COSTA MESA, Calif. — We know about coaches when it comes to sports, but what about coaches for our health? What’s known as a health coach is a growing health care profession aimed at motivating people to motivate themselves toward healthier lifestyles. The ultimate goal is to help reduce — or even prevent — chronic diseases.

Orange Coast College has kicked off a program to help aspiring health coaches earn an associate degree or certification. The college said it is the first community college in California to offer a program that will standardize training and certification in the emerging profession.

Jo Willems is one of the students enrolled in the program. She recently picked up some groceries in a shopping center parking lot for an upcoming class on healthy eating. It’s been about 20 years since she graduated from college, and Willems is a student again.

“I love continuing my education. My personal growth,” she said.

Willems said she loves to learn, especially when it’s about something that will help her to help others. Because without the help of others, Willems said she wouldn’t be here. Years ago, Willems was in a car accident that left her with some permanent brain damage that limited what she could do.

“That changed what I called my identity. And all of a sudden, as a mother, and I was working, all of that changed. Just came to a screeching halt. All I had was pain in my life,” Willems said.

She couldn’t be as physically active as she used to be, which led to weight gain and a deep a depression. Willems said she even contemplated ending her life and had a plan for it. But she was able to find help.  “So I found the value of having somebody that can come along side that can help you make baby steps,” she said.

It’s the reason Willems decided to enroll in the community college’s Integrative Health Coaching program. She wants to be a health coach. “We are not doctors. We are not nurses. But we are part of the team that can take the diagnosis and start applying it to your daily life," Willems explained.

For example, let’s say your doctor said you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and you just recovered from a heart attack. Willems said the patient is typically sent home with a list of instructions. “And you’re thinking, 'I don’t have time the time to do this.' And what a health coach would do is help break that down," she added.

Just like in sports, the health coach comes up with an action plan that blends traditional medical treatment with alternative therapies such as yoga or healthier eating. During a class last month, Willems learned to cook a healthier version of chili, a vegetarian chili. She learned about the nutritional benefits of each product, such as pumpkin puree, which is lower calorie, nutrient rich, vitamin packed, and full of protein. She said the chili was delicious!

But the program isn’t just about cooking. “You’re also going to need to know the initial background on medical terminology, human anatomy, and physiology," Willems explained. "And also about diseases.”

The most important lesson Willems has learned so far is listening. “We’re there to find out how we can motivate the client,” she said.

Classes are online-only for now, and taught by Dr. Tierney Loveland-Grace. The professor explained that because health coaches often have more time than doctors to spend with patients, they have been able to find out social and economic factors that play into someone’s health. They can also answer questions such as, “Do they access to healthy produce? Are they living in a community that’s safe that they can get outside and be active?” Dr. Loveland-Grace said that information is used to motivate the client to motivate themselves in a plan that works within their lifestyle.

The program was originally planned as a one-year program. But due to the pandemic, the internship/clinical portion of the class that requires in-person/hands-on training will be delayed.

One could call themselves a health coach without the program, but Dr. Loveland-Grace said getting the associate degree or certification via this formal education provides credibility in the field.  

A field Willems can’t wait to get into in order to help someone who might be going through what she did. “I'm excited about [finding out] how can we make their life better," she said.