Health & Wellness Counselors Implementing a Health Program by Sari Dennis
Personal health and wellness counselor, Sari Dennis (left) and cook, Lisa Cheplak are examples of how you can be supported as you integrate positive, healthy changes and create a vibrant, healthy lifestyle.
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e know what kind of health we want and we know what we need to do to get what we want, but obstacles have a habit of getting in the way and holding us back from reaching what we desire from our lives. Often, we are held back in life because of fears and our own limitations, so we make excuses that make sense for us and allow our inaction to be okay. It could be time restrictions that get in our way, perhaps past failures prevent us from trying again or maybe we just don’t have the motivation on our own, and we stop trying. Integrating change on our own can be a daunting and lonely task, so seeking support from an outside source can make all the difference in helping us establish an individual health program that is just right. Health programs guided by experienced health coaches are a fairly new phenomena, yet those that have experienced having one in their corner realize the tremendous benefits. With guidance and individual attention, we become empowered to accomplish what we set out to achieve. Unlike physicians, whom often don’t have much time to spend with patients on nutrition and lifestyle and tend to prefer pharmacological solutions, a health coach
partners with their client, guiding them through the confusion and obstacles they face about their health. According to Joshua Rosenthal, founder and director of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, “There is no question that health coaching is the future of health care. Having a health program engages one to take an active role in establishing their own personal plan of prevention and action.” Taking an active role in the decisions that affect our life is critical to prevention, ownership and the understanding that guides our choices. Engaging in a health program means we don’t have to do it alone. This can be of great comfort and support as we begin to make changes. Kerrie Martin, founder of Live In Rhythm, says, “There’s so much conflicting information out there that a health coach can help individuals decipher all the information, allowing clients to figure out how a treatment plan will impact their life.” Making the decision to set up our own personal health program can empower us to make lasting changes that prove beneficial in improving all areas of our lives. Questioning where we are in our lives versus where we really want to be can
serve as a great catalyst for change. So many people spent a lifetime developing habits that are now second nature. These habits may no longer serve us, but we don’t know how to change them or are resistant to do so. Adapting a health program, where changes are made gradually, can open the door to new possibilities, allow us to become what we desire and result in our achieving the life we envision. Sari Dennis is a board-certified health and wellness counselor, Food for Life Instructor and founder of My Wellness Counts, LLC, in North Las Vegas. For more information, call 702-443-4339, email Sari@MyWellnessCounts.com or visit MyWellnessCounts.com.
TIPS FOR BEGINNING A HEALTH PROGRAM & SELF-EXPLORATION QUESTIONS 1. Am I doing what I really want to be doing? 2. What is fulfilling me now? 3. What is stressing me out? 4. Where should I be spending my time? 5. What am I committed to starting? 6. How motivated am I? 7. What are my critical reasons for wanting change? 8. Do I need help setting and accomplishing my goals? 9. Do I need a program customized to fit my needs? 10. What are three things I can do right now that will help me get started?
natural awakenings May 2015
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