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. Therapy: The Core Distinctions
1. Different Goals and Outcomes

Therapy (Traditional): Often focuses on healing past wounds, processing trauma, addressing mental health diagnoses (e.g., depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD), and managing symptoms. It's often open-ended and exploratory, aiming for symptom reduction and psychological insight. Therapy is typically reactive, addressing existing problems.

Coaching : Is forward-looking, action-oriented, and focused on specific goals and transformation. Your 3-week "Mind-Body Jumpstart Series" isn't about diagnosing a disorder; it's about providing targeted strategies to "Unlock Restful Nights" or "Calm Your Inner Critic" to move clients from their current state to a desired future state. You're selling a solution to a problem, not just a service hour.

2. Program Structure vs. Hourly Sessions

Therapy (Often): Primarily involves one-off hourly or 50-minute sessions. The client pays per session, and the relationship is often session-to-session.

Coaching: is a packaged program. Even the 3-week option isn't just "3 consultations." It includes:

- Defined Outcome: A clear promise of what will be achieved in those 3 weeks (e.g., foundational sleep improvement, initial thought shifts).

- Curated Content/Tools: You're providing personalized strategies, guided journaling, education based on neuroscience and mind-body principles. This material is designed, refined, and delivered by you.

- Ongoing Support: Even for a 3-week program, you're likely offering email or text support between sessions. This accessibility and continuity is not standard in traditional therapy.

- Structured Progression: There's a deliberate flow designed to maximize results within that timeframe.

3. My Unique Expertise and Specialization

I'm a Certified Health Coach AND a European-Licensed Mental Health Counselor. This means I bring:

A deep understanding of human psychology, behavior change, and emotional regulation (from my clinical background).

Expertise in practical health strategies (from my health coaching).

Specialized knowledge of chronic pain, the Bio-PsychoSocial model, and neuroscience.

Niche Focus: I'm not a general life coach. I'm a specialist in mind-body coaching for chronic pain and related symptoms. I solve a very specific, often debilitating, problem. People with chronic pain are looking for someone who truly understands their unique challenges; I've lived it.

4. Value, Not Time (The Investment Mindset)

Clients aren't paying for 3 hours of time. They're paying for the transformation that 3 weeks of dedicated, expert-guided work can bring.

Consider the cost of not solving these problems: - What's the cost of chronic sleeplessness, constant negative thoughts, or unmanaged anxiety on a person's health, relationships, productivity, and overall happiness?My program offers a shortcut to alleviating that suffering.

Return on Investment (ROI): My coaching helps clients gain tools for life, improve their well-being, and potentially reduce reliance on other, more expensive interventions (like repeated doctor visits, medications, or even more extensive therapy down the line).

5. Insurance & Reimbursement (A Key Difference)

Therapy is often covered by insurance, which means clients pay a co-pay (e.g., $30-$50) or a percentage after their deductible. The full therapist fee might be $150-$250+ per session, but the client doesn't see that direct cost.

Coaching, particularly health and wellness coaching, is generally not covered by insurance. Clients pay out-of-pocket, meaning they are making a direct, conscious investment in their well-being.

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

Health Coaching vs Fitness Coach

"Health and Wellness Coaches partner with clients seeking self-directed, lasting changes, aligned with their values, which promote health and wellness and, thereby, enhance well- being. In the course of their work health and wellness coaches display unconditional positive regard for their clients and a belief in their capacity for change, and honoring that each client is an expert on his or her life, while ensuring that all interactions are respectful and non-judgmental." --code of ethics, NBHWC

A fitness coach is a fitness expert who creates a workout plan in order to reach your particular fitness goal. The fitness coach consults, directs, plans and advises.

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 but 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!