Master Your First Health Coaching Session with a New Client

Studies support the benefits of health coaching. For example, one meta-analysis found that, after meeting with a health coach, individuals at risk of cardiovascular disease made positive changes related to diet, exercise, and stress management. (1) Another piece of research connects weekly health coach sessions with a reduction of unplanned hospital readmissions for people with chronic diseases. (2)

This makes health coaching an important profession. But it can also increase your feelings of stress when meeting with a new coaching client. You want the very first session to go well because you know the impact you can have. How do you master that initial session? It begins with preparing in advance.

How to Prepare for Your First Coaching Session with a New Client

Even if you’ve been a health coach for years, you can’t walk into a coaching session without any advanced preparation and expect to have a good meeting. It would be like walking in front of an audience of people with no preparation and expecting to give a stellar speech. You may, but it isn’t likely. The best public speakers spend hours perfecting what they’re going to say. A health coach benefits from this same approach.

When preparing for your first coaching session, have a checklist handy of the things you want to cover. This reduces the risk that you’ll forget something important. If possible, have the client complete an intake form before the initial health coaching session as well. This allows you to learn about them and their health challenges. 

Taking the time to get to know them before you meet can go a long way with the coaching relationship. It shows them that you care enough to understand the challenges they face. This helps build trust in you as a health coach. It also gives you things to talk about in the initial session, which is beneficial for establishing rapport. 

If You’re a New Health Coach

If you’re completely new to coaching—as in, you’ve never coached before—it can be helpful to go through a session with an imaginary potential client and practice what you’ll say and do. You can also ask a family member or friend to help you. Ask them to role-play that they are your client and go through a coaching session. 

At the end of the practice session, get their feedback. 

• What did you say or do that they felt was helpful?

• Did their motivation increase after meeting with you?

• Did they understand what you were saying or were you using words or phrases they didn’t know?

• Was there ever a point in time when they didn’t feel heard?

• Was there something you didn’t say or do that they wish you would have?

Getting their answers to questions such as these can help you recognize what you may do well and where you could improve to better connect with your coaching clients.

What to Cover During the Initial Health Coaching Session

Your first session with a health coaching client can set the course for their entire coaching experience. If you provide a good experience, they’ll want to come back for future coaching sessions. If you don’t, you may never hear from them again.

Covering certain topics can help start your coaching relationship on the right foot. Here are some to include in your checklist: 

• How you got into the health coaching business. At the beginning of the session, tell the client briefly why you became a health coach. People connect with stories. Sharing yours can help a client better connect with you.

• What the coaching program entails. This is important because it tells the client what they will receive in terms of your coaching services. Talk about how often you’ll meet, when, and the best way to get in touch with you between sessions if they need. If you offer both in-person and online health coaching services, let them know.

• An overview of the coaching process. Help the client understand upfront that health coaching isn’t a straight line upward. Instead, it’s more of a series of ups and downs. Cover what to expect in terms of behavior change, challenges they might face, etc., so they’re prepared for the process.

• The client’s physical and mental health history and current health status. Go over the client’s intake form and ask any questions you may have. For instance, if they have a health condition or mental illness, what are they doing to treat it? Also, what do they feel are the biggest challenges as a result of their illness or condition?

• The client’s desired goal. This is a big one. Why did the client come to you for health coaching? This tells you what is important to them. It also gives you insight into what may motivate them when they need an extra push.

• Action steps to take before the next coaching session. It’s important to end each coaching session with a clear call to action. Give them one or two small things they can start doing to work toward their health goal. Little wins early on set a good tone for their journey. These wins also reinforce that you know how to help them make positive behavior changes.

• Other coaching services you offer that may help them reach their health goal. Do you also provide services as a life coach or wellness coach? Or maybe you’re a personal trainer or nutrition coach. If you offer any other coaching services that could be helpful to them, let them know. You may even bundle coaching services for a more customized package.

Helpful Coaching Tools and Skills to Make the Initial Session a Success

During the first session (and every session thereafter), don’t forget to rely on your coaching skills and tools. These can help establish rapport with your client. They also support your ability to help the client make lasting lifestyle changes.

Goal setting is a good tool for the initial session. When the client sets a goal, they begin to envision where they want to be. They feel pulled to their future self. This makes it easier to stay engaged in the coaching process. It also opens the door for you as a health coach to help them set goals that are reasonable for them to reach.

Positive psychology is another helpful coaching tool. Not all clients come into health coaching sessions with a positive mindset. If their negativity is strong enough, it can hinder their progress. Teaching them how to focus on their strengths and personal growth can make the coaching process more effective—and more fun!

Another important skill when health coaching is motivational interviewing. Is the client ready for change? If not, at what level of readiness are they? This information helps you meet the client where they are. It also guides you as to how to help your health coaching client increase their readiness for change.

What NOT to Do During Your First Session with a New Health Coaching Client

Part of developing a successful health coaching business is understanding the limits of your coaching practice. Here’s one limit to keep in mind: you’re a health coach, not a therapist.

It’s important to not let the coaching session turn into a therapy session. If the client has challenges that extend beyond your scope of practice, refer them to a physician or mental health professional.

If you’re unsure as to what you can and cannot do as a health coach, taking a certification course can help clear things up. This type of course covers the type of advice you’re allowed to provide in this role. It also clarifies what advice you’re not allowed to give.

Becoming a certified health coach offers additional benefits. For instance, it adds authority to your expertise. This can help you stand out from your competitors. You’ll also likely learn new skills that you didn’t know before, like scientifically proven ways to make healthy changes stick.

Taking the extra step to earn your certification tells potential clients that you’re serious about your role as a health coach. It says that you’re willing to go the extra mile to get them the results that they deserve.

ISSA offers Health Coach Certification. This course helps you develop the skill sets needed to thrive as a successful health coach. You also gain access to a variety of coaching tools designed to help your client base make their changes last long-term.

References

1. An, S., & Song, R. (2020). Effects of health coaching on behavioral modification among adults with cardiovascular risk factors: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Patient Education and Counseling, 103(10), 2029–2038. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2020.04.029 

2. Sullivan, V. H., Hays, M. M., & Alexander, S. (2019). Health coaching for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus to decrease 30-day hospital readmissions. Professional Case Management, 24(2), 76–82. https://doi.org/10.1097/ncm.0000000000000304