three months of weekly coaching is recommended, but a lot can happen in a single coaching conversation to move things forward as well; other times, the coaching process may be extended for as long as desired with ever greater targets, desires, needs, and compounding success.  In this respect, coaching is highly individualized, and the time it takes can vary considerably.  For some a single session may be enough (more focused issues around health behavior change and career exploration, for example, tend to see more rapid results), for others it may be an ongoing supportive partnership (transformational, growth and development oriented life coaching) lasting for years.

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Q.  I’m looking for self-coaching and self-help resources and fun things like delicious recipes, exercise tools, guided meditations (with clear instructions), practical education and training, relaxation methods, and so forth.  Do I have to wait for some kind of newsletter from you to get access to things like that?  I am also not sure I can afford coaching right now.  What do your Links and Resources include that can get me started?

 

A.  You get all of all of that (and very likely much more than you imagined) free and ready right from the start and throughout.  The Links and Resources pages include free and exceptionally practical information, immediately beneficial assessments, self-help, online / onsite groups, AI mediated therapies resources, and a treasure trove of self-help documents, exercises, apps, online opportunities to connect, and videos. Some prospective clients and visitors may want to have a go with whatever of these resources feel right (and useful, safe, practical, efficient...) to them.  Taking responsibility for your own wellbeing, you can go ahead and get started as you like with any of these, and you may find that you have been positively auto-coached just from experiencing these resources, tools, and assessments.  Some of these may also be recommended or otherwise integrated into your formal coaching program.

 

Q.  Where are your forms located, such as the intake or assessment forms?

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A.  These are located on the right hand side of the Links and Resources page.  Click on the icon to preview the form.  Completable online forms may requested and then completed through encrypted, secure, and privacy protected services such as Hushmail (or alternatives, e.g. Google Forms, LebenWell Secure via Cloakmy, etc.).  

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Q.  Is there a money back guarantee?  Is there a cancellation refund policy?  Can I get a refund if I am not satisfied? 

 

A.  A refund can be offered for all unused portions of pre-paid coaching package bookings;  a refund can also be made for cancellations of individual sessions made at least 48 hours prior to booking (exceptions can be made with documented emergency circumstances).  Refunds are not provided in any other case, as per the Coaching Agreement and consent form you will be given to sign prior (at least 48 hours prior) to your first coaching session.  EAP and corporate plan refunds work on a contractual basis and are negotiated with either the EAP or the corporate department offering coverage for the service booking. 

 

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Q.  Does my LebenWell coach adhere to any professional standards or ethics of any professional body? 

 

A.  Yes.  Your LebenWell coach is a trained and certified coaching professional and abides by the standards and code of ethics of both the Center for Credentialing and Education for the Board Certified Coach (BCC) credential, as well as the standards of the International Consortium for Health and Wellness Coaching.  Click on the respective links, to view.  Your coach will also follow aspirational ethical principles of other coaching entities such as that of the International Coaching Federation, and will attempt align (in collaboration with the client) to local, institutional, corporate/employer, and/or cultural conditions to the extent practicable, appropriate, and possible.

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Q.  Are services confidential?  What electronic safety and confidentiality safeguards for communications, records, and services are used?  Data Privacy and Protection?

 

A.  Yes, all services, records, and tele-behavioral health conferencing connections are set up as strictly private and confidential.  Doxy.me and Zoom are preferred providers (HIPAA compliant, BAA agreement, PHI protections and security), alongside similar private vendor, EHR, and EAP platforms (referral specific).  In rare cases, confidentiality will be breached for appropriate authority reporting according to ethical and professional standards of professional coaching practice (e.g. when the client has expressed a clear, serious [e.g. mortal, consensus/legally defined and prosecutable injurious], and present danger to self or others).  Consent for data sharing with other providers will be obtained in cases where the private vendor or EAP has not already provided such disclosure with client consent. LebenWell makes efforts to stay up to date on tele-health technology and service platforms (e.g. end-to-end HIPAA compliant platforms, corporate/vendor provider platforms) and information privacy and security encryption that would apply to tele-coaching.  Under the current and prevailing global practice norms, clients typically prefer and are welcome to opt for Doxy.me, Zoom (preferred, HIPAA compliant), Skype, and telephone consultations. Those are the preferred norm for most private clients.  For some clients based in the United States, depending on the referral source, service parameters, and client needs, LebenWell may rely on any of a number of trusted options for end-to-end HIPAA compliant teleconferencing, file transfer, and messaging security.  Vendor / EAP specific telehealth and EHR platform for forms, emails, documents, files, and HIPAA compliant Doxy.me and/or Zoom (BAA agreement) are preferred, and Cloakmy,  Telegram, HushMail alternatives, and G-Suite Encryption are also available.  In the current context, please note that because of the differing scope and nature of coaching services (e.g. no 'clinical' diagnoses, treatments, records, or "patients", and no regulated mandates), many or most coaching service providers will not have/be required to have, or otherwise do not consider it necessary to opt for a separately hosted comprehensive ultra-security HIPAA standard encryption platform (e.g. TheraPlatform).  As of 2018, relative to clients in Europe, LebenWell is also keeping abreast of General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) for data handling.  Any emails collected  will not be shared with 3rd parties or used for purposes beyond LebenWell coaching or otherwise agreed business related communications (at the time of "optin"), with option to unsubscribe at any time.   LebenWell (your coach) will continue to monitor and, where applicable, strive to align with or be at the forefront of HIPAA telehealth and medicine standards to the extent that they apply to the scope of coaching (as described above).  LebenWell may advise clients on service appropriate added encryption and security measures as described above and may recommend options.  For LebenWell EAP/corporate and vendor (subcontracting) services, contractual requirements for reporting may exist that amend what information is confidential and what is shared by contractual consent, and the EAP/corporate or vendor service may require amendments in encryption and data handling appropriate to individual contracts.  

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Q.  You have my email address.  What is the privacy policy? 

 

A.  Only form data (email and invoice/payment [without credit card details], inclusive) relevant and reasonably required and pertinent to coaching or coaching products at LebenWell is collected. Your email and data is kept private and not shared with any other party.  Electronic systems are password protected, and cloud-based storage is currently not used.  Form data and case notes are backed up in hard copy with secure access.  You will not be "spammed" and, apart from contracted/scheduled coaching related communications (e.g. business), will only be contacted to elicit feedback, share occasional news, campaigns, promotions, free resources, offers, and updates relevant to LebenWell coaching.   You may cancel your email subscription at any time and/or send updates or corrections of your information, data, and preferences.  Further details are available in the Coaching Agreement (e.g. Criminal and Human Rights Law may limit or supersede  the terms of this policy).  In the event of data loss or breach, every attempt will be made to immediately inform the parties affected and take whatever steps necessary to minimize impact, with probably reporting to cybercrime authorities when qualified.  HIPAA compliant PHI protections for teleconferencing, emails, forms, files, and documents are utilized.

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Q.  I am a minor (less than 18 years old).  Am I eligible for coaching services? 

 

A.  In special circumstances, a minor may be seen if 1) referred by a primary care medical professional or Employee Assistance Program [EAP], 2) written consent from a parent or legal guardian is provided, and 3) an initial consultation with the LebenWell coach leads to a mutually agreed determination to proceed based on maturity, readiness, and resources to proceed.

 

 

Q.  I am currently in counseling/therapy with a mental health professional.  May I also receive coaching? 

 

A.  Yes, it is possible to receive coaching concurrently alongside mental health services, however, this is determined on a case by case basis, often with the consent and/or collaboration of your mental health services professional.  A typical case would be concurrent health and wellness coaching for a circumscribed health condition, though could also be concurrent behavioral coaching, usually in collaborative agreement with primary mental health provider.

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Q.  Who and from where are LebenWell’s main coaching clients?

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A.  LebenWell was initially established to offer coaching services to EAP clients and adult English speaking expatriates (those currently residing and wanting services outside the homeland, including multinational/international company employees, men and women of the armed and diplomatic services, English teachers, repatriating and retiring expatriates, long-stay international students, faculty and researchers, non-profit and charity group workers, and adult family members of the above groups), though all English speaking adults anywhere in the world are welcome.  For onsite services, similarly, any English speaking adult is welcome.  Your coach may also see clients through outside vendor (e.g. tele-healthcare, higher education), corporate, and EAP sources.

 

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Q.  What feedback mechanisms does LebenWell have to insure quality?

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A.  Typically, feedback is welcomed and received in an on-going manner from participating clients as well as networks of peer colleagues.  However, when feedback over and beyond the ordinary is needed, LebenWell may request and elicit such feedback periodically through more formal online surveys such as SurveyMonkey.  Your LebenWell coach will not accept clients with avoidable "dual relationship" or "conflict of interest" circumstances (e.g. providing services to known colleagues, friends, supervisors).  Similarly, some clients may not be accepted if legally residing in a geographic area (e.g. a US state) that impose certain regulatory limits and restrictions on tele-coaching.  Your LebenWell coach, as a certified and registered member of a number of professional organizations governing standards and practice, will also be participating in regular, on-going continuing education, as well as ongoing interaction with fellow colleagues and professionals in the field that may include peer supervision and mentoring.  

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Q.  Is anyone who requests a booking guaranteed a booking?  What determines who accepted as a client and who is not?  Why are some services sometimes listed as “not currently accepting new clients”? 

 

A.  Determinations for the acceptance of private clients is determined through service booking priority (see "main client group" Q & A, above), referral (e.g. primary care or allied health services provider, EAP, insurance company), and/or collaborative agreement of suitability for services determined either through a free initial consultation, the initial session(s), and the required Coaching Agreement-Informed Consent form.  However, given the schedule limits, priority bookings are for existing/current clients, vendor clients (e.g. health care, higher education service contracts), and otherwise on a first come first serve booking availability basis.  For EAP/corporate clients, determinations are made according to contractual agreements (if individual case-by-case contracting, they will book according to the same policy as private booking clients, but under an allocated EAP/corporate client time block) and resulting allocated service availability.  Any   services that are for any temporary period of time fully booked or otherwise unavailable will be listed as such [e.g. “not currently accepting new clients”) on the main Services page.  Your LebenWell coach will not accept clients with avoidable "dual relationship" or "conflict of interest" circumstances (e.g. providing services to known colleagues, friends, supervisors).  If/as additional coaches and allied service professionals join the LebenWell team, their availability will likewise be posted on the LebenWell Services page and/or their own separate booking links. Updated announcements will be posted on the main Services page.

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Q.  Does LebenWell hope or expect to bring on more coaches? 

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A.  Yes!  Additional coaches and co-leadership.  

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LIFE and RESILIENCE COACHING

 

Q.  What is a Life Coach?

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"A life coach does for the rest of your life what a personal trainer does for your health and fitness." -- Elaine MacDonald

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"Coaching isn't therapy. It's product development, with you as the product." -- Fast Company

 

A.  A qualified life coach is your dedicated professional ally to help you realize the life of optimal health, happiness, and success you're ready to live. In some ways, similar to a sports coach, the life coach is a trained and experienced professional –with expertise overlapping with roles of counselor, trainer, consultant, educator, adviser, mentor, strategic ally, and friend—that helps you leverage your strengths, enhance your functioning, maximize your personal and professional potential, and define, structure, and take effective action toward desired goals and success.  Your coach can draw on skills from diverse disciplines including counseling (particularly solution focused, narrative, and cognitive behavioral orientations), positive psychology, motivational psychology (Motivational Interviewing), somatics, interpersonal neurobiology, neuroscience, mindfulness and meditation, coaching and sport psychology, organizational and consulting psychology, and even literature and the arts.  Experientially, your coach will be personally familiar with challenge, success, getting desired results, and effectiveness in life; structuring and navigating the change process, sustaining the 'project' with energy and joy, leveraging inner and outer resources, learning from and overcoming obstacles and challenges; 'satisficing' well, falling down and getting back up-moving forward while living intentionally with integrity; relishing the journey and generating the joy; continuing personal and relational development, understanding and appreciating diversity and culture, and fulfillment virtues that create a joyous life of meaning.   

 

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Q.  What is it about Life Coaching that makes it so popular and successful for many people?

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A.  Scroll up to  "Q.  What makes coaching work?  Is it just techniques?" for the foundational response to this question.   For more  -->  coaching --through its collaborative, dedicated, supportive, and guided process for client learning, processing, and action-- leads to forward moving valued results (the ROI) -- whether around a specific issue, or larger transformation -- in a structured, affirmative, momentum building, and empowering way that would not otherwise be expected to be achieved alone.  Many find it more practical, efficient, positive, uplifting, energizing, inspiring, "less heavy" and non-stigmatizing than counseling or psychotherapy for their challenges in living, knowing that their challenges are not really "disorders" or "mental health problems", but normal and healthy human struggles and aspirations, with the normal and expected ranges of human responses to them.  On the matter of success, of course, much depends on the reasons people seek out coaching (see Life Coaching page) and the domain of life, themselves, and their relationships they would like to address.  People enter coaching with different foundations and resources (which often become the initial goals)... and different perspectives as to how much they believe their desired  destination should drive their journey vs how much they want to allow their journey to shape their destination and their experience along the way.  Whatever people may want--and often they enter because they are unclear what they want, what their options are, or overwhelmed by options-- they may have felt so focused on the “content” of what they hope for that they find it difficult to organize and take effective steps to make it happen -- to manage the clarity, planning, strategy, tactics, resourcing, resilience, process, accountability, reinforcement, feedback, mental and physical energy, logistics, time, attention, structure, and organized action for it all.  Too caught up "in it" to manage on one's own.  Coaching is especially well designed to help that process.  

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Q.  Is there any research evidence that Life Coaching actually “works”?

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A.  Yes.  Of all the positive outcomes thus far identified by researchers, some of the most common  (Jarosz, 2016; positivepsychologyprogram.com, 2017) include a stronger sense of identity and purpose; the client living the life they have dreamed about; increased quality of life and enhanced mental health; better work/life balance; effective action on starting a business; a more “wanted” or expanded social life; improved financial status; successful goal attainment achieved through smart goal setting, better follow-through, self-regulation, enhanced communication and problem-solving skills; client empowerment (Green, Oades, & Grant, 2006); positive change in behavior and beliefs; improved self-confidence, self-acceptance, and insight into one’s self (Grant, 2008); decreased stress; and an increased sense of hope and well-being in life (Grant, 2003; Green, Grant, & Rynsaardt, 2007).

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Q.  What are the coaching theories and models used?

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A.   An evidence and strengths based integrative orientation is used that is tailored to client needs, preferences, background, circumstances, goals, and hopes for coaching outcomes.  Models drawn on may include Motivational Interviewing, Appreciative Inquiry, third and fourth wave cognitive and behavioral health (CBT) models (e.g. ACT, EFT, TFT, Mindfulness, somatic), lifestyle and behavioral medicine (e.g. SoC Transtheoretical), positive psychology, HeartMath and energy medicine, narrative and existential approaches, the GOOD (Auerbach) and GROW frameworks, and solution oriented strategies.  Chris will blend in elements of consulting (e.g. psychoeducation and advising) and his background in higher education, counseling, and integrative health care, as needed.

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EAP/EMPLOYEE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

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Q.  Is my coach directly employed by an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider?

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A.  No.  However, your coach may independently contract with an EAP provider and/or your employer to  provide services.

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Q.  Does my LebenWell coach have professional liability insurance (PLI) and a National Provider Identification (NPI) number?

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A.   Yes, both PLI and NPI are in place

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HEALTH COACHING

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Q.  What is Health Coaching all about, and does it work?

 

A.  Please view the definitions and video explaining Health Coaching on the Home and Health Coaching services pages of this site.  You can also visit the website of the International Consortium for Health and Wellness Coaching for further details.  A free interactive online assessment, orientation, and auto-coaching sampler with immediate benefit is available through the HealthNet Readiness for Change online portal.  The data on the positive outcomes and cost effectiveness of health coaching resoundingly affirm the efficacy of health coaching (e.g. WebMD May 2022 article on health coaching for employees).  See additional links on the LebenWell home page.

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Q.  Are services covered by insurance?

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A.  Though an increasing number of private health insurance and related health benefit plans offer coverage or otherwise reimburse for health coaching, it still appears to be uncommon in many places, particularly in regions where the practice of professional coaching is not yet established or unregulated.  Many employers and EAPs, however, do now offer options for coaching, and clients are asked to inquire with their employer  and/or insurance provider for further guidance. 

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Q. How long does health coaching last?

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A.  Though this depends on your particular health goals and the context in which pursued, generally, for wellness lifestyle and health behavior change to become durable, research and experience  indicate health coaching programs for common health goals (e.g. weight management, dietary change, blood pressure and cholesterol, exercise, stress, optimal medical regimen management for various conditions) will take between three weeks to four months of coaching sessions, with the option of time interval booster sessions.   The frequency of sessions are usually scheduled on a weekly, bi-monthly, or on an individualized targeted plan, with the bi-monthly plan being common in order to allow time to implement lifestyle and behavioral adjustments and benefit from successive coaching feedback. 

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Q.  What is the difference between Behavioral Health Coaching and Health Coaching?  

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A.  The short answer is that there really is no substantial difference, only a matter of term recognition for different audiences, with the addition of the word "behavioral" often implying a more integrative and functional wellness approach that may add a greater relative focus on other life and lifestyle dimensions such as mental health and interpersonal functioning beyond circumscribed "physical" health concerns to the process.  It also emphasizes the behavioral aspects and determiners of any type of change we want to make in our lives and the important contributions of our behaviors to our overall health, wellness, and lived experience -- conveying the message that a person can have relative degrees of agency and a positive influence to bring to bear on whatever life presents, including any type of "biomedical" condition that may have any number of co-determiners outside our direct control.  For others, it is often a matter of professional preference.  Health Coaching is the more common and industry standard term when the focus is more exclusively on matters of achieving circumscribed physical health goals, even though, by definition, it incorporates elements of life and lifestyle coaching.  

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Q.  Is my LebenWell health coach an expert in all matters of health and wellness? 

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A.  No.  Your health coach is, however, an expert on the process of making and sustaining health  behavior change that can be applied across any area health and wellness.   Beyond additional professional qualifications and training involving counseling, health psychology/behavioral medicine, education, personal training, complementary and integrative health, your health coach specializes in behavioral health practices which can successfully be applied across a wide spectrum of health or medical concerns.

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"My cardiologist was amazed and praised me and my health coach, Chris.  He had never seen those kind of positive changes across so many lab measures and symptoms in such a short time with lifestyle changes only. Even my allergies improved!  Saved a lot of money and avoided a world of potential suffering.  Health coaching is awesome!!  Now I am confident in keeping myself healthy and well.  Thank you, Chris!"               

--Aki S.,  Tokyo, Japan

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