The Why and How of Becoming a Board-Certified Wellness Coach
Learn more about Wellness and Well-Being Coaching Certification
The market for wellness coaching has significantly grown in recent years and is expected to continue expanding in the coming years.
McKinsey's latest research (McKinsey Future of Wellness Survey; n=7,673) shows that consumers care deeply about wellness—and that their interest is accelerating. In a global survey of consumers in six countries, 79 percent of the respondents said they believe that wellness is important, and 42 percent consider it a top priority. In fact, consumers in every market McKinsey researched reported a large increase in their prioritization of wellness over the past three years.
McKinsey estimates the global wellness market at more than $1.5 trillion, with annual growth of 5 to 10 percent. A rise in both consumer interest and purchasing power presents tremendous opportunities for certified wellness and well-being coaches.
Coaches trained in the art and science of facilitating long-lasting healthy lifestyle changes have been a missing link in healthcare. The result is that National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coaches are increasingly working with more individual clients, doctors, insurers, employers, and wellness resorts.
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What do Board Certified Wellness Coaches do?
This type of coach is a professional trained in evidence-based communication techniques such as motivational interviewing and well-being related coaching competencies. The actual coaching experience is a nuanced conversation process that helps people develop the intrinsic motivation and confidence to make realistic, sustainable progress on their self-selected well-being goals.
This wellness coaching approach is different from the "prescriptive" model of most medical approaches.
Although most medical providers have only 15 minutes for an appointment, the wellness coach usually meets with their client for 50 minutes a week with a 3-month minimum. Research shows that this type of regular support helps clients with successful follow-through. Instead of dispensing expert advice such as most medical professionals, the wellness coach engages in conversation to help the client engage in lasting behavior change based on inner motivation.
Health and wellness coaching is grounded in this evidence-based principle: Behavior change gets switched on–and stays on–when it's motivated from within. And the evidence for wellness coaching's impact is growing: A meta-analysis of 150 articles found that wellness coaching (American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine; Compendium of the Health and Wellness Coaching Literature) reduces risk factors for heart disease and diabetes and boosts exercise and healthy eating—and that the body of evidence supports substantial evidence to recommend a coaching intervention.
Wellness Coaching specialty certification programs are in place.
The key non-profit umbrella organization in the United States is the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC). They created unified training standards so these coaches can be integrated into clinical settings. Insurance companies such as Aetna and UnitedHealth Group; and large primary care organizations such as One Medical and Vera Whole Health are increasingly using wellness coaching.
Many insurance companies, such as UnitedHealthcare and Aetna, are starting to cover wellness coaching.
The NBHWC and the University of California San Diego recently announced they are tracking health and wellness coaching data to support the application for eventual full insurance reimbursement.
Additional reasons Wellness and Well-being coaching is growing:
Increasing Demand
Employment opportunities in health education professions are projected to grow by 17% between 2020 and 2030 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There is a growing awareness among individuals about the importance of well-being and the need for personalized support to achieve their health goals.
Corporate Wellness Programs
Many organizations have recognized the benefits of investing in employee well-being to improve productivity, reduce healthcare costs, and enhance employee satisfaction. As a result, corporate wellness programs, such as award-winning ones at American Express, Ernest and Young, Warner Brothers, Intuit and Nike have become more prevalent, creating more opportunities for wellness coaches to work with employees and deliver wellness initiatives within organizations.
Integration of Wellness in Healthcare
The healthcare industry is increasingly recognizing the role of lifestyle factors in preventing and managing chronic diseases. Wellness coaching is seen as a complementary approach to traditional medical care, focusing on prevention and behavior change. This integration has led to the incorporation of wellness coaching in many healthcare settings, including hospitals and forward thinking integrated health centers.
Technological Advancements
The rise of technology is also facilitating the growth of the wellness coaching market. Many clients use wearable devices which has made wellness coaching goal tracking, and physical and emotional markers, easier to monitor.
Expansion of the Wellness Industry
The wellness industry as a whole has experienced substantial growth, encompassing sectors such as fitness, nutrition, mindfulness, and stress management. Wellness coaching is a support system for individuals navigating these various aspects of well-being. As the wellness industry expands, the demand for qualified wellness coaches continues to grow.
Importantly, a health coach is not a doctor or a therapist (unless that coach has earned those credentials separately); however, certified wellness coaches have undergone one of the rigorous training programs approved by the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaches (NBHWC), and subsequently passed a board certification exam. Partly due to the broader adoption of virtual delivery of health services, insurance companies are embracing and covering clients' work with board-certified health coaches more than ever before.
Although the International Coach Federation recently reported (May 2023) that there are 48,700 ICF credentialed coaches, the specialty wellness coaching profession is in its early stages. There are only 8,800 National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coaches to date, but three times a year another group of wellness coaches passes their board exam.
The next opportunity to submit all requirements to the NBHWC for their Board-Certified Health and Wellness credential will be in December of this year—but first one needs to complete the specially approved NBHWC curriculum. This is required even if one already has an ICF credential. Wishing you well on your journey to greater health and well-being!
