You may be surprised to learn that Longevity Coaching is a growing career trend. A relatively new job title, Longevity Coaching could be a good career move if you have a sincere interest in helping people develop personal health care plans using holistic or integrative health models.
Health Wheel
The Health Wheel contains the following areas and relates them as cooperative parts that make up the whole of a healthy life:
- Social
- Mental
- Emotional
- Spiritual
- Occupational
- Physical
What is a longevity coach?
A health coach is someone who works closely with individuals to develop a personal health plan, helping them to understand their current overall health across 6 primary life areas (from the health wheel model) and helping them to set and follow a plan towards complete wellness.
What are the necessary skills or job requirement of a Longevity Coach?
Longevity coaches must gain a complete understanding a number of factors involving client or patient care. They must first know how to develop a rapport with a client, and “meet them at their level”, meaning their current level of health, fitness or readiness. For some clients, a slow approach to dietary change may be most appropriate. For others, more radical measures may be called for if the client is seeking dramatic change, and is duly motivated.
Longevity coaches must also be proficient in administering assessments, as this will provide an important baseline from which to measure progress across all areas. An added benefit of the assessment is to use it as a springboard for further conversation, helping the coach to delve deeper into the history of behaviors, current circumstances and the health issues at hand.
Develop a personal health plan
Another important skill to hone, if you’d like to become a Longevity coach, is to have an ability to cooperatively write a personal health plan with your client. This plan will have the baseline measures from the assessments, the end goals, the specific and detailed steps needed to reach the goals, and the support system in place for the client. Regular monitoring of the client’s progress helps with accountability, and increases success. Many clients prefer to access their health plans online as well.
Why is this field becoming popular?
Longevity coaches are in increasing demand due to a number of factors:
1. Patients’ and doctors’ increased focus and attention on integrative health, wellness, preventive care and personal health care plans
2. Nationwide epidemics of chronic and severe health problems, including obesity, heart disease, cancers, diabetes and more
3. An increased awareness that the role non-physical stressors play on the body (examples from the health wheel include, emotional, occupational and more)
4. A growing cultural tendency to focus on overall well-being, as opposed to only resorting to treatment measures once illnesses persist or become severe
5. Research showing that a) change in habits takes time b) change in habits requires support
6. A trend towards employer-provided wellness programs
How do you become a Longevity coach?
There are a number of Longevity programs available today, depending on the level of time and finances you would like to commit. Some programs are entirely on-line, some are in-person, and while others combine both online instruction with time spent on campus in lectures.
Our program is based on the 10 principles of personal longevity which is an integrated and holistic approach to help the client develop better long term health, more happiness, and extended longevity.
We offer in person classes in the Los Angeles area and have a special running for our online program:
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BECOMING A LONGEVITY COACH
