A Health and Wellbeing Coach acts as a mentor who keeps clients accountable. They bridge the gap between healthcare professionals and the client by helping clients to build positive, sustainable behavioural lifestyle changes. They will:

1. Work with you to define a vision of your ideal state of health and wellbeing based on your values, priorities and needs;
2. Motivate and empowers you by helping you uncover and expand your strengths;
3. Listen to you and ask insightful questions;
4. Promote self-acceptance, self-respect and self-esteem;
5. Energise and challenge you to reach higher at the right moment;
6. Celebrate your successes;
7. Mentor you and show you how to coach yourself so you can replicate your successes;
8. Helps you overcome your personal barriers and limitations or negative thinking;
9. Is kind-hearted, supportive and compassionate;
10. Offers a safe space free of judgment;
11. Encourages independence and autonomy;
12. Encourages self-efficacy - the trust that you can accomplish things on your own and motivate you to become expert in your own health;
13. Offers education, guidance and ideas only when desired or necessary

Of course!

I am an independent practitioner and I am not linked to any governmental agency. In sessions with me you have a right for privacy and confidentiality.

As a Coach and as a Clinical Psychologist, I offer neutral and professional help in a benevolent and confidential setting according to both the Coach and the Belgian Psychologists Code of Deontology.

For this reason, our sessions and messages take place on encrypted platforms or in private spaces.

Short answer is: yes, it is!

The concern is usually that consultations online will not be as personable than consultations in person. It is true for example that body language is not as easy to detect on the screen. This issue can be mitigated by ensuring a quality video, lighting conditions, and making appropriate use of silence. I also offer a 30' free discovery call so you can see if it would work for you.

Teleconsultation does actually offer a few advantages compared to in-person sessions:
- it is accessible to people who otherwise could not access such services locally; 

- it saves time (no driving, no traveling);

- it is more convenient (it allows you to have a session from the comfort of your own home or office);

- it often is more affordable.

The efficiency of telehealth has been proven through mutliples studies. Those studies show that the benefits of CBT therapy online is equal to those of therapy face-to-face. The same goes for coaching, where teleconsultation is more the norm.

Here are a couple of articles on this topic:
French:
https://www.psychologue.net/articles/pourquoi-choisir-une-therapie-en-ligne
English:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephaniesarkis/2021/02/14/online-therapy-just-as-effective-as-in-person-sessions/?sh=4f2e59164659

Warning: Coaching is not a substitute for psychotherapy, or psychiatric or medical treatments 

Coaching vs Psychotherapy

Coaching and Psychotherapy are two complementary methodologies that correspond to different stages of well-being. When someone is in depression, they need the expertise of a mental health professional (psychologist or psychotherapist or counselor) in order to regain their initial balance and state of well-being.

The coach however, intervenes when someone wants to grow and journey towards their ideal of health and well-being. Wherever the Psychotherapist often focuses and works on the past, the coach focuses and works on the future.

The coach thus works as a complement to health experts (doctors, therapists). S.he takes the time --where the doctor often doesn't have it, to find strategies in order to support patient's objectives. S.he supports his/her client's expertise, and will help him/her follow the plan put in place by the experts in order to increase the patient's compliance to treatment.

Warning: Coaching is not a substitute for medical treatment or psychotherapy!

Health Coaching vs Fitness Coach

A fitness coach is a fitness expert who creates a workout plan in order to reach your particular fitness goal (gain muscle, lose weight, runa marathon). The fitness coach consults, directs, plans and advises.

The health coach on the other hand, listens and supports your paln, and your goals. S.he  accepts and encourages your expertise about your health, wellbeing and goals. Through coaching tools and methodologies, s.he supports your objectives and works collaboratively to create your personalized health and wellbeing plan, and define your short and long term goals afterwards. Those are objectives you chose and complete.

The objective of the health coach is to motivate you, to encourage you, to support and enable your action stepsby providing you with the right guidance and tools. S.he only advises when and if the client feels stuck or asks for it explicitly.

The Health & Wellness Coach has expertise about health and wellness, and can educate you when needed on how to reach your objectives. He however does not pick the goals nor the how. He allows you to be your own expert. He does not decide what is best for you. He follows your lead.

1. Firslty, to engage to complete 3-months of wellness coaching ( for 3 month-plan);
2. Next, to complete a Wellbeing Assessment;
3. Thirdly, to engage and participate in sessions and be an actor of their health (vs a patient seeing an expert for advice) for a minimum of 5 coaching sessions;
4. Later, sessions can be planned weekly, monthly, or quarterly.
5. Finally, it is primordial to keep an open mind, and invite and be open to Change (as it is the main goal!)

• Initial coaching session (60-90 min.): First we review the Wellbeing Assessment and develop your personal Wellness Vision. Then we identify your priorities, strengths, and obstacles. After that we develop a personal wellness plan with 3-month and weekly goals, and set up your first steps.
• Weekly/monthly sessions (30-40 min.): We then meet virtually or in-person to review progress towards client goals, explore challenges, find new possibilities/strategies, and set new achievable objecives for the next week.
• 3-months review: At that time we will assess progress and celebrate your successes!